Abscess Sufferers

[mariasmummy]

Hello,

If anyone has experience with an abscess please post me your story. I am 2 weeks post op with a reasonably large wound and I think i am looking at 1-2 months of healing.I cannot breastfeed from the infected breast as hole is so close to nipple and a lot of leaking (either milk or pus or bodily fluids) doctors say don't feed from it, nurses and counselors say do and general asdvice is get the milk out. Most sane people would stop breastfeeding after this but I'm keen to see it through and am feeding baby fine from other breast with occasional top ups. Baby is fine but I wish I had taken care of myself and got to doctors earlier.

All the best,
Mariasmummy

Thanks for the reply bunnyfrance. Yes am in the uk. My DD is 5 weeks old and yes am still breastfeeding. The breast with the lump isn't producing much though. I express when she sleeps for longer periods in the evening to try and keep breast as empty as possible and can only get about 60ml, whereas the good breast produces about 120-150ml. My health visitor came earlier and she just suggested going back to my GP in the morning if no improvement on these antibiotics as have only been on them for 24 hours so far. I started on flucloxacillin, was then prescribed erythromycin and am now on clarithromycin; which are only one a day antibiotics. Just not sure they are strong enough to do the job! What should I be asking for when I go to the GP 2moro. Don't want to get donned off with another course of antibiotics! Can't be doing DD any good either.

floydy, what you describe about heat, massage etc not working to get rid of lump not working sounds similar to how my abscess was. I am no medical expert though so it might be similar to other things too. To put into perspective how serious my French gynae took the abscess, as soon as she saw it and suspected an abscess she was on the phone to get a colleague to take a look and arranging for me to have an ultrasound that afternoon. It was a Friday, I was started on antibiotics and an appointment was made for me to go back on Monday morning to have surgery if the antibiotics had not made a significant impact.

I suggest you push GP to refer you to see a specialist ASAP and get an ultrasound done to confirm if it is an abscess. If you get no success, you might want to think about going to A&E. Let us know how you get on.

Nurse came this afternoon to do dressing change. She thinks it might be infected. :( I've got a checkup at the hospital tomorrow so I'm guessing more antibiotics.

How are you feeling, floydy? Just wanted to second what BizzeeBee said about getting an ultrasound, it's important. I'm also no doctor, but from what I've read about abscesses, you should take antibiotics (flucloxacillin is apparently a good one) for long enough - two weeks, not just 7 days, which is what many doctors prescribe. I was on pristinamycine for a month.

BizzeeBee, sorry to hear you might have an infection, that's not good! Let us know what the hospital says.

floydy, can you find out where women go to in your area for breast cancer scares etc?
It took me ages to get seen by the correct people, but eventually i was put in touch with a breast cancer unit who were wonderful and scanned me straight away and did the treatments. They were so understanding and lovely and couldn't understand why I hadn't been sent weeks before. I m still in their care 2 years on so they can check on me and I can go back anytime.
I just don't think doctors 'think' of these things.
You could give them a call, ask if this would be the place to be seen and if so, go back to the GP and get the referral you will need.

Thank you for all your replies. I went back to my GP on Thursday, lump was no better, but no worse. The GP still refused to listen my concerns about it being an abscess. He just doubled up my antibiotcs. Yesterday I woke to a sore, bright red raised lump. I rang my GPs surgery, but no appointments. I went to A and E. A 6 hour wait and finally I was referred to a surgical team. The surgeon took one look at it and said abscess! At last...I wasn't making it up!! They ended up aspirating it and referring me to breast clinic in the week, for ultrasound. Even though it is still very big and sore, at least I know this is coming to an end soon.

now you are in at the clinic you will be fine :) and go back to your doctor and complain too because this will happen to someone else, they obviously need educating!
well done you!
Hope the aspiration works for you xxx

Floydy, glad to hear that you are receiving care under the right people now. You are right that it is e relief knowing that it is being sorted out.

Hi All,

I had my baby last Thursday. A little boy 7llb 13oz by C section at 37 weeks bcos I was the size of a house and they couldn't work out why so big but worried my womb could burst (apparently this happens and knowing my luck it would happen to me)! Also had C sec emergency last time so was planning C sec anyway. All tests for gestational diabetes were negative so nobody knew why but they thought I was expecting an elephant. We were prepared for 10llb + baby at 37 weeks, only took size 2 nappies to hospital. It turned out to be loads of fluid, 2 litres of the stuff which apparently is called Polyhydraminos. I could have had an amniocentesis to drain fluid if they had known and been able to carry on a bit longer which might have been a bit better, who knows. Little mite had fluid on his lungs which is more likely the earlier the C sec. I held him for an hour and then he had to go to Neonatal for 4 days which was tough (I told you we have all the luck).

