Can you get mastitis when you aren't and haven't breast fed for over 7 years?

[StrumpersPlunkett]

And if so what can or should I do about it?
Right boob is v v v sore and hot and has a solid lump in it near my nipple lump is about walnut size so not missable
Dh has used his temperature laser on my boobs and right one is 5 degrees hotter than left one

My general temp is usually 36.7/8 and has been 38 for the last week whilst boob has hurt.

Will it go away or have I given it long enough?

What do you reckon? Thank you in anticipation!!

Should add that I have huge boobs so the walnut is small in comparison (g/h cup)

I would go and see your gp and not take any chances.
I'm sure everything is ok, could be some sort of infection or a bite but best to get it checked out. Can you go along tomorrow, or out of hours today if painful and you have a temperature.

Cows can get mastitis even when they're 'dry' i.e. not lactating. .

Not sure about us humans though. I'd get to the GP though for it to be checked out and access a stash of antibiotics fast.

I would go to the GP, if it's mastitis they can give antibiotics. Also they can check it's not something else!

I would think mastitis is possible any time because you always have milk ducts even if they're not being used. Just much more likely in pregnancy/BF.

Been like this for most if the week. What would the negative side of waiting till Monday be? If I can put up with the throbbing beacon in front of me?

WTF is a temperature laser BTW?

Do you have any flu like symptoms?

What happens with the cows? Do you have to massage the lump out like when you breast feed or do you give drugs and hope it dissapears?

Temp laser us v cool thingy that you point the laser and it tells you the temp of the thing you have pointed at! Also a fun way if winding the cat up as she will chase the red dot for ages.
Have cagey joints if that counts but just not sure if that is winter setting in?

Not sure if this will work but. here

Oh that's less exciting. I thought you might have been married to some kind of superhero or transformer or something :(

You could try massaging the lump I suppose? But if it's hot then it's probably infected which means antibiotics probably necessary. I suppose untreated any infection can get into the blood which you don't want, but I don't know whether that would happen in a weekend. Why didn't you go yesterday?

Cos I had convinced myself it was cancer and there would be nothing the drs could do as the lump is so big. I KNOW. Wierd logic. If I thought it would be fixed with antibiotics I would have gone. But friend at football pitch this morning said that mastitis could be possible so I thought I would check with the oracle that is mn:-)

It is possible to get mastitis for hormonal reasons, not just bf, but any lump definitely needs checking out by a doctor asap!

With cows, you give antibiotics. If it's normal mastitis you put the penicillin up the teat using a kind of bluntish syringe. If it's a serious case, you do that, and also give them an injection of penicillin as well.

From reading James Herriot, in the days before antibiotics, they massaged the udder and 'stripped' the quarter completely dry, and kept doing that until it went away if it went away.

I remember getting mastitis when one of my dcs were 3 months old. It was horrendous, and made me really empathise with the cows! Luckily the antibiotics I got eased the pain in less than an hour. If I were you I'd go to outpatients for antibiotics now. It might get worse during the night. Good luck x

My mum got mastitis 20 years after having me (I'm her youngest). She was very poorly, the worst she's ever been, but got better quickly with antibiotics.

The Dr said it was the first mastitis she'd seen in a non-lactating woman.

Hope you get better soon.

Don't worry, in humans they definitely don't inject antibiotics up your teat! You can just take tablets.

I had mastitis last year. I have two dc but never breastfed either of them. I do however have raised prolactin levels which can stimulate the production of breastfeeding hormones. So it is worth getting your prolactin levels checked out - if they are found to be high you can take medication to reduce it.

thanks all, I have called 111 and apparently I fit into the "needs a call back within 6 hours"

Thank the Lord that I don't have to have antibiotics into my nip!!

Hope all is ok.

You can have mastitis as long as you have milk ducts. You should go to your gp.

have taken more paracetamol to help with the pain will wait for dr to call back from 111

I had it at 15 without lactating or being pregnant so yes you can. Hope you get an OOH appt and some anti b's too, ouch.

Ah, I expect it's just because you mentioned the words "breast lump" - sure it will just be mastitis but you know what they're like!

I had breast cancer 2 years ago. Last year my 1st scan & exam since wasn't clear. Turned out that I had duct ectasia in the other breast, ( it was 11 years since I'd breast fed). A course of antibiotics sorted it all out.
Do go & get yourself checked out. It will most likely be something that a course of antibiotics will sort.

Thank you for your kind words everyone