Lump In Breast

[Mossfinn]

The wife has a lump in her left breast that is quite hard to the touch.

Saw a Doc two weeks ago and he said it was blockage and to come back in two weeks and he would review it again after speaking with some specialists.

Visited Doc again yesterday and arranged for a visit to the hospital in two weeks time.

She has rung her Mother who said to boil a kettle and steam the affected area.

Anybody know anything about this, is steaming it a good idea? Any other folk lore remedies or Alternative Medicine?

She is obviously concerned.

A bit of extra info, we have a two month old Boy.

Cheers

Moss

[markr]

Sorry to hear that chap, hope its nothing serious and all is well soon.

Mark

[taxexile]

any breast lump should be professionaly investigated and tested as soon as possible.

ultrasound and scans and maybe a biopsy.

its probably something trivial , but if it is something more serious then the earlier it is correctly diagnosed and treated , the easier and less invasive the treatment is likely to be.

if they cant do that at your local hospital , then it might be prudent to take your wife to a hospital that can...... and a hospital where they have a doctor experienced enough to interpret the results correctly.

cant comment on the steaming treatment , but perhaps a hot water bottle might be a safer option.

[Old Croc]

Refer this old thread for some thoughts.

link

[seonai]

I was told to apply cabbage leaves when I was breastfeeding Moss, they sooth the lumpiness apparently. Talk to you soon.

[jetjock]

Applying heat to a blocked milk duct in a nursing women is common medical practice. As many posters have already mentioned, it is important that you have had this problem checked out thoroughly by a competent medical specialist to make sure that this is that it has been diagnosed correctly.

[Mossfinn]

Sorry to hear that chap, hope its nothing serious and all is well soon.

Mark

Thanks Mark,

I am sure it is just as the Doc says and just a blockage, hope it doesn't grow into something worse.

Cheers

Moss

[Mossfinn]

any breast lump should be professionaly investigated and tested as soon as possible.

ultrasound and scans and maybe a biopsy.

its probably something trivial , but if it is something more serious then the earlier it is correctly diagnosed and treated , the easier and less invasive the treatment is likely to be.

if they cant do that at your local hospital , then it might be prudent to take your wife to a hospital that can...... and a hospital where they have a doctor experienced enough to interpret the results correctly.

cant comment on the steaming treatment , but perhaps a hot water bottle might be a safer option.

Thanks for the reply Tax, hopefully it is something trivial, but luckily I live in Oxford and we are surrounded by top class hospitals. Will ensure I go to specialist with her to ensure correct information to and correct interpretation back.

Also thought that he kettle was a little extreme, but then I never thought of a water bottle, will suggest tonight.

Moss

Refer this old thread for some thoughts.

link

Hi OC, I remember this thread, but forgot to consider it today, thanks for the reminder.

Moss

I was told to apply cabbage leaves when I was breastfeeding Moss, they sooth the lumpiness apparently. Talk to you soon.

Cabbage leaves eh, sounds a little eco friendly Yes we will talk soon.

Moss

Applying heat to a blocked milk duct in a nursing women is common medical practice. As many posters have already mentioned, it is important that you have had this problem checked out thoroughly by a competent medical specialist to make sure that this is that it has been diagnosed correctly.

Yes, heat does sound like a good idea, but noy so sure about boiling steam over a kettle.

I will ensure it will be seen by a competent Doc, as said earlier Oxford is pretty lucky, it is the waiting lists that are the killer

Thank you to all, for the most welcome responses, nice to see the men responding I expected an all female response. Please keep them coming for any further info.

Good Luck

Moss

[bina]

if she's breast feeding, then massage and warm compresses or hot shower or hot water bottle will do the trick; if she has a fever, then the doc should be diagnosing mastitis, treatment is dