Sorry for the silence, but I am just getting over a bout of mastitis. OH MY GOD, I had no idea how horrible a breast infection could be. I am not exaggerating when I say that it was one of the worst experiences of my life.
Last Sunday started out like any other day, but by noon my right boob was very tender to the touch. It didn't hurt to latch the baby on, but let-down was soooo painful. There is really no way to describe this pain. It was just awful. Being the naive girl that I am, I thought I merely had a clogged duct (even though I couldn't feel any lumps). I put the baby down for a nap around noon, and decided to pump. When I got done, I felt like I was about to pass out. I laid down on the couch and covered up with a quilt, because my hands and feet felt really cold (even though it was 75 in our house). John took Porgie and Izzy to the park. While he was gone things got worse. I was so cold my teeth were chattering, and my head felt like it was about to explode. Also, my breast was so painful that it hurt to even move my right arm. I literally laid on the couch and cried because I felt so miserable. After about an hour of this agony, I took my temperature. It was 103. Ugh.
I never go to/call the doctor unless I am fairly convinced that I am going to die. That afternoon, I called my OB. Through chattering teeth, I described my symptoms. The doctor diagnosed me with Mastitis and called in a prescription for an antibiotic. When John got home, I immediately sent him back out to pick up my prescription. I read in my breastfeeding book that after antibiotics are started, symptoms improve in 24 hours. I was really counting on this.
That night was awful. I would alternate between chills and sweating profusely. I also had the world's worst headache. It was so bad that I was taking the prescription strength Motrin they had given me after my c-section. The headache still wouldn't go away. My boob also took a turn for the worse. The side turned bright red, and it was visibly swollen. It was very tender and painful. Needless to say, it was a long night, but the next morning I felt a little better. And then I felt worse. Although the morning seemed promising, Monday was basically a repeat of Sunday. Monday night my temperature actually reached 105 degrees. My body felt like it was on fire.
On Tuesday I felt like I had been hit by a truck, but my fever and chills finally subsided. Wednesday and Thursday were much of the same. Friday is when I finally felt like myself again. I still have some slight pain in my right breast, but the redness has disappeared.
The moral of this story is that Mastitis is awful. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
7 comments:
Oh my goodness! That does sound awful. So glad to hear that you are on the upswing!
Oh gosh--I had that when I was nursing my middle child; it was excruciating! I wouldn't wish it on anyone either. So glad you're on the upswing.
So glad you are feeling better!
ugggggg. I had this and I remember the coldness. I got up in the middle of the night and made a scalding hot bath and sat shivering in it. My husband was like okay babe THAT IS NOT NORMAL. So I posted to my blog and asked for advice. The blogosphere diagnosed me before the doctor did. I ended up on meds and what not but FUCK THAT HURT. The worst part though was a girl in my office saying, "you know when cows get that, they are considered a bad cow because they will get it again with every pregnancy, so technically you are a bad cow."
Wow, three years later and I still want to cry about that comment
holy crap honey (clutching my chest) i can't even imagine!!! so so so happy you are better!
Holy crap! So glad you are better now. It sounds beyond excruciating!
so so horrible!! i have had with both babies in the same breast. i think one side is really prone to it. once you have had it one time, you will feel it coming on, call RIGHT away!! i even notice a red spot starting with ellie and would hop in the shower, super super hot and massage the area even if it made me want to cry. just to get it to go down. it is so sucky! i hope you are officially on the mend!
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