Its ironic because I was really very worried about running the guantlet of everyone asking me about why I wasn't breast feeding and then he was all hooked up to tubes and and ventilator and by the time he could have milk through a tube and then we fed him with a bottle I was just so glad he was on the mend. It just shows its not the things you think you need to worry about that blindside you. He made a really quick recovery and its just a transient problem but it was very scary at the time.

Did have to explain a million times that had an abscess size of tennis ball, open wound for 4/5 months, daily packing and 3 x surgery to breast so now full of scar tissue so not really wanting to risk repeat and milk blocking up behind scar tissue so opted to straightaway ff. Managed not to get stroppy with lots of well meaning midwives asking if I had thought about breast feeding? I got a prescription for Bromocriptine to sway milk away but the midwives in hospital didn't get dosage quite right. Should have upped to 2 tablets a day after 3 days so milk did come in a bit and boobs went rock hard a few days ago which worried me a bit. Came more on the side that didn't have the abscess in fact you could really see that the effected boob didn't fill up because so much damaged tissue.

2nd time round what a difference, everything was so traumatic last time. Really enjoying it this time round.

Congratulations, nicnac!! It sounds like a tough beginning, but good to hear your DS made a quick recovery.

Great that you're enjoying things this time, that's excellent.

floydy, how are things going? Have you managed to avoid surgery?

Congratulations nicnac I'm glad to hear that LO is well and that you didn't suffer too much when milk came in. bunnyfrance I'm still waiting to be seen by a specialist!! I think abscess' are obviously seen as more serious in France. I have my appointment tomorrow and am hoping that it'll be aspiration and not surgery. I'm on different antibiotics again and who knows if the consultant decides to put me on different ones again, it'll total 7!!! I can't wait to be seen now as lump is very tender and it hurts when I sleep and gets in way when I'm trying to hold LO. Fingers crossed it'll all be sorted tomorrow!

nicnac congratulations! It's funny about swell meaning midwives. I had the same experience when DH saw the midwife who gave me some ante natal care when bottle feeding DS. It's silly, DS is only 10 weeks old and I find myself wondering what I will do about bring if I have another baby.

floydy I hope your appointment tomorrow goes well and you get a good outcome. Positive thing is that something should be happening after your appointment and a path to an end will be in sight.

I have now waved goodbye to the nurse and cleaning my wound and putting a plaster on myself. Three weeks after surgery it has closed and scabbed over. The cut looks like it's about 3 cm long. It is a bit red and hard around the wound. I'm not sure if I should be worried about that or not.

I fear I will have a bit of a scar thats indented. I'd never had surgery, or even stitches, before I got pregnant, and now I have a CS scar and an abscess scar!

Hi everybody. So sorry to hear that there are more people that have joined our chat on these horrible surcomstances. I posted a while ago, had LO 16Nov mastitis a week later, abscess burst 3 weeks later and believe it or not I'm still going to hospital every week! LO is 9months old in just over a week and I have had not one normal day. Still sitting with a wound with no skin! I cry myself to sleep at night (secretly) as I don't know what to do!! I've had every type of dressing available even tell new nurses in hospital where the stuff is in the drawers.

They made a request for a skin graph 2.5 weeks ago and only got a call Friday that they can only see me in sept! No I've got to wait even long as we're of to SA end this month for my sisters wedding in sept which means I have to wait till we get back for my first appointment. Then they do their tests and then I've got to wait for an appointment.

I have a gr8 team at breast unit but they've done as much as they can and I understand but don't the people in plastics realise I'm sitting with a whole in me breast that's been unchainged since feb!!

We wanted our kids close together but not another winter baby so was planning to start trying again in sept! We want 4 kids(in theory) but I'm getting more and more scared by the day, actually terrified! On the one side I'm so happy with LO and hubby and the other side always so down! I'm overweight feel like I always look crap, and just when I forget about 'the boob' as we call it I go to bed where I usually sleep on my tummy and then realise I can't!! Then the tears come again! I'm usually such a strong person as I was in and out of hospital when I was younger, but now feel like a pansy! Sorry for moaning like this it's just I'm all alone in uk as my whole family is in SA! I've got friends here but not like the old ones at home whom I can cry with yet. Dont want to bother hubby either as I'm sure he's just as tired of it all.

