Lactating, not pregnant or bf

[outcrops]

Posted in women’s health and no responses so adding here….

For the last couple of days I’ve been lactating. I breastfed ds for 2 years but he’s 9 now. It’s milky rather than discharge and reminds me of colostrum. Took a test yesterday and it’s negative. Period due in next couple of days. I’ve looked online but not found anything particularly helpful. 111 online suggests booking a GP appointment but given it’s not an emergency it won’t be for a couple of weeks so I thought I’d see if anyone else had experienced this or had any ideas.

so as not to drip feed, I had a really weird heavy bleed last month. It felt like contractions and then suddenly gushed a bucket load of blood flooding towels and clothes. I went to dr but she seemed to write it off as a heavy period. It definitely wasn’t. She’s referred me for a scan but I’m wondering if the lactating could be related.

I think you need to go back to see your GP.

have any friends or relatives had a baby recently? It could be that?

I agree see you GP to be checked out, but the chances are it is harmless

Was it possible the very heavy period was a miscarriage?

I’ve booked an appointment but won’t be for a week or so. No new babies and my sisters have had 4 babies in total since I had mine - I’ve held them at a day old and never had this!

I have a Prolactinoma, one of the symptoms of this is lactating when not pregnant (even men can lactate with a Prolactinoma!!). It's a benign pituitary tumour that increases the hormone prolactin. I would be asking for full hormone blood tests and referral to an endocrinologist. I manage mine with medication and it doesn't cause me any issue nowadays 😊

I thought it was at the time but tests have all been negative and I thought if the hormones were strong enough to still cause symptoms it’d show up in a test.

Snap.

op you need your prolactin levels checked.

Thank you LBF2020 (sorry my replies don’t seem to be working). I’m glad yours is not causing you issues and that’s really helpful. I’ll mention to GP

I had a little milk coming out of my nipples when I was in my 20s. Went to GP and she said if muscles are weak, can happen. I think! - was a while ago.

Not sure how to compare to breast-feeding though as never given birth.