Breast pain while breast feeding

[stressedanxious]

I've been taking Zoloft for a while now, but I'm still having panic attacks that come out f no where, I'm seeing a therapist but I'm still suffering from anxiety .

I've had pain on my breast when the baby latches on for over a month now, I figure it would go away, after nursing for a few months on that I developed what looked like a little blister on my areola close to my nipple, I went to urgent care, I went to the ob. One said mastitis the other one didn't say much, he said it doesn't seem serious.

I've been trying to not nurse on that side because every time I nurse the baby puts teeth marks on it and it's causing my breast to have more little scratches around the nipple. So these past two days I've just been hand expressing my milk on that side, but I think I'm not taking the milk out good, last night I've developed pain near my arm pit, it looks a lot more swollen on that side conpered to my other side.

It's almost 5 in the morning, and I've been googling and I'm terrified of inflammatory Breast ca. I'm so scared ! I don't know what to do, I don't have health insurance I had to spend almost 300 last time I went to the ob. I just don't know what to do anymore, I'm so scared . I keep getting little pains near my armpit and breast. I literally feel so nauseous and sick I can't take this anymore. I don't know why my breast has been hurting for a month . I'm so scared :( I'm literally shaking now and have so many thoughts running through my head . a family friend just died a couple of days ago so it triggered me to have these thoughts . I'm so worried , I feel sick . Please someone help me !

[misslove]

Try a warm cloth on your breast. Maybe it's just a stuck milk duct. Don't think it's cancer if you have been to a dr and they say is ok. Might be just sore from your body producing milk. Is it safe to take those pills while breast feeding?

[stressedanxious]

They say it's safe .. But who knows. :/

I have too much worry right now. I just don't know what to do. I'm constantly dealing with symptoms . It's making me sad and scared.😪

[debs71]

Hi,

Please try not to worry.

It is far, far too coincidental that you are breastfeeding your baby, and now you have these issues with your nipple and the pain, for it to be anything sinister.

These kind of problems whilst nursing are VERY common. I saw numerous Mum's with mastitis and just generally very sore and painful nipples when trying to valiantly persevere with nursing their babies, and who felt very guilty and worried because they were struggling with it, but these issues are not their fault and breastfeeding can unfortunately throw up difficulties like this.

Ok.....so from what you describe, I would be inclined to side on the diagnosis of mastitis. I am no doctor, but it certainly sounds a lot like it IMO.

I agree with misslove about the warm cloth/compress. This will both help with any pain and also encourage the flow of your milk. Massaging your breast, downwards towards the nipple is another help. Expressing is good too, just as you are doing right now, or alternatively - if you are finding it difficut by hand - a breast pump (either a manual one or an electric one) is excellent (I personally prefer the electric one) for extracting the milk. Of course expressing may also be painful, but it will be a means to an end for you, hun as expressing will help clear the mastitis and associated pain.

As far as the pain goes, and where you are feeling it, breast tissue extends quite a ways, so it is not surprising that you are feeling all the twinges and pains that you are, even as far as the armpit, plus if your breast is swollen and infected, your nodes will be raised. This all sounds very explainable.

Do try not to get too anxious about this. Everything fits here, and it is unlikely to be something sinister at the exact time your are nursing your little one. xxx

[stressedanxious]

Thanks for replying, it's really extremely difficult for me to quit worrying. I am having the chills, I am cold, I'm nauseous . I just went through this a few weeks ago. I'm really worried it's not mastitis this time. Sometimes doctors can misdiagnose this for something more serious. I really am so worried , I have no idea what to do. 😔 I seriously feel like throwing up at the thought of ibc. I just cannot take this. I just cannot :(. I'm worried sick, I don't know why I'm going through this again. I fear I'm being misdiagnosed.

[debs71]

I know it's hard to switch off the worrying. I could worry for Great Britain at the Olympics myself!

It is too coincidental to be anything other than related to breast feeding. Mastitis can be difficult to resolve, particularly whilst continuing to breast feed, but continuing to breast feed as much as possible does actually help clear mastitis, ironic as that may sound.

Try is you can to trust the doctors. They see a lot of this type of thing every day and know what is suspect and what is not.

The problem you have is that your symptoms mirror SOME of those of IBC, but what is the likelihood of it NOT being due to the nursing of your baby??

Slim to none, I would guess. This is anxiety that is driving your fears, and throwing up the typical 'what ifs?' and anxiety never allows us to think rationally about stuff like this, but I can hand on heart say that I for one think that this is purely related to your breast feeding xx

[misslove]

My dr has had breast cancer and she said that she didn't even feel any pain. It doesn't hurt at all and most women who do have it don't feel pain. So I hope this eases your mind. I too think it's related to breast feeding.