Immaculate Lactation

[ThePriceOfSugar]

A strange thing has happened to me and I wanted to know if someone else has experienced it.

I'm 26, never been pregnant and am not now (I have my period currently), and have no history of hormonal dysfunction or pituitary tumors or any health complaints. But two nights ago, after a bath, I was drying/touching my boobs and found I am lactating. Bilaterally, clear at first and then obviously milky, and more than a few drops. It's continued until now.

I feel completely normal and haven't done or taken anything outside of what is normal for me. To make matters more odd, I have JUST migrated to the UK this week, and so don't even have an address to register with a doctor.

Has anyone had an instance of random lactation? AIBU to just wait for it to go away?

You absolutely must see a doctor OP - this could be a sign of cancer. Obviously hopefully something much less serious but it's just not worth the risk.

Honestly, I think you need to see a doctor.

If you can afford it, you could go privately to save the difficulty of registering with a temporary address.

Yes YWBU, please don't ignore it. Could be something harmless, but could also potentially be something serious. You should try to get an appointment with a GP ASAP, I assume there's a mechanism to see someone even without an address.

It can be a sign of something very serious.

Please see a doctor.

Are you certain you aren't pregnant?

You can temporarily register with a doctor op, just until you get an address.

This is pretty urgent.

Register with a doctor ASAP.
This could be very serious.

Is there any possible way you could be pregnant? Take a test if you've had sex in the last few months, just to be sure. You can still have periods whilst pregnant.

Of course I'll take a pregnancy test anyway, just in case, but the only sex I've had has been in the last 6 weeks with a man who had a vasectomy 6 years ago. Even if it were a "miraculous" conception, surely this is way too early to be lactating?

This is actually quite common. It can be caused by all sorts of things, like hormonal changes, medication or even... um... excessive handling. Sometimes there's no obvious cause at all and it's 'just one of those things' that happens to some women.

Basically, you should register with a GP and make an appointment, because it might need further checking out, but the chances are it's absolutely nothing sinister at all so try not to worry.

Breast discharge that is bloody, or looks like pus, or is a transparent, yellowish liquid, would be more concerning (I speak from experience).

To be honest it's the first thing the doctors will do anyway, it's always better to rule out the obvious.

@KreedKafer Thanks for your message. I may have confirmation bias in finding it particularly straightforward and reassuring, but thank you nonetheless. I know women's health diagnoses are so often "just one of those things" (happened to me before), and so I am not freaking out about this. Nevertheless, I'll look into how to make a doc appointment.

You need to register with a doctor and make an appointment to be seen urgently.

Have you started or stopped any medication recently? This happened me about 20 years ago and it was a rare side effect of some medication I was tapering off. The doctor said at the time the fact it was bilateral meant the chances of it being something sinister were much lower before he figured out it was the medicine.

This can be a sign of prolactionoma, which can be easily treated with medication in most cases. I’ve had one for 20 years now.

Same happened to me when I was in my 20s and have high prolactin.

Blood test needed to check your prolactin levels and whatever else your doctor advises. Are your periods regular?

Agree with above. I was in my 20s when I was diagnosed with a prolactinoma. It can be due to pituitary tumour ( in my case a micro adenoma - benign) but can also be secondary to thyroid problems.
Other symptoms include irregular periods & lethargy.

But it can just be “one of those things”.
Make sure you have prolactin checked.

Treatment is generally with medication but they will check everything else out. So probably gyni appointment with ultrasound and endocrine app with MRI.

Don’t ignore it as it can affect fertility.