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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be incredibly pissed off about this?

23 replies

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 20:32

Dd was born 4 months ago. A couple of weeks into bfing i noticed a lump in my breast. Showed it to the gp who wasn't overly concerned and said to come back in a few weeks if it wasn't gone. Went back at 12 weeks and gp referred me to a specialist. Had an ultrasound, surgeon said nothing suspicious but i'll do a biopsy anyway. I asked if it would affect bfing and was told no it'll be fine. Had the biopsy, results clear as expected.
Then the biopsy site got painful and started oozing. Rang the specialist centre and nurse told me not to worry it'll be fine. Gp gave me antibiotics. Finished antib's and site starts oozing again. Rang specialist again and was told by a different nurse that "oozing is normal, doctor should have told you that, it won't stop till you stop bfing"
WTAF???
Basically what she was saying that for as long as i bf, i would have an oozing open wound. So the biopsy, which wasn't essential has meant that i have to force my bottle refusing dd to have formula or face infection after infection for months.
AIBU to think they should have informed me of this BEFORE doing the biopsy? I am so fucking sick of doctors being clueless about bfing.

OP posts:

JesuslovesmethisIknow · 17/06/2013 20:37

:( thats crap. can you get a second opinion?

YoniRanger · 17/06/2013 20:40

I think you need to get a second opinion. I had a biopsy on a breast lump while breast feeding and it has healed perfectly normally. It did hurt to feed for a couple of weeks but nothing like this.

They had specific breast feeding protocols and explained that some of the procedures might affect me differently because the tissue is working and tender.

I think they might be trying to fob you off because a wound in a healthy breast that is just performing a biologically normal job shouldn't be weeping.

A wound infected with MRSA however will not heal.

I would be requesting swabs and an appointment at the breast clinic for them to sort it out.

twooter · 17/06/2013 20:40

Surely the biopsy was to confirm it wasn't cancer. Supposing it had been? Would you still bebpissed off, or relieved that you had a better chance to be around?

Would you have still had the biopsy if you had been told in advance about the wound (which I agree you should have been,btw)

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 20:41

I have to go back to the specialist on thursday. I had to argue to get that, they were trying to fob me off. They seemed to think it was fine to damage my breast and then not help me at all.

OP posts:

JamieandtheMagicTorch · 17/06/2013 20:41

Oh Cailin. I'm sorry to hear about this.

Hope you get it sorted

Onesleeptillwembley · 17/06/2013 20:42

I also had a biopsy (actially two, within 12 hours) whilst breast feeding. It healed normally. This was never mentioned.

OHforDUCKScake · 17/06/2013 20:43

That isnt true. You wont be oozing the whole time you are breastfeeding.

For the reason that some women have mastitis so bad it has to be drained, the point of it being drained is so it can heal.

You absolutely, completely should totally not be left with any oozing lumps what so ever.

Ignore the nurse and see a new doctor.

WuzzleMonkey · 17/06/2013 20:43

On a practical and last-resort level I just wanted to tell you that I b/f with only one boob for several months so you may have that option if you need it.

But I agree with others who have said you need a 2nd opinion as it doesn't sound right to me either.

Onesleeptillwembley · 17/06/2013 20:44

Actually, chase up what the nurse told you. She sounds a liability.

HappyAsASandboy · 17/06/2013 20:45

I also had a breast biopsy while breastfeeding. The wound heals quickly and with just a pinprick scar. No oozing after first few hours, and that oozing was stemmed by a cotton wool pad and tape.

Don't let them shrug this off. Breastfeeding shouldn't stop the wound healing :(

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 20:45

Twooter i wouldn't have had the biopsy no. I would have put it off till i was finished breast feeding. The surgeon said herself the biopsy wasn't essential.

OP posts:

ChippingInWiredOnCoffee · 17/06/2013 20:47

Oh Cailin :( I hope you can get it sorted out quickly.

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 20:52

The thing that fucks me off the most is that i had to ring them 7 times before they agreed to see me.

OP posts:

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 20:54

Oh and the nurse who said it was "normal" seemed to expect me just to put up with it. It wasn't until i pointed out i couldn't have an open wound for months that it occurred to her to do anything.

OP posts:

SquinkiesRule · 17/06/2013 20:58

Ask then to swab it and send it to the lab to see whats growing. If it is MRSA then it needs treating again.
Other than that you can feed one sided, makes you a bit lopsided but it works.

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 21:00

They already did a swab but it grew nothing.

OP posts:

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 21:16

From what a few posters have said it sounds like they're bullshitting about it being "normal". I can't believe they would do a procedure like this and then basically tell me to get lost when it goes wrong. I am going to put in a really serious complaint about it.

OP posts:

Original poster

CailinDana · 17/06/2013 21:20

Yoniranger - what breastfeeding protocols did they have? The surgeon i saw didn't seem the tiniest bit interested in the fact that i was bfing.

OP posts:

cfc · 17/06/2013 21:41

For various reasons I have bf my last two with just one breast (a year with DD and still going strong with DS2 at 8 months).

I hope you manage to get it sorted, cailin, sounds crap. :(

MummytoKatie · 17/06/2013 22:47

I want to add to the "one breast" comments. Dd "went off" one of my breasts at about 18 months and would refuse it / spit it out. After a bit of a battle I decided that it was just her self weaning and she'd stop the other one too soon so I let it go.

She finally stopped at 27 months.

Just for the record - once I stopped they were not lopsided!

neunundneunzigluftballons · 17/06/2013 23:42

Not to belittle this situation but in my experience the default answer for some hcp dealing with breast feeding women is you need to give up bf. definitely get a 2 nd opinion

YoniRanger · 18/06/2013 18:08

They told me from the start that their priority was to enable me to continue BF, even though DD was 16 months.

They said that throughout they would only risk BF if there was overriding concern/risk.

Every procedure was explained including the effects it might have on me due to BF or on BF.

They were totally fab.

The care you have had has been really crap by the sound of it. Hope you can get them to sort it out.

Original poster

CailinDana · 19/06/2013 15:53

They certainly weren't like that With me! They couldn't give a toss that i was bfing

OP posts:

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