Could this be an abscess?

[Hyena]

DS is 12 days old and I'm exclusively BF. I also BF DD without any problems but this time I've been experiencing lots of pain when feeding on the right side. I'm convinced there are no problems with his latch but I've been feeling as though something is pinching when he's feeding. I had a look at my right breast after a bath and noticed there is a pea sized, hard lump with a white head on the areola right next to my nipple. When he is latching on, the lump is pinching against my nipple and causing lots of pain. It's also throbbing when I'm not feeding. I haven't had mastitus but was engorged for a few days when my milk came in and am now really concerned about the possibility of an abscess and not sure what to do .

You should see your GP. Small lumps sometimes sort themselves out, but they can also be fixed with needle aspiration.

That being said, I don't think abcesses hurt, or have white heads. It sounds like it might be a pimple?

I had a very large abscess with DS and it was very painful - sort of a constant background ache with big heavy throbs of pain over the top. Very nasty.

It eventually rose to the surface of the breast causing a large (2-3cm) 'bruise' with a 2mm 'white head' in the centre.

It was very deep in the breast and that, plus my lack of 'consistant' fever (one of the main symptoms I think) meant that it grew to the size of "a large breast implant" before I got my ultrasound and eventual diagnosis. It was too large for needle aspiration and ruptured by itself the same day they diagnosed it and before they could get me into surgery.

If it's any consolation the actual rupture itself didn't hurt and brought a quick (but very messy!) end to most of the pain. It did leave a fistula, but this healed by itself about 6 weeks later.

I would definitely go to your GP, and insist on a referal to a breast clinic/specialist if in doubt.

BTW - my GP told me I wasn't ill enough and wasn't in enough pain for it to be an abscess, so you might need to be quite insistant.

Thanks both. I'm thinking of phoning the MLU in the morning and asking to be seen there or at home. Female GP isn't on tomorrow and the male has a history of being dismissive. I'm hoping it's something that sorts itself out.

Hyena - did you speak to the MLU in the end or are things improving on their own?

Thanks for asking. I went to the MLU. They couldn't say for sure what it was but they think it's an infection in one of the mammary? glands. They've given me anti biotics for seven days to see if it clears up - fingers crossed!

Ouch! Hope it clears up soon.

Thanks - me too. They said there should be an improvement quickly on the anti biotics but to call them if there is no change and then to see GP. This makes me think they're not really sure what the problem is .

I had something similar. I just tried to feed lots & to vary the position I fed from that boob. Also lots of hot compresses to. Eventually I could kind of squeeze it out a bit like a spot! [pukey face] it lasted about 5 days for me. Hope it feels better soon.

I think I'll try the hot compresses Tara - thanks for the suggestion.
The lump doesn't seem to be getting any smaller but is less painful today so fingers crossed.

if you think you might have an abscess You MUST insist that you get a ultrasound.

I went to the docs with mastitis and was fobbed off and told to go home and carry on feeding. It didn't go away and over a period of about 2-3 weeks it got worse and worse. I had loads of antibiotics in the end, Flucloxacilin, Augmentin and Ciprofloxacilin (or something like that) and none of them worked. They kept sending me away until the thing developed a yellow head and rapidly destroyed lots of breast tissue and skin. The final diameter for the surface wound was 10cm and the hole inside was 3.5x3.5cm.

A breast abscess is an EMERGENCY and you should be seen as such. It took 56 hours of being sent from pillar to post before I had my operation which ended up being so much worse than it needed to be. Please DON"T LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO YOU. At the general ward of the hospital they told me if it hadn't broken the surface they couldn't operate. I now know that is wrong. They SHOULD have done a BIOPSY and an ULTRASOUND and gone in and drained it immediately and then given antibiotics that are targetted to the specific bug that was in there.

All merry hell has kicked off at my local hospital trust and they are all worried I am going to sue them as they know they messed up but I don't want to take money out of the system I just want better care for everyone. I am very assertive person but I was fobbed off so many times. Don't let the same thing happen to you. Don't let them seperate you from your baby as well. I had to leave my 5 week old starving baby at home (had dropped from 65th to 9th centile for weight) and was put on a mixed ward with lots of dirty old men overhearing all my requests for help with my engorged breasts and staff had no clue how to advise me re. breast feeding.

I had weeks of packing my leeky wound and couldn't go out the house. It failed to heal properly and I had to have another operation (private this time - what a difference). Still having it packed daily after 4 months!

Nobody can tell you categorically if you have an abscess or not unless they do an ultrasound so insist on it!