HELP. Drying up - has anyone successfully for doctor to give medication?

[RandomCatGenerator]

Just that really.

im trying to dry up my milk and I am in absolute agony. My boobs are rock hard and so sore.

has anyone successfully for their doctor to give the injection that dries it up?

No as there are serious side affect risks.

I used to express off just enough to ease the engorgement. It does dry up quickly enough.

@RandomMess what side effects?

my midwife told me today not to express or do anything to stimulate milk production.

www.drugs.com/sfx/cabergoline-side-effects.html

I suffered badly with agonising engorgement, I don't think the health professionals have a clue how painful it is for some women. Minimal expressing is not the same as feeding a baby to stimulate increased milk production in my mind such as the cluster feeding etc.

I would rather it took a little longer for it stop than be in that much pain.

You could take some sudofed. It's over the counter and reduces supply

Thanks @CasaMundi - will go and ask the pharmacist about that.

@RandomMess - I called my midwife after a night of no sleep and agonising pain. She spoke to the infant feeding team at the hospital and they said the same as you 🤦‍♀️ I wish they’d told me before I had a very very painful sleepless night. Have expressed a bit today and they’re now just painful rather than agonising.

You need to hand express your milk, just enough to reduce your discomfort but not for long as it will stimulate your milk supply .

Yep, now trying this.

out of interest, how long was that for you?

and others who have done this - how long did it take for your supply to dry up?

Take anti inflammatories and use a cold pack or cold cabbage leaves to ease the pain and swelling a bit.

I can’t take ibuprofen as I’m asthmatic unfortunately :(

I think mine took about a week, but the discomfort only lasted a few days while they were so big.

Yeah this was my experience last time. But they didn’t get so big and so painful last time!

Currently trying to stop breastfeeding my 8wk old as my mental health is beginning to suffer and I don't want to get in a bad place again. With my ds2 who was stillborn at 24wks I was meant to get medication from the hospital before I left. A few days later my milk came in which was doubly upsetting due to the circumstances so the doctor prescribed me bromocriptine due to the mitigating circumstances. It's not prescribed routinely though

I’m so sorry for the loss of your son, @ArrrMeHearties 💐and wish you all the very very best with your 8 week old.

By way of update on this thread, despite hand expressing to try to ease the pain and lumps, I ended up with massive lumps in both breasts and the beginning of an infection in both. I was prescribed antibiotics and advised to take them if they didn’t go down within 24 hours, so I did so - am still on them and the lumps went within a few days. I also used cabbage leaves and cold flannels to reduce inflammation but I think it’s the antibiotics that really made a difference.

My breasts feel like they’ve shrunk but for the first time in months, I’m not in any physical pain.

It took around 5 days for the lumps to be gone entirely, I think.

The lumps and redness was the start of mastitis, antibiotics will have been prescribed but they won't affect milk supply.

Glad you are feeling better x