Super BOO to mastitis

This may be too much information for some (perhaps all?) of you (just don't read it) and especially to any males (ya right!) who read this, but writing this out and sharing with others ha been therapeutic...

After doing some reading on the internet I think I have determined that mastitis has turned into an abscess (I've had mastitis for two weeks and 1 day now). Basically, that means I'm in pain. And lots of it. I've cried lots of tears, I've applied lots of heat, I've taken hot showers, I've massaged, I've pushed, I've pumped, I'm on round two of antibiotics, I've tried two different types of herbal remedies, I've made a ginger compress (advice from an acupuncturist to my friend), and thankfully(!) I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning at 10:10 to determine if this is what it really is. My skin is flaming red over a about half my breast, the skin has broken (ow), my breast is misshapen (ugh), and the slightest touch hurts incredibly bad. Thankfully, nursing Ashley doesn't make it hurt worse than it already does.

Here is some of what I learned about how abscesses:

From Dr. Sears: "An abscess is a pus-filled area, like a boil under the skin. Your healthcare provider will suspect an abscess if the lump remains tender and does not go away with the treatment listed under plugged ducts and mastitis. An ultrasound of the breast may be necessary to locate an abscess deeper in the breast. An abscess often requires surgical drainage, plus antibiotic therapy."

From a mother's experience/research: "Abscesses are rare, occurring in 3-11 percent of women who have infectious mastitis. Abscesses can also develop with a recurrent plug that keeps occurring in the same spot. Abscesses can be diagnosed either by aspiration (lanced and drained with a needle by your doctor) or by ultrasound. If you are having an ultrasound, be sure to empty your breasts as much as possible before the test so that the technicians can more easily read the results. If you have an abscess aspirated, ask your doctor to culture the fluid that is drawn out so that an appropriate antibiotic can be prescribed.


Abscesses can sometimes be resolved just by being aspirated, but must sometimes be surgically drained (called an incision and drainage, or I&D). An I&D can be done either under a local or a general anesthetic. It is important to request that any incision be made radially (from the chest in towards the nipple) instead of around the areola. Many breast surgeries are done around the areola for aesthetic reasons, but this cuts more milk ducts and may affect milk supply. After an I&D, the incision is left open and packed with a dressing so that it can continue to drain and heal from the outside in....

...Of the three mothers I spoke to before my surgery, their experiences varied wildly. One mother was able to resolve the abscess by having it lanced in her doctor's office. Another mother had an incision and drainage under general anesthetic with one night in the hospital. Another had an I&D under general anesthetic and had a 5 day hospital stay while being treated with morphine. (She said that her abscess had developed after a botched breast reduction.) So the condition and treatment of abscesses is obviously very individual."
(http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/mom/breast-abscess.html)


Lucky me, right? I'll admit, after reading this I once again cried. I'm so looking forward to my doctor's appointment tomorrow and hope and pray that it will be resolved. I'll let you know. :(