mild flu like symptoms, am I being paranoid?

[StealthPolarBear]

OK I have had a bit of a snotty cold all day (came on this morning). I now feel all shivery and my head is full of cold iykwim.
I also had a sore breast, ut it was a bit full and I just assumed that was it. But, I've fed, it's nowhere near full and still feels a bit sore Definitely not mastitis is it - it's not major pain, not swollen and there aren't any red patches.
Just want to check before I go to bed and wake up in the middle of the night, worse, when no-one;s around!

I don't think that it does sort itself out without meds, but I could be wrong. The thing with it is that if milk leaks into your bloodstream it can turn into a full blown breast infection which can lead to prolonged or repeated troubles. Our practice always treats with ABs to be on the safe side. I was always told to contact the GP at the first signs, which I got quite good at spotting.

With ABs, just expect the baby to have a bit of a runny bottom problem for a few days, though, just like adults.

I suppose what I'm wondering is is it definitely mastitis, as opposed to a slightly blocked duct + cold??
Oh I don't lknow what to dooooo

personally, I would go anyway and let the GP decise. But that maybe because I had such a bad experience when I didn't go to the doctor. Err on the side of caution.

Go to the Docs and get it checked out! Untreated it can lead to abscesses and all sorts of horrible things! 5 mins at the docs and then no more worries....

OK, thank you. Will try to get an appointment now. Just feel a bit of a fraud as I feel fine

Please go to the doc. I ignored my flu symptoms and ended up with a massive abscess, several stays in hospital, IV antibiotics, two operations, 3 months of daily visits to dress the wound and countless disgusting things with a needle.

OK you convinced me
Amazingly I have an appointment for 9.20
Better go and get out of these towels
Thanks

Hope all is ok!

hmm, think you have all convinced me to ring GP for appointment too, not least because today they are only open in the morning. I started the plugged ducts thread yesterday - when I did have a fever. Better today but the blocked boob is entirely red - thought might be because it's been poked, squeezed and all sorts, but mastitis sounds to be so bad when it's at its worst, prehaps best not to take chances

oooh definitely
hope you gt one
report back

I agree, go to the GPs
Get antibiotics and then if you don't need them you don't need to take them
I felt so much better in the morning, I thought I had cleared it with ibuprofen and feeding.
Wasn't convinced it was mastitis, but the shivers had worried me, but also felt fraudulent ? just a blocked duct
Low fever throughout day and then in evening return of pain swelling and high fever.
I was glad last night I had the antibiotics and today I feel back to normal
I reckon if you have had the shivers and breast pain, get antibiotics in the house

oh dear i've just been & she said prob not mastitis, to keep an eye on it & leave a msg for her to call if it gets any worse or if i notice swelling/redness

i have no tem,p
(well other than a normal one sorry pedants~)

Best to be safe than sorry though. I would have gone to see the doc. You can enjoy today without stressing now

yes, she was very thorough, don't get the impression she thought timewaster

phew,I am so glad I read this thread and decided to visit GP, he put me on ABs the instant he saw my totally red breast. He said mastitis is dreadful and this should stop it in its tracks.Seeing him next Tues anyway for 6 week check, so can review then. Most helpfully, got his views on causes / prevention of plugged ducts.

wow that's brilliant
what did he say were the causes btw?

He basically agreed with my theory (I always like that in a professional!) that the fact I co-sleep, let my DD feed mainly off one side during the night and don't move myself around much (for fear of squashing her) are likely causes. He said co-sleeping is a bad idea if you are prone to blocked ducts and hence potentially mastitis. The baby isn't likely to drain the breast, they tend to feed off one side more than the other, the mum doesn't move around much and the latch can be poor without you noticing because you're half asleep - so DD will have to start using the bedside cot tonight!

I do exactly that! IN my defence I think she has only one feed a night so it has to be from one side, but all the rest applies.
I keep squeezing - the pain's still there

Mine sounded just like yours stealth,and I didn't need abs,it just resolved itself,the pain subsided and I think a long feed had shifted the block,but I was left with a slight tender point there,ultrasound showed a small milk cyst,not a problem,and possibly caused by the blocked duct.It might be an idea to keep on the anti inflams for a couple of days,as that might be enough to sort out any residual swelling etc.Don't really agree with your doc on the co-sleeping thing,if anything I would imagine it helps not hinders.I co-sleep,but I do wake and sit up to feed,and I've only had one block with dd2 in three years,and that was due to her teddy squashing my breast I think,rather than her!

wasn't my doc- it was whenwilli's
right, will start on the ibuprofen & up the feeds - shouldn't be too hard with a toddler & baby, ds will think it's his birthday!

hi bedlam I think my GP would agree with all your points, as he does seem pretty good, and I agree too. He did say that co-sleeping's not the issue, but as you suggest, it's not draining the breast efficiently that can cause problems. I did also weigh up the 'antibiotics or not' factors - but even Kellymom, which is very cautious in its advice about rushing to use ABs for mastitis, says that you should use them if certain factors are present - red streaking is one of them, and that is what I now realise the GP was worried about in my case. I'd really like to see the back of this, so am crossing my fingers that I'm clear of a red streaky boob quite soon!