Treating an abscess at home - help!

[boobabscess]

I’ve got an abscess on my left boob - swollen hot red lump (about 2inch diameter swelling) . Had similar before and each time needed antibiotics to clear it up, one went very bad with tracking/fever a few years ago .

I know I should probably contact surgery for this latest one, but they’ve been saying on their FB page not to phone them unless it’s absolutely essential/clearly ill - I’m kind of hoping this could clear itself up without needing to bother them . I’m not feverish or anything .

I’ve held it under the shower/hot water but wondering if I should try to burst it somehow. No head to it at the moment though . Could I just sterilise a needle and poke it at it...?

Contact the surgery. I've also been tortured by recurrent abscesses and have learnt the hard way home treatments delay the inevitable and make the problem worse in the longrun. In the meantime put a really hot compress on it and hopefully it'll naturally come to a head.

Ring the Dr

This is an essential thing you should absolutely contact your gp about it. If you delay getting oral antibiotics and its gets worse, you'll need iv antibiotics and that means a hospital admission, so you're not wasting anyones time getting seen now! The nhs hasn't just closed to anyone who doesnt have covid, it's still there to help.

You need antibiotics. Leaving it will increase your chance of it getting to a stage where antibiotics won't touch it and you need surgery. Which will be more pressure on the nhs than a phone appt.

Please don't leave it! I made that stupid mistake with an anal abcess and here I am 4 operations later!!!
Accesses can turn nasty quickly without you being aware of what's spreading inside your body. Please call your gp today for this

You absolutely have to call the GP! I ended up in hospital on a drip for four days with one, and that was after antibiotics too. This is counted as an urgent case!

DO NOT use a needle. I did that sterilised a needle and poked about. My leg swelled up and I got tracking and the symptoms of sepsis. Calm your go and they will send out a prescription for you to collect. I called mine and when I told the receptionist he called back with 15 minutes and sent a prescription out as a priority.

I’ll give them a ring then 👍🏻 , hopefully they can just prescribe antibiotics over the phone , thanks !

Oh god the thought of trying to treat a breast abscess at home has made me feel funny & I'm not normally squeamish

If you have an abscess you are at risk of sepsis, call your GP now and expect to be sent to A&E. Are you breastfeeding or has this come out of the blue?

No, I’m not breastfeeding . Totally out of the blue . I had a few others over Christmas period and GP thought I might be type 2 diabetic, but tests all came back fine . I’m obese though so maybe that causes it - although the abscess isn’t in a skin fold, it’s right next to my nipple .

OP it's possible to get mastitis when not breastfeeding - I've had it while pregnant!

Aye so I’ve just seen on NHS website .. I didn’t realise that . It doesn’t feel like a wedge lump though, more like a bad spot that’s gone nasty . Have attached a crap photo of it . Phoned surgery who said someone will try to ring back tomorrow , 111 if I get a fever or anything . Should really have rung this morning but too worried they’d want to see me - various reasons that would make getting there a nightmare !

ooh, that looks tender. I've suffered from them in the past but you do need to treat them soon rather than later.

Make sure you ring first thing, they may well not need you to go to the surgery but could prescribe over the phone.

Got any magnesium sulphate in the interim? Slather some on the spot and it may draw it out. Very sore looking .

I wish I did, I’ve used that before to wonderful results ! Feeling a bit rough tonight, tired and achy - but checked temp and totally normal (37) . See how it goes rest of the night .

I tried to self treat my symptoms over the weekend and ended up being admitted to hospital for IV antibiotics. Don't do it.

Ooh that looks sore and deep. I’m a total sporner so usually I’m all over heat / mag sulph / jab a needle in it but I’d leave that alone.

I’d draw around the redness too so you can keep an eye on it spreading. And ring the GP again first thing so you don’t get missed or forgotten.

My gp said he was debating seeing me but said due to the covid risk we would try the AB’s first and they did work.