Mastitis help?

[Teachtolive]

Hi all, so I was prescribed an antibiotic for mastitis from a phone consultation with a gp. I was fairly sure it was mastitis as I stopped breastfeeding and a red blotch appeared on one breast. I was feeling well otherwise so gp said hold off taking the antibiotics unless I felt worse.

Next day I woke up and the blotchiness had spread so took the antibiotics. I'm now a day and a half into the antibiotics and it's not reducing the redness at all! I'm freakingout thinking it's not actually mastitis but something worse!

Any one else have a similar experience with mastitis? How long did it take the redness to go away?

Have you got a fever? Feel flu like and shakey? If not then it's probably not mastitis- you'd be seeing some nasty symptoms by now if it was. If it's just red blotchiness without any lumpiness or pain/fever I would just keep feeding as normal and step away from the antibx

Forget phone consultation go to a doctor. If you become tired,achey or lethargic go to A&E immediately

There is some lumpiness but I'm not still feeding, she's weaned now. I had mastitis before but I had stopped cold turkey so very different feeling. I had no fever the either

Please just get checked. Mastitis is not always as easy to see as a painful lump. I was blotchy red too, pain started about day4

Lollipop had it been a weekday when it first struck I would have been straight to a doctor but it was a weekend night. Will a doctor do anything other than give me antibiotics? Is there anything else it could be?

It could be all sorts - I got weird bruises when I stopped BF, it was milk ducts and veins bursting - fun! I wouldn't worry too much unless it's painful or you physically feel like you have an infection (ie, feverish, achey etc). I've had mastitis three times and each came with flu like symptoms very quickly. That's just me though and I'm sure everyone feels it differently.

You could continue on the antibiotics as the GP prob wouldn't give you anything else at this stage. Stopping BF sends your hormones crazy. I personally wouldn't worry about a few red blotches. That said, I've had some crazy boob troubles and conditions over the years so I'm quite hardened to this.... do whatever puts your mind at rest OP. x

Thanks edgehsdrawkcab - veins bursting?! I didn't even know that was a thing! The joys of being a woman, eh?

Oh, wait for this.... a few months ago I developed Mondor's 'disease'.... cord-like veins just under the skin of the boob. Delightful and painful, cancer worryingly noticeable bulgy veins! Consultant said I was fine! He said it was likely a result of returning to normal, 18 months after finishing BF!!!

I'm sure you are fine but do see a GP if you feel unwell or want reassurance.

You need to clear any gunky milk residue out so hand express in as warm a bath or shower as you can stand.

A day and a half isn't long at all and from memory, the red stayed for ages even after I started feeling better.

Sorry but that goes against what I've been told on all three occasions - 'mastitis milk' is totally safe for baby. Anyway, I think the OP has stopped BF?

After two courses of ABs I had to have a cyst drained under GA when I had DD1.

Get yourself to GP!!

Slightly new development now. Just out of the shower and the breast tissue is almost completely soft again, it nearly feels like normal pre-pregnancy boobs...but the blotches are still hot and bright red! At least they're not spreading. Ugh, doesbeing a woman ever get easy?!

Hmmm, hot.... that's a sign.... just keep an eye on it, maybe take some paracetamol and brufen too, will help with any inflammation and see how you go overnight.

@egdehsdrawkcab

I answered in context of no longer breastfeeding but getting the stuff that's blocked up, causing the infection cleared, what was WRONG with that?