in agony (again) with blocked duct/mastitis

[dcb]

am really pissed off - have had it for a week now and am on ibuprofen/paracetamol/antibiotics. i've tried hot baths/flannels/combs ad nauseum to no avail. my dd cries if i try to feed her with chin on sore bit so that's no use. there's a bleb on my nipple which i can see is blocked - the other day i managed to squeeze a few drops out of this but now it is completely blocked up again. it's also the same spot where i had it about 4 weeks ago. it's really sore to touch (both nipple and boob). please does anyone have any other ideas? i'm really worried i'm going to get an abscess. it doesn't help that dd doesn't like feeding from this boob whilst it's like this. and i can't get any out by expressing with the pump either. what will happen if the milk doesn't shift? has anyone else had it like this?

I had exactly the same type of mastitis you're describing and it was hellish. I had it with DD and DS and two or three bouts with each child, usually because of a blocked duct and had terrible flu-like symptoms. Although it's so painful and it seems as though there's no milk, try to give your DD frequent feeds and always feed and empty the bad side first. I used to have lots of warm baths, covered my breast with warm flannels and gently massaged the whole area with round motions to try to unblock the ducts. How long have you been on the antibiotics as they should kick in within a day or two. If you've had it for a week though, I'd have thought it would have eased up by now so maybe you should go back to the GP in case there is an absess. I only remember being very ill for a couple of days and was feeding fine within a week.
Good luck and let me know how you get on.

hello again - have just looked at www.lalecheleague.org and they have stacks of info about all different sorts of mastitis and causes and treatments.

thanks luciemule - will take a look. i've had 5 days of erythromicin - initially it seemed to get better but has got much worse again today - i can't seem to unblock it whatever i do. hopefully there will be some other ideas at ll

I'd go back to your gp so he can rule out an abcess tbh. Good Luck.

Homeopathic Remedy - BELLADONNA

Mastitis
Belladonna may be called for where your breasts are red-streaked from the centre to the circumference, inflamed, hot, tender, engorged and throbbing with pain. Your milk supply is over-abundant and you are emotionally excited with a high fever with dry, burning heat, red face and dilated pupils. Lying down makes you feel better.

This info came from Here

This helped me loads when i had the same symptoms... however i would continue to use warm flannels and try expressing using a pump AND also hand expressing. Try feeding your dd whilst your on all fours even if her chin isn't feeding towards the blockage as gravity will help.

thanks everyone - still feel a bit fluey and having several hot baths/flannels a day etc. darling dh has just taken dd over to a friends for a few hrs til next feed. i don't know what to do with myself - must be ill more often........