Think I just wanted to vent a little to people who will understand! Thanx for listening!! x

kittie83 that is terrible. I can't believe that you are still suffering because of your abscess. It is awful that it is taking so long for you to be seen. I had to persist to be seen by breast care specialist. Are you under the care of your local breast centre? My specialists have been eager not to cut me and are playing the long game, draining the abscess weekly, buy if it saves me being cut then I'm all for it. I think you should speak to your GP and let them know that it is having an effect on how you feel emotionally. Also I'm sure the friends you have made would not mind if you needed to have a cry, sometimes a good cry with a sympathetic ear can make you feel better. Sorry I can't offer better advice. Take care xx

Kittie83 this sounds truly, truly horrible. I am so sad for you. It is a phenomenally long time to have an open wound. Do they know why you are not healing up? Is your wound very wide? I really am no medical expert but have they tested you for diabetes as this can be one reason why wounds don't heal as fast as they should. Mine took about 10 weeks to heal up the first time to the surface but it was narrow and deep, and I thought that was a long time. It just seems so bad that yours STILL hasn't healed over after all this time. I can remember how horrified I was to have a hole in my body and I can only imagine how horrific this has been for you to have this situation go on for such a long time and to feel so alone in this country, but like floydy I bet your friends here and your hubby wouldn't mind you leaning on them, best to let it out than keep it all in.

Hi all, was just reading your posts and decided to share my story which is still ongoing....

I had my second son 10 weeks ago by suggested section after waiting 41weeks for a normal delivery (first son born by emergency section).

Three weeks of slow labour to only amount to 2cm dialated, went to have waters broken to be told too dangerous. Only to have a bad section, all my womb, bowels, bladder and muscles had infused together from first section. Then told not to have any further children as uterus so thin, the chances my scar would have ruptured open in natural child birth were high.

Three days in hospital, and out with my son with plenty of pain relief.

Happily breast feeding my very hungry son for the first three weeks in fact I was getting 8oz out each breast (lots) , until breasts cracked and were bleeding. Reduced breast feeding and engorged breasts with cream...started breast feeding again only for blood to be seeping out.

Midwives so keen on me to continue to breast feed they failed to mention the consequences of me just stopping. Anyway after getting upset I stopped breast feeding completely my nipples just bled and bled.

As a result I got mastitus, which coincided with me getting an internal abcess on my section wound. Antibiotics x2, and more pain relief prescribed.

Week later and I was still in pain with breasts, more antibiotics and pain relief prescribed. This time I was taking seven tablets every six hours.

A week later I had sickness and dia, and felt as if my body was giving up, lump in my right breast was about getting bigger and bigger, about 3.5cm by 3cm. Again prescribed antibiotics, different pain relief and anti in flams. And anti sickness bug.

A week later another trip to the docs, still feeling like death, and breast lump starting to go black. Again more antibiotics and pain relief oh and thrush tablets - all the antibiotics had caused.

During these few weeks I must also mention lack of sleep, son number one who is only 21months had sickness and dia, no sleep all night. Son number two screamed solidly for hours, whole night on the childrens ward - no sleep all night...turns out he is lactose intolerant - guilty much for stopping the breast feeding oh yes.

Three days after last set of antibiotics I could barely lift my arm, lump was black and covered the whole of the right side of my breast and let me tell you I have very large breasts!!!

Went to a different walk in centre who sent me immediately to hospital as I had an abcess - no shit sherlock - within two hours I was in surgery and it was out.

They forgot to mention what happens in the surgery so imagine my shock the next day to discover a large hole the size of a 10p piece and about 2inch deep.

Sent off with antibiotics. Back to breast clinic in two weeks for assessment.

Packing was extremely painful. That was 3.5 weeks ago and it appears to be healing quite well.

However another lump which started same time as the first but was only the size of a 5piece, however after removal of first decided to slowly grow.

Doctors informed...guess what another course of antibiotics.

A week later the lump was not the size of a small satsuma. And I was given more antibiotics...by this time started feeling unwell again. Thought forget it I am going back to the walk in centre.

Sent back to hospital, who tried to blindly and without pain relief or anaestetic (sorry cant spell) asperate it ....ouch. Nothing came out.

Sent to the ward all night to await scan in morning and for the breast team to asperate when they were scanning.

Yes thanks 10 hours without food or drink (in case of surgery) to be told to go home with antibiotics ha until thursday breast clinic.

Thursday came around and the doctor I seen on admittance said have you not had a scan...durr no. Sent for scan, who asperated the abcess and got 10ml of puss out. Another painful experience. Back to breast clinic, more antibiotics and told to come back Tuesday as they did not remove all of the puss. So need asperating maybe a few times yet. Hoping not to go for surgery. Oh also told I still have mastitus.

This time I was not prescribed pain killers.

Now off pain killers my section scar is hurting pretty badly, I keep having hot and cold sweats, my chest under the wound and new abcess feels like it has been punched extremely hard.

