Breast abscess - future support for others

[ClearlyMoo]

Just wanted to share my story as when I started suffering with this I could find little support. Hopefully people searching for "breast abscess" on MN as I did will find this. I remember being initially disillusioned reading that others recovery was so long and slow. Now I'm (hopefully) at the other end of the journey I'd say it was very bad for a month but now I'm so used to dressing (and packing) wound it's a really minor thing. I used to be very squeamish about it too.

I'm currently EBF my 4 month old and recovering from a breast abscess that was diagnosed when my baby was 6 weeks old.

She's now 19 weeks and it's been a long old road to recovery.

She was born with tongue tie which we had divided twice at 7 days and 5 weeks. Sadly infection got In through cracked nipple and I developed an abscess. My initial diagnosis was late due to GP originally diagnosing "normal" mastitis. Three needle aspirations followed before I was referred for surgery under GA. This then turned into emergency surgery under local after it burst (!) luckily we were already in the hospital. Abscess itself was originally 6cm diameter. To recover I've had a month of antibios and had to keep "wound" open so it healed from inside out. Daily then 3 x weekly trips to nurse at local surgery all with newborn baby.

It's now almost healed. I will have a review hopefully soon to check it's all gone. However breast is quite distorted (has a dip in it) and skin discoloured. I'm told I'm going to have a permanent scar and dip.

Like the stretch marks from carrying her these are my war wounds. I'm feeling a bit sad about the scarring which I don't know why since only DH will see and he says he doesn't mind at all.

I know lots of people go through much worse. Most of the people waiting in the breast clinic are waiting for cancer related appointments and this has always made me count my blessings.

I have managed to keep BF throughout. The tongue tie division was successful and we now feed pain free. Thankfully. DD has been unphased by big plaster on boob and fed ok from it.

Hopefully if you're reading this in the future suffering from anything similar you will know you're welcome to post here and ask questions/share your story. Or send me a private message.

Wow, ClearlyMoo, what a story.

So glad you are on the way to recovery.

Sounds like the basic cause was the damage to your nipple caused by tongue tie :(

Your experience is a lot worse than most women's even most women with an abscess, and you deserve a medal :)

I don't know of many women who have gone through all that, but those I do know, find that the scarring and dipping lessens in time, though that was one big ol' abscess they have had to dig out and I would say there will be some sort of long term reminder for you.... but 'wear' it with pride.

Thanks TikTok yes I should probably have said that this is very severe abscess case that has taken forever to heal. Lots of people's are smaller and do heal quickly. Don't wish to put anyone off BF!

I think the chances of getting a lactational abscess is about 1:400, and very rare for them to get as horribly huge as mine.

ClearlyMoo well done for keeping BFing going through that. Breast abscess incision and drainage under GA was the end of BFing for me with DC1.

Something I found it hard to find information on was BFing a subsequent baby following a breast abscess. With DC2 I intended to BF for about a week to give the colostrum before moving on to formula. I didn't want to go through the same challenges that I had with DC1.

Surprisingly DC2 has taken to BFing really well and we are now 13 weeks into it with no formula. I had mastitis at around 2 weeks and ended up with a big lump in the abscess scar tissue area. It has taken a long time but the lump has almost gone now, but definitely feels funny around the scar. Reassuringly the hospital were very good with doing ultrasounds to make sure that it wasn't another abscess.