Mumsnet Talk

Am now at end of my patience with blocked duct ( short version is this appeared on day 2 with dd and nothing I can have tried over the past 16 months has made any difference- there is also no visible nodule or mark to show blockage so it's quite deep). Have been having it drained by needle about once a month but blockage keeps recurring and it's now getting to be a pain .

Consultant has now admitted he has ne'er had a patient with this problem for so long and mentioned again surgery. Does anyone have any experience of this? How long does it take to clear up ( some mention was made of needing a drain for a while)? How does this work in practice (ie is it tricky to pick up etc a toddler)? And how much scarring do you get (although this a lesser issue as frankly having something that grows to the size of a golf ball on your breast every month is not attractive)?

Am not bf still but any experience welcome.

Still? Oh poor you!

Well I can only tell you about surgery I had to remove a major abcess from the central part of my breast, which involved a general anaesthetic and two stitches. It was fine. I breastfed afterwards (not immediately afterwards this was pre-urchins) with no problems. There is no scar, the drain was in for 48 hours during which I was kept in hospital. Was no worse than having my tonsils out and god the relief!!!

Is it possible that it is a galactocele rather than a blocked duct? Have had a friend with one of these and she has had it surgically aspirated once but it returned after just a few months. At it's worst it is slightly larger than a golfball. See galactoceles. There must be better references but I am too tired to search just now. 'Breastfeeding and Human Lactation' is a very sound text though....

Yep it is a galactocele but having posted that before and got no responses used blocked duct as shorthand. Many thanks for responses and links - 48 hours sounds ok (someone else mentioned having a drain in for weeks which has given me visions of incidents occurring whilst lifting dd out bath etc).