I have not a clue what is going on with my body. Am I having effects from cold turkey of ten weeks of pain relief, has the pain relief masked the flu symptoms of the abcess, have a new abcess internally on my wound which has been masked by the pain killers so never felt it.

Somebody help me. My sons dont know what is goinf on, I am either so illl I cant look after them or I am in hospital - I am bloody sick of it and just want to feel normal xxxx

Oh my goodness, nicky, have just read your message. I really don't know what to say, but didn't want to leave your post unanswered.

I feel so sad for you - yet another case of a mistreated abscess which wasn't caught in time. Is there any way you could contact a breast surgeon privately? Or could you insist that the second abscess be removed surgically? Just taking antibiotics is not enough.

But I'm not a doctor - you really need professional advice!

Thanks Bunny x

Been back to day for another asperation, and have to go again next Thursday. Good news is the first abcess hole is tiny and looks to have healed fairly well, and second seems now to be shrinking.

I have come off ALL pain killers and I actually for the first time in 10 weeks fairly normal which is a god send, I look at my kids and they are everything to me. If I have to bare the pain in order to feel like my head is on my shoulders then so be it.

Fingers crossed this the start of the end of illness :) xxx

nicky I didn't want to read and not say anything. I'm pleased for you that you are starting to feel normal and the holes are healing. I found it such a relief once my wound had healed and I didn't need dressings anymore. Let us know how you get on.

May be joining the club. Baby is 5 weeks old and last weekend found lump on my breast so got a doctor's appointment on Wednesday who said breast was engorged but come back if fever or redness. Over the weekend lump was v painful and skin turned red. Back to doctors on Monday who prescribed antibiotics and said come back Wednesday as they are concerned it could be an abscess. Tried to express but couldn't get any milk and have been bf but not sure how much baby getting from that side as seems to feed a lot better on the other side. Lump is about 4cm by 3 cm. If referred to hospital how long before you were given an appointment? If your lump was too big to aspirate what size was it? How long did you have to wait for surgery?
Many thanks.

Hi cookie,

Sorry to hear you're joining the club - it does indeed sound like an abscess. The good thing is the doctors are actually considering it's an abscess, and not just fobbing you off, so you'll get a diagnosis quickly.

My lump was about the same size as yours. I'm not in the UK, so not in the same system, but I was operated on the next day, after having received the diagnosis. If yours is an abscess, you should be operated on pretty quickly.

Hope you get better soon!

Many thanks. Hospital doctor saw me yesterday and confirmed it is an abscess. It is 5cm so they aspirate there and then and have to go back next week and the week after that. Pain was really bad last night. Going to try to get some bed rest today.

I was just wondering how long it took for your abscesses to heal?

I started getting one at the end of November when my little girl was about a month old. I left it too long as the redness didn't seem to be getting worse and I'd already fed through the beginnings of mastitis before. I got antibiotics but went to my gp as it didn't seem to be working. I got sent to a breast clinic who did an ultrasound and aspirated. Then two days later tried to aspirate again. This didn't work but the next night my abscess ruptured. It was originally 4.5 x 3.5 cm and 2cm deep and leaking loads of milk. It's now much smaller and pretty much level with my skin surface but the consultant won't give a time scale for it healing. He had to use silver nitrate to burn away the overgranulated tissue at the last visit. Ive kept feeding and accordig to the gp that will make it take longer but it's 5 weeks and counting so far...

Any advice much appreciated and all massive sympathies to you all. Abscesses are grim.

Similar story. I developed an abscess (not sure of exact size) middle of November when my little girl was 6 weeks old. I had a blocked duct but no signs of Mastitis, after a week it became a little sore so went to the doctor and got antibiotics- that night it ruptured (big ouch!) and I ended up in hosptial for two days getting it drained. The following month was spent going to the nurse every other day to get the bandage changed and going to the breast clinic once a week. A few weeks ago the doctor said it was over granulated and prescribed Locoid cream to put on it every time the bandage is changed. This has made such a difference and the last few weeks it has healed up well and is no longer leaky.
It has been eight weeks for me and probably a good few more before it is healed completely- I asked lots as well but no one could tell how long it would take to heal.
It has been such a tough time- I wish there was more information out there about blocked ducts/abscess, it was not mentioned in any of the NCT/NHS classes i went too so I had no idea what to look out for.
Hope you recover quickly!

Hi chick0

I'm so sorry it happened to you too. It's really helpful to read your story and it gives me hope I'll be healed by the end of the month (or at least not weeping anymore).

I agree that more information would really help, if nothing else on how to care best for the wound.

Thank you
Frances