how long did it take for your mastitis to feel better?

By sorrycharlie Oct 28, 2012

I'm fairly positive I have mastitis. Currently waiting on a call back from the GP to see if I can get an antibiotic, since the hurricane is rapidly approaching and I don't want to be stranded and get worse.

A couple days ago I started having tenderness in my left side, around 10pm (on a clock) if you're looking at me. It's gotten progressively worse..I can't touch it or it kills. I tried gently massaging while she ate but it's gotten worse.

Tried hot water in a diaper prior to feeding, semi-dangle feeding (so tired and didn't want to squash her), icing, massaging during feeding and even a hot shower at 4am..nothing is helping. I have had chills/sweats since 4 am and my fever has gone from 99.6 at 4, to 100.5 at 7. No specific 'hot' or red spot.

Sorry so long..guess looking to see if others have experience. I want to cry every time she latches on!

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20 comments

MamaBehr
pomegranate / 3275 posts

Oct 28, 2012

I had mastitis and it HURT!!! And my fever got super high.... I think I started to feel better after about two days of antibiotics. I highly recommend some sort of fever reducer/pain medicine. I got it when I was still managing pain from the c-section and I knew when I was within an hour of getting to take my IB Profin because I felt so much worse and my fever would start to creep back.

I didn't think I had a red spot, but it was on the bottom, so maybe have your hubby look and see if he can find it.

I hope you feel better soon! And keep nursing, it's super important to drain the boobies
mamabolt
nectarine / 2797 posts

Oct 28, 2012

After 48 hours on antibiotics, I felt like 90% better. Hope your doctor can get you some soon!
matador84
papaya / 10560 posts

Oct 28, 2012

I thought I was getting mastitis because I had the same symptoms, I was just super engorged. I bought a manual pump and did that an it helped. Just me though!
erwoo
pomegranate / 3053 posts

Oct 28, 2012

Oh no! I had it last month and it was not fun. Really hot/damp compress and massaging (in circular motion) while nursing helped for me. I also pumped after I nursed to make sure that I get it out. It was a little difficult to keep the compress there and pump and/or nurse but hang in there. It helps! Hope you get antibiotics soon. Half hour after my first dose I felt better already!
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 28, 2012

Take fever reducer, drink lots of water and get rest (if you can) until you get the antibiotics. If you do those things (especially rest and water ) you may even start feeling better before you get the meds! Good luck!
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 28, 2012

so another doctor from the practice (my general practitioner's practice, not OBGYN) called me back and is putting me on Keflex. has anyone taken that? he kept saying it'll give LO diarrhea, and she already has a brutal rash right now so I'm terrified.

also..she is somewhat refusing to nurse from the infected side, and if I can get her to latch on, she only half-drinks for 1/3 the time she normally would. she sobs and sobs if I try to latch her. it makes me cry I'm so miserable.. my LC friend said it's because the taste is off.

so now I'm just going to try to get her to nurse what she will and then pump, though I've never used my PISA before so I'm nervous. this just sucks.
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 28, 2012

I have been on keflex.. I don't remeber it being too bad for LO wrt diarrhea...you could try some probitics if you are really concerned. You will start feeling a lot better once the antibiotic kicks in...
Eta: you may need to nurse her more frequently if she is taking only one side and pump the other side...
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 28, 2012

@T-Mom: I just talked to her pedi and he said definitely probiotics for me, but that he doesn't think they're necessary for her at this point. she generally nurses every 3-4 hours..I read online to try to nurse more often, like every 2, but she isn't really cooperating. she's exhausted (from being up all night attempting to nurse) and not really hungry. any tips? haha
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 28, 2012

@sorrycharlie: i think if she doesnt act hungry its ok, you dont need to force her to feed more often. I didn't really feel like had to nurse or express more often per se, but just make sure I did do it at least as frequently as normal. You just don't want to avoid it even though it's painful since it will just make things worse. Lots of fluids and rest, maybe your SO can watch baby while you take a nap between feedings?

Do you think you have a plugged duct? Or a bleb? Or just just general pain.
erwoo
pomegranate / 3053 posts

Oct 28, 2012

Had keflex too and LO was okay.
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 28, 2012

@T-Mom: ah okay, that makes more sense! I couldn't help but wonder how nursing more often was at all effective when she won't wake up to eat. HAHA...sigh. sleep deprivation at its finest. I just got my antibiotics, but took ibuprofen earlier today and feel loads better. I'm definitely going to try to fit a nap in later today.
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@T-Mom: I think I have a really really plugged duct. I feel pain deep in there, so deep I can't quite feel a lump even. and after she nurses, the right side of my breast wasn't emptying.

that said..it's still painful and red on day 3 of antibiotics. is this normal? I have a red spot on the right one now, too. I'm wondering if I need a different antibiotic..ugh. I'm hoping the red is just from how my bra was today, but I'm not feeling too hopeful.

she's nursing better - seems like she's getting more food and emptying it a little more than she was. I'm assuming the pain means there's still a block, though..ugh. I was finally starting to feel confident about breastfeeding and this happened!
pinkcupcake
cantaloupe / 6751 posts

Oct 31, 2012

Awh, so sorry to hear! It took me about 2 days of being on antibiotics to feel alive again. I think I was totally back to my regular self in about 4-5 days?
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@MungBean: that's what I'm afraid of - I caught it EARLY, so I only felt like crap the night before I started the antibiotics (my fever only got to 100.5 the morning I started them). so I feel fine as far as that - but still have pain in my left breast (which was the one that hurt and had hot spot). now I also have a tinge of pain every once in awhile in my right, and a red spot there, too. shouldn't the pain and/or redness have gone away by now?

I'm such a hypochondriac that I'm terrified the blockage is never going to go away and I'm going to develop an abscess. thank you google!!
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@sorrycharlie: yeah... It could be that you have a plugged duct, or a blocked pore that is still there, even if the infection is getting better. . Do you see anything on the nipple, like a white spot? Day 3 of antibiotics... Not sure, seems like you should be feeling better but it is usually a 10 day course right? Has your fever gone away? I'm sorry you are feeling so terrible. If it were me I would probably see of the antibiotic will kick on some more and keep doing compresses, massage, and if it's still not working get in touch with your OB to discuss why it's not working..
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@sorrycharlie: check your nipple for any spots that look like whiteheads.. They are called blebs.. Sometimes it takes a while for them to surface. I got those repeatedly and the feeling was a shooting pain.
sorrycharlie
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@T-Mom: hmm..well my left side (the infected side) has a ton of bumps but they've always been there - the LC referred to them as 'taste buds' so to speak. sometimes I do notice that one will like whiter than its normal pink, but it usually goes away within a few minutes of her stopping nursing. I'll definitely keep my eye out! that could explain some of the random shooting pains I get for sure. my fever actually hasn't been back since sunday - I woke up with 100.5, started the antibiotics at 1130 and have felt great since (just sore boobs).

kind of gross..but after she nursed at 7 pm she popped off and had a white blob on her lip, which I assumed was spitup but it dissolved when I wiped it and she didn't spit up. Then she just nursed at 10 and my boob actually feels empty! sore and painful but empty..I wonder if that was part of the blockage? gross..I have no idea.
T-Mom
honeydew / 7488 posts

Oct 31, 2012

@sorrycharlie: it could be!! They say the baby's suction is the best way to clear a blockage, and after several days the stuff gets backed up and can become like a toothpaste consistency. Maybe your LO was able to do the job! Some people limit their fat intake because fattier foods can make your milk thicker and more prone to blocking ducts. Kelly mom has lots of good info. http://kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mother/mastitis/.
I remember being sore for like a day after clearing a plug, too...
Mrs. Bee
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts

Nov 1, 2012

my fever got super high. i was wearing my puffy coat and had three blankets on and i was still chattering! but after 48 hours of antibiotics I felt much, much better.

it sounds more like a plugged duct which can be super painful too and cause a fever. you just have to treat that sucker aggressively! i got a bunch with charlie. good luck! i know how much they suck!!!!
SAHM0811
grapefruit / 4049 posts

Nov 1, 2012

In addition to what you're already doing and all the advice above, definitely try to keep warmth on your affected boob as much as possible. Hot water in a diaper works well, but I find rice as a warm compress lasts longer. So I usually put some rice in an old sock, tie it up in a knot and then put it in the microwave for about 45 secs to a minute... Then keep that in my bra.

i've had mastitis 3 times... hated every minute of it... hopefully you are on the mend. Good luck!

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