ANOTHER breast infection!

So I'm starting to feel like I'm doing something wrong or something. Since right before christmas I've had two breast infections on each side! This is awful and I don't want to stop breastfeeding but I just don't know if I can keep doing this. I even put an alarm on my phone to remind me to take my antibiotics every 4 hours on the dot.

I'm really nervous as well because at the end of the month my medicaid benefits end on the 31st of this month so I can't get my prescriptions if I continue getting these infections. I don't know what to do to prevent these infections from coming back and I'm scared I may have to stop breastfeeding to stop from having more infections. I don't want to but I just don't know what else to do if I get one more infection. Any thoughts?

 

YOu have had 4 cases of mastitis in one month? When I had mastitis, I was on antibiotics for 10 days. Is that your cycle too? Have you had 40 straight days?

 

I also took antibiotics for 10 days (4x a day). I took Dicloxacill or something like that.
I have to wonder the following:
1. Is your bra/clothing too tight or restrictive? DO you sleep on your stomach/breast?
2. Are you nursing enough? At least every 3-4 hours during the day.
3. are you pumping enough? At least every 4-6 hours at night.
4. are you consistently emptying your breast all the way?
5. Do you use breast massage or compression? heat?

Hope you feel better soon!!

 

QUOTE(E&Msmom @ Jan 12 2009, 08:34 PM) [snapback]1144126[/snapback]
I also took antibiotics for 10 days (4x a day). I took Dicloxacill or something like that.
I have to wonder the following:
1. Is your bra/clothing too tight or restrictive? DO you sleep on your stomach/breast?
2. Are you nursing enough? At least every 3-4 hours during the day.
3. are you pumping enough? At least every 4-6 hours at night.
4. are you consistently emptying your breast all the way?
5. Do you use breast massage or compression? heat?

Hope you feel better soon!!

1. No my bra fits fine and my shirts are stretchy cotton tees, not confining at all. I also sleep on my side.

2. I nurse a lot during the day esp in the last couple of weeks because my milk supply went way down and I was trying to get it back up.

3. I don't pump and my babies get breestfed about once or twice a night.

4. I think my breasts are getting empty all the way. I let them suck for a long time to the point where I don't think anything else is coming out.

5. I massage in the shower. I don't own a heating pad.



Also the first infection I got was in my right breast, the second and third infections happened at the same time in both breasts and this time its only in the left. Would that count as 3 or 4 infections? I just figured 4 since both breasts have been infected twice, even if it was at the same time once.

I've taken Dicloxacill the first two times and asked for something different this time so they put me on Bactrim for one week. I'm not allowed to drink OJ, sodas, or other acidic drinks while taking it. I'll abstain from drinking those for a few extra days to be safe. I also make sure not to consume any alcohol while taking the antibiotics, obviously.

I think I'm doing everything I'm supposed to be doing. I never had a single problem with my first son.

 

I'm sure sorry. That's crazy. Are you getting fevers with these infections? What are your symptoms?

 

Thats terrible! It sounds like you are doing absolutely everything right! I felt like death run over when I had mastitis so I can only imagine how rough of a go its been for you. I wish I had some magical advice but I dont! I'm hoping that "this too shall pass". :hug:

I found some good reading for you here it talks all about reoccuring mastitis! good treatments, things to look for etc.

HTH!

 

Thanks for the input.

I was really sick during the second/third infections for a couple of nights. All the rest of the time I'm just feeling exhausted. Constantly tired.

 

I had 3 of them and my OB said if I got it one more time, he was going to have a breast ultrasound done to see if there was a cyst or anything in there. Do you see your OB again? Could you maybe get one done before the end of the month?

 

I highly doubt I could get that covered. My ob is so booked up I've been getting seen by the nurse there instead. We live in a very rural area and he is the only good ob for over a hundred miles around.

I did some research just now. Turns out that drinking juices and carbonated drinks lowers the effectiveness of the drugs. Plus I was taking my prenatal at the same time and sometimes a zantac. I guess that you have to take the antibiotic 2 hrs before or 6 hrs after you take zantac. This might have been my problem.

 

i had two infections back to back & with the second infection they put me on IV antibiotics.

hopefully, now that you've found that zantac & the antibiotics don't mix, you'll be able to get completely better! :hug: mastitis is so not fun.

 

I went through the same thing! I got mastitis 3 times and as a result of the antibiotic I got yeast in the breast EVERY time! It is a pain!

Here are somethings I did to prevent them from coming (My LC gave me all this advice)

- Take 500mg of Vitamin C when you feel the symptoms starting. Even if you think it might just be over-tiredness. Take it anyways.
-Take 800mg of Vitamin E.
- Drink LOTS of Water and make sure you are getting plenty of sleep. Even if it means asking a friend to come over while you take a nap. It is vital that you feel rested!

Also, the biggest thing that helped me was that my OB prescribed an ointment called Bactirban (sp?). I apply it to the nipples twice a day and it really helps!

Hope some of that helps! Stick with it - you can get past it and it will be so worth it. I dealt with breast issues for the first 3 months and I am still nursing!

 

Thanks for all the advice. I'm still taking prenatals everyday. If I start feeling sick my ob said to double up on them for a few days. I have cream for yeast on nipples that the doctor prescribed for my sons butt when they had thrush. I've been guzzeling water these last few days which has helped my milk supply as well and my MIL has come over and taken which ever boy is more fussy for the day so I can sleep and only have one baby to take care of. I forgot how amazingly easy one baby is!! LOL

Thanks again for the advice!