In hospital waiting to find out if I have a breast abscess.

[Imicola]

Kind of hoping I do just so they can get rid of this hideous, red, swollen painful lump. 😭

Anyone had similar experiences or have any words of wisdom to share?

No experience sorry but I’ve found this on Kellymom

I had one with my first ds. I ended up in a and e after bring treated for mastitis for a week and getting steadily worse. By the time I went it was already leaking which was pretty unpleasant. I ended up having a lot of pus removed by syringe. I think if it hadn't been a weekend they would have done it surgically. Had more antibiotics and reviewed in breast clinic after a week or so. Cleared up fine although I have a small scar. I carried on bf for another 4 months. Hope you're ok.

Thanks. It was an abscess, although not too large, andthey drained with a syringe. Feeling a bit better now, less painful, so hoping it doesn't return. I guess my original blockage may still be there, but I'll wait a couple of days to see what it looks and feels like.
Can't breastfeed so I'm pumping and this has come close to ending that for me, but I shall persevere! 2 months down.

You poor thing. Hope you manage to get some rest

Joleyn - did you find that the pain was gone immediately after the drainage? They got about 10ml out via needle and last night it felt a bit improved, but overnight it had been v painful again. Not sure if this is normal healing, or if it may need drained again.

It was 6 years ago so hard to remember exactly but I know that immediately after I felt worse, high temp, more pain etc. I also leaked and had pain for a while. I remember ringing the breast secretary more than once to check it was normal to still be in pain. It did eventually all clear though. Mine did take a while as it had broken through the skin. It really was a horrible experience so I hope you're ok.

Thanks for the reply! Milk is flowing a lot easier today which makes me think there is an improvement. Still painful, but good to know that might not be unusual. Have a gp appointment tomorrow anyway, so will see what they think then.

Back in hospital, another 10ml drained and now on iv antibiotics 😭this is not fun. No one mentioned this at the antenatal classes!

Oh that sounds grim and sore. Hang in there! Hope you can get some sleep tonight while the antibiotics work their magic and feel better tomorrow.

I had a breast abscess, I spent a week in hospital on iv antibiotics and drainage with a syringe before they operated. I had a big hole in my breast for about a month that needed dressings changed daily at which point I gave up on breastfeeding! The scar is absolutely tiny 5 years on though.

I feel for you, it’s not a pleasant experience

Crumble - oh god, if it ends up like that I'll also be giving up on expressing. Fingers crossed tonight will help!

I had an awful abscess when DS was a few months old, so painful and leaked in 3 places for days before I could get to the Dr and just thought with time it might heal itself! No such luck, needed some strong antibiotics and with time they did the trick but it did leave a small scar. I didn't care though, I was just so grateful that excruciating pain was over.

Continued with breastfeeding and still am, DS is 13 months.

All the best for a speedy recovery.

Hi OP.

Sorry to hear about your abscess. I had one in the summer time. DS was a few weeks old. It was a horrible experience. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

I was in hospital for a few days getting IV antibiotics and they aspirated it with a needle a couple of times but it just kept filling back up. They scanned me and said there were multiple pockets of pus (sorry TMI). Advised me to stop breastfeeding and gave me meditation to dry up my milk. It was so painful I couldn't even lift my baby and couldn't lift my arm.

They did incision and drainage under general anaesthetic. The relief was immense when I
woke up. Pain pretty much gone. Like PP I had a hole like a bullet wound in my breast. I was distraught. But they used a battery operated dressing called Pico that works like a drain. I had to get the wound repacked once a week and it had healed fully within a month. It was amazing. Now, a few months on, I have a small scar that is barely noticeable!

Hope you get sorted soon OP

Thanks for all your messages. I'm seriously considering giving up pumping now based on this... At any rate supply is dropping at the moment so that may not even be in my hands. Its been such a hard route trying to establish a latch, then getting the hang of pumping when it was clear breastfeeding was unlikely to ever work but I really felt like I was starting to get into the swing of things. Ah well I think I've given it my best shot. Let's see what the next few days bring. If healing happens quickly, you never know I may continue.

OP my supply greatly diminished too. But I'd lost so much weight from the mastitis too.
Ask to speak to the infant feeding co ordinator. She will be best placed to advise you. She recommended that I continue to feed from my other breast. I was so unwell then that I wasn't fit too.

Ah I totally get it with the struggle to
establish feeding. I really felt I had just gotten in to the swing of it and was starting to
enjoy it. I was gutted when I had to stop feeding. Still upsets me actually.

I suspect wearing a poor fitting bra to bed caused my initial blockage. No one tells you all this crap!!

OP remember that you can look after your baby best when you are healthy. Don’t put yourself through unnecessary stress breastfeeding if you don’t think it is right for you. You’ve done an amazing job and given your baby a great start but you need to look after yourself too.

An update incase it is helpful for anyone. I spent a couple of nights in hospital on iv antibiotics, and they drained the abscess a couple of times while I was there. I was then discharged with oral antibiotics, and had to return every 2 days for a week. The abscess was drained 6 times in all, 80ml was drained in one aspiration the day after I was discharged which was the worst pain of them all. After that the volumes decreased and the fluid got more pink /red which is apparently a good sign. Been in for check ups a couple of times now with a week in between, and I'm next in for a check up 2 weeks after the last. They haven't needed to drain it again during these check ups, the pain is pretty much gone, and the inflammation also mostly gone, it just remains a bit lumpy. Dr seems very happy with progress and I'm glad to have avoided an I&d. It's 3 and a half weeks since my first GP appointment, and judging from others experiences I have gotten off easily. I did stop expressing, due to the abscess and my growing baby being more awake and alert. I decided to focus on engaging with her as much as possible rather than sticking to an expressing schedule!