Galactocele / Mastitis

[Snowflake9]

On 4/10/19 I noticed a small lump in my left breast which was tender, about the size of a marble. Called doctor, could only get telephone call. He prescribed me a weeks course of antibiotics.

Over the week, the lump grew, I was still able to feed fine and mentioned the lump to the GP at my 6 week check. He sent me to the breast clinic on am urgent referral but. The consultant I saw ordered an ultrasound which I had done a few days later.

By this point my breast was half hard limp, half soft..still feeding but very sore. The radiographer offered me a fine needle aspiration. I of course agreed but asked for local anesthetic which he didn't want to give. He reluctantly did but did not allow for the LA to kick in and went straight in with the needle to drain. Oh my G. So much pain for only a little milk. He told me I would have to come back and have it drained again. He tried 4 different entry points to get milk out.

Within hours of leaving the hospital the lump had refilled (as was still bF) and was again very painful with the added bonus of being extremely bruised from the needles.

I receive letters informing me it is a galactocele.

5 days later the pain is unbearable so I revisited, hoping for some answers and another solution. I was only offered more antibiotics as my blood showed signs of infection and another fine needle aspiration at another hospital.

I declined as it seemed to make my situation a whole lot worse. From research I could see that a galactocele will.only truly.go once you stop.bf and your milk dries up. So I cut my feeds dramatically, Nx haven't fed at all from breast for 48 hours now. Have been on antibiotics since Friday and the usual paracetamol/ibuprofen, cabbage leaves ice pack routine. The pain in my left breast is unbearable..

Had ANYONE been through similar ? Can anyone offer pain relief advice for the sharp shooting pains. Is this milk drying up? Or my cyst? Can't pump or hand express that side as it's so sore I can't even bare to touch if.

Am.booked.for another FNA on the 11th.

[WhatTiggersDoBest]

I don't have any experience but wanted to bump it for you. Can you try having things that BF mothers are told to avoid (things that dry up milk/stop milk production)? You're on antibiotics so alcohol is probably not ok but there have to be other things too. I've found this article which suggests sage or peppermint tea might dry up milk. Otherwise the oestrogen part of the pill. If oestrogen is a known anti-galactogogue, I'd go back to the doctors and ask for it.
www.healthline.com/health/parenting/how-to-dry-up-breast-milk#birth-control
If you can bear it, I'd also try going in a warm shower (very gently) to see if you can stimulate let-down without actually touching your boobs, to relieve some of the pressure. I did this when I had a cut nipple and nipple thrush at the same time and got engorged until the milk wouldn't come out and standing in the warm shower really helped although the stream of water was quite painful when it got near the nipple.

[Snowflake9]

Thank you so much for replying. It means alot. I shall have a look at sage tea, have been doing peppermint tea too.

Currently sat at out of hours go as I can't even touch my breast without screaming in pain.

Feel really let down by the GPs right at the beginning

[Snowflake9]

Oh, and I started the combined pill on Monday ...

[CabbagePatchKids]

I've never heard of a galactocele so just looked it up.
Dr Jack Newman is a breastfeeding specialist and on his website he says it is usually not painful. Could yours have turned into an infection/abscess?

This article is interesting (re abscesses) https://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/breast-abscess/

I don't think a galactocele should be causing you this much bother but the drs obviously are not concerned.

I think you should book in with another GP if you're worried. It sounds awful

[Snowflake9]

I ended up calling 111 last night, sent me to out of hours gp, immediately got me o. Morphine, sent me to hospital, seen my surgical team at 8am. Surgery at 10am to drain 100ml.of PUS and infection from the absess it had turned in to. This had to be done by incision and as aspiration did not work.

If I had left it , the pressure would have burst through the skin and split open.

[Snowflake9]

I can not fault any of the treatment I have received in the last 24 hours from anybody the NHS Staff I have come into contact with.

So caring and compassionate and very efficient.

[noodledoodler]

Snowflake that sounds awful, you poor thing, thank goodness you have had treatment now, hopefully it's all on the mend 🌺🌺🌺

[poppet131]

Oh god, sounds awful! Could you try lecithin supplements to help avoid it again (Kellymom has a bit more info on the supplements). I’m prone to blocked milk ducts and painful lumps but none since I started taking these!

[Snowflake9]

Yes, I do have some sunflower lecithin although I have read not to take it if you have history of anxiety and depression.


My milk is drying up now. I am being discharge from hospital today and need to have my packing and dressing changed daily. The packing is extremely painful when touched let alone changed! Just need to remind myself it's all temporary.

If anyone is reading this in the future and has ANY symptom of infection please please please seek help and trust your intuition.

[CabbagePatchKids]

Oh wow. It sounded so nasty I'm not surprised.
Wishing you a swift recovery and lots of cuddles with your baby.