What does mastitis feel like?

[ElBombero]

Feeling generally achy / flu'y today thought it was just because I'd been busy today but even after relaxing tonight I feel tender. Come to bed and my left breast is sore on the left hand side, it's warm too. Wondering if something is brewing?

Flu with sore boob(s). It's horrible. If it's worse in the morning seek medical attention. In the meantime keep feeding from the sore side, and massage the blockage if there is one.

Generally I find I feel weepy and sort of 'doomed' before the full on fluey shakes come on. I also find the feeling rough precedes the really bad inflammation and visible redness in the boob. It's usually only afterwards I go 'oh yeah, that bit was tender and I was behaving like an emotional loon' .

In your situation I'd treat it like mastitis. Ibuprofen, rest as much as you can, feed feed feed in every acrobatic position you can think of, warmth, gentle expressing if need be. I hope you're all better soon.

Sounds like it, make sure you get it checked first thing in the morning. When i had it i managed to catch it early before the flu like symptoms set in and still needed antibiotics. You may feel like one or both of your breasts is very firm, lumpy and painful.

Try expressing/feeding til breast is totally empty, hot flannel and kneading, if no better by tomorrow morning get antiobiotics ASAP as it could turn into an abscess. I have had 2 bouts in last month and antibiotics cleared it up with no adverse side effects. With last dc, left it too long to my severe detriment.

I never had it with DS1 but at 10 weeks with DS2 felt like you did, went to doc the next day by which time one whole side of my chest was bright red, got antibiotics and felt miles better within a day or two. Get yourself to a GP I reckon!

Awwww really rubbish :( thought if ask as the midwife said it would feel like this. DS only 3 weeks up and up every 2 hours so I'll be feeding most if the night.

So keep feeding from sore breast?

Docs closed tomorrow being Saturday, shall I go A&E or wait till mon? X

Weird though been quite controlled with feeding each side so each boob should be thoroughly emptied regularly. How can abit of blocked milk make you feel systemically ill?

Do you have a drop-in clinic you can go to? Have the midwives discharged you?

You can keep feeding from sore breast. Call an emergency doctor. It was a sunday when i had it, i called 111 and they put me through to an on call doctor who i saw an hour later and started anti biotics that same day. Dont wait OP, catch it quickly and youl save yourself alot of pain

The blocked milk duct becomes infected and the infection makes you feel poorly, good luck OP

It could just be a blocked duct, which has is about to turn turn in to an infection (i.e. mastistis) or it could just be a blocked duct on it's own, deep inside the boob. A GP would be able to diagnose. You need to go to the walk in clinic tomorrow who can diagnose and then treat with antibiotics.

Some natural relief if it is a blocked duct rather than infection:

• Savoy cabbage leaves in your bra (there is something in the leaves that eases the fullness of them)

• Cold and hot compressses

• If you can find a lump in the breast, or a part of the breast that is harder, try massaging it, or getting an electric tooth brush on the area (sounds random I know). Others have found a hair comb and 'combing' the area towards the nipple helps too.

• Warm bath and massages

• Take paracetoml and ibruprofen. It will help with temperature and any inflammation in the book.

I had mastistis once (treated with antibiotics when dd was 5 days old) but several blocked ducts and the above has worked for me. I've felt the 'signs' of infection (tired, feverish) and managed to avoid antibiotics.

Hope this helps

You feel awful because your body has an immune response to your leaking milk proteins... Don't stop feeding on the affected side, feed and express, check for blebs and repeat. As the milk empties you will feel better if it is ordinary non infectious mastitis. Ibruprofen is your friend. Effective self help is the best initial response if no better in 24 hrs or feeling worse (self help wont help infectious mastitis) then see gp.

Infectious mastitis is usually associated with nipple trauma or unresolved milk stasis. Antibiotics leave you prone to thrush and are over prescribed for this purpose.

Terrormesue yes weepy too, just watched piers life stories ?? very sad.

Yes been discharged now, could ring HV but not sure if they work weekends?

Is 111 a national number?

*boob not book....

Oh and offering the second side each feed reduces your likelihood of getting blockages. Check your bra fits too.

Thanks fadbook

I think its a national number, for out of hours doctors. Or you could always phone nhs direct or google search the number for out of hours doctors in your area. Alternatevly you could phone your gp surgery and they should have an answerphone giving the number to call. Hope that helps

Eisabel course they do, baby brain! Thanks

Fadbook your self help stuff is great but ordinary mastitis makes you feel awful too. Most mastitis in humans isn't infectious. The nhs page and kellom will explain this too.

Lots of information on Kellymom including on blocked ducts versus mastitis, and suggestions as to when antibiotics might be needed.

Mastitis simply means inflammation of the breast. The milk duct blocks, then the milk being made spills into the surrounding tissue, where the body perceives it to be foreign and reacts to it with inflammation. The majority of mastitis is NOT infected and does not need antibiotics.

really helpful leaflet