Flucloxacillin dose for mastitis?

[Minstrelsaremarvellous]

If anyone can give advice I'd be grateful! I'm suffering my second bout of mastitis with my 4wk old (different breast - been going to bfeeding cafe and hopefully have latch 'sorted'). I tried to self manage but after a grim 2 days I went to the GP and they prescribed me 250mg four times daily flucloxacillin - I've since read BFN leaflet and numerous other resources which suggest that I should be on 500mg qds? I'm happy to go back to GP to discuss this but how do I do it a) without sounding like a bloody know-it-all/worried/paranoid new mum b) and actually am I even right?

If you contact Wendy Jones at the BfN's Drugs in Breastmilk helpline she will be able to advise or you could take the Mastitis leaflet to the GP (I think it has a section to prescribers) and show them what it says. What length of anti-biotic course have you got?

With 250mg it's a 7 day course (started yesterday) and GP suggested I start with a double dose. It's just that the mastitis started on one side of my breast and now I've got it on the other side of the same breast and it's SORE! Feeling very sorry for myself! I've been feeding and expressing but can't seem to get much milk, and even Though DD feeds she's not satisfied and GUZZLES the other breast

And I'm not normal this pathetic

Argh… normal normally

It could be could have plugged ducts which have triggered the mastitis. Without clearing the plug(s) the mastitis is going to reoccur (unfortunately).

Have you seen this? It's from Kellymom.com and it has lots of self help tips to clear the plugs (there isn't anything pharmaceutical that can be prescribed to clear a plug as far as I am aware though there is Lecithin which has been shown to help plugged ducts from reoccuring for some women).

What things have you been doing at home? Baby may be a bit 'off' feeding oon the sore side as milk from a breast with mastitis can taste saltier than normal which she might not appreciate (it will go back to normal I promise) so if she isn't feeding well on that side hand expressing or pumping post feed can help speed up clearing the mastitis/plug.

Don't worry about sounding pathetic (you didn't BTW) plugged ducts/mastitis can bring the best of us down.

It was Kellymom that I used to self manage and when it didn't improve by 24hrs (was a bit longer) that's when I went to GP. I think I might have overdone the massage initially though (maybe too hard). Just don't know what to do with myself and DP is knackered too!

It is tough having mastitis and it can take a while to get over it so do rest when you can (she says to the mum with the baby!) and be kind to yourself - it is a bacterial infection of a body part - not just something you can shrug off in a few days.

Thanks Truthsweet - appreciate your posts!

This post sounds familiar. I tried to self-treat my mastitis (hot baths, massage, hand expressing, continuing to feed DS) for about 4 days then I got the full-on fever so saw my doc. I was prescribed flucloxicillin 500mg 4 times a day for 7 days, by day 7 it wasn't fully cleared so my GP prescribed another 7 days of the same. Hope. That helps,

With blocked ducts and mastitis, the most important thing is to get the milk out - it's milk building up and causing a blockage that creates the initial problem. Sometimes (not always) with mastitis, you also get an infection - that's what the antibiotics are for.

Breast massage is really handy for clearing the ducts - With the heel of your hand, you make firm sweeping movements on the sore area, towards the nipple. Or some people swear by one of those plastic combs with the big blunt teeth. The more often you can do this, the better.

Ibuprofen can also help to reduce the inflammation.

Hi boobmeister - I did that as soon as I had mild symptoms and expressed after feeds. I did cold compress between feeds and warm just before nursing or expressing. I swear massage made it worse! I had phone consult with GP today who was brilliant. Upped my dose of flucloxacillin and told me to come back if needed. Am feeling better today, but ridiculously weepy, pathetic and run down. My DP is being a resident hero but also learning just what it is that I do!

Aww that sounds rotten! And you've got a 4 week old bubba to look after too. You are officially allowed to be pathetic

Hugs - do take care of yourself.