Galactocele - can anyone help?

[Nearlythere123]

Hi, a lump in my breast turned into mastitis which improved with antibiotics but the lump kept growing & is huge now. (Totally distorts the shape of my breast)

I was referred by my GP to a breast clinic who said I had a galactocele - a 'milk lake' they described it as. A cavity filled with milk which they saw on an ultrasound & drained with a needle.

There was still a sizeable lump which they said was inflammation caused by the pressure from the milk, which would settle down.

Three days later, the lump is still just as big (maybe bigger - it fills the palm of my hand), and so so painful. I suspect the cavity has refilled also which I was told was a possibility.

I just feel so totally hopeless - the pain is reducing me to tears daily & I can't see a way of there being any improvement. My LO is only 6 weeks and I feel like this is stopping me from getting on with being a mum - this has been going on nearly 3 weeks now in total.

Does anyone please have any experience of anything similar or can anyone offer any advice?

Oh :( what a nightmare?!

Might b an idea to drain it again? Ibuprofen might help inflammation then heat or cold - different for different people. No idea if will work but pulsing the area with fingers as if a bag of marbles while feeding or in the shower helps some people shift blockages.

Does it actually drain while u feed?

I've been taking ibuprofen & paracetamol every 4 hours to ease the pain. I keep making sure I drain the breast & try not to let it get overfull but no, it doesn't drain when I feed or express. They said the tissue is inflamed & that's what's causing the lump but it's huge now. Luckily there's no abscess though.

Agree a trip back to the specialists to ask again is probably likely. Just they seem to be saying there isn't a lot they can do but I'm just struggling to cope - if I knew an end was in sight, or there was something that could be done to bring down the swelling I think I'd be able to be much stronger mentally over it.

I suspect that to really shift it you need to find out where the blockage is and why it can't drain through the nipple. If you press it does it give you any clues as to where it should be coming out? Do you have a blockage you can feel or any sign of a milk blister or other nipple blockage?

It sounds horrendously painful. I hope toucan get seen by the clinic again soon.

Cabbage leaves for the swelling?

I'm not sure how to feel for a blockage through the inflamed lump but I'll try anything - what would I feel for? I thought they might be able to see a blocked duct on the ultrasound but apparently not. Is there any specialist help out there for stuff like this? I'm not sure what in looking for - this side has been more problematic feeding wise ever since I started. The nipple has only just toughened up 6 weeks into feeding. Could that be linked?

How would I spit a nipple blockage? I don't seem to have as fast a flow on the problematic side - and there aren't as many streams of milk that flow out when I express as there are on the other side. X

sounds like a nightmare, Do you feel like it might be linked to the problematic nature of that side? Is there a blockage nearer the nipple? I have heard of people squeezing stuff out?! But be careful too obviously particularly if it hurts?! It sounds a bit more technical than your everyday breastfeeding. Is there a lactation comsultant near you? www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html Good Luck!

Thanks for everyone's replies so far. It helps just to hear people's advice!

I think it all must be linked. What I think is that as the nipple was so sore for so long, I wasn't getting the latch right & therefore not draining that side properly & that's lead to a blocked duct, which has in turn lead to mastitis and so on. There might be something else going on, but that's my best guess.

I'd been wondering about how I got to see a lactation consultant as I'd heard of them but didn't know how to get to see one - thanks loads for the link. I recognise the name of one who operates in my area and will give her a call tomorrow.

The lump is at the top of my breast & goes under my armpit. It's so sore when not in a bra (I can only wear a sleep bra now due to its size) but I might try massaging it again. I was running a comb over it etc etc but nothing seemed to help so I stopped when they said it was inflamed tissue but it's probably best to keep trying.

Oh you poor thing. No experience or advice but I just wanted to say you will sort it out and in the meantime have some and sympathy.

Re: nipple blockages the best thing is to google (seriously, but don't do it around a meal time and be prepared to avert your eyes quickly). Kellymom is a good resource if you've not been on there already.

Let us know how you get on.

I went back to the clinic today & I think they were shocked at how big the lump was. They extracted loads more milk from the galactocele as it had refilled. They also said there's a small abscess - that was the really painful part. They cleaned that out too. The pain has subsided massively, and the lump has visibly reduced. I feel so much better. I've got a follow up appointment later in the week so even though it could refill and I'm certainly not out of the woods, I feel relieved that there are specialists keeping an eye on it at least. They also basically said there isn't anything I can really do to make it better, which is frustrating, but at least I can carry on feeding.

Bloody hell!

You are amazing- thst sounds so painful. I know I wouldn't persist with bf if it was me! All credit to you.

Best of luck & I hope it gets easier.

Thanks a lot Shelley - I've thought hard about giving up BF, it's difficult because giving up won't make things better in the short term as the problems I'm having will apparently get worse if I stop until my milk dries up. But as much as I want to carry on BF, I don't want my time with my LO to be spent with me being miserable. I'm just trying to weigh it all up and decide what to do. The best thing would be to get better, and then give up in my own time if I can get through it.

Don't send any pregnant people my way if they want to know about breastfeeding though as I'd struggle to be positive I think!

Shelly

I think there's a LLL yes. There's also NCT support and NHS drop in clinics too. Will have to work out which is the most helpful. I think one of the NHS drop ins has a lactation consultant there once a week so that might be the one to go for maybe.

It's good to hear positive stories of other people.

Oh no op Someone on my postnatal thread had an abcess, I'll see if she has any tips. I think she decided to stop feeding from that side and kept going with the other but can't quite remember and please don't let that affect your decision as I may be wrong or her circumstances may have been different.

It really will get easier once you're through this if you want to continue.

Hello, I'm going through a very similar situation at the moment. Will send you a private message :)

I am in exactly the same boat. Little one 4 weeks. Milk Cyst was the size of a Pepsi can 650mls from it. I am now certain it has re filled. Less milk from that side but the day. If it has refilled I have made the decision that I think I need to swap. I can’t spend the next however many months this sore, unable to do any sports as in pain, can’t run around with my other son, and can’t get boob in bra or top. If they can collapse it and it not come back great but I think with how big mine was not likely.
i am heart broken tbh. Please let me know or share any advice or information you get. Please be careful following advice for mastitis ect as this is not a blocked duct (may have been caused by that or something else) but treatment for other things on this may or may not make things worse so check with specialist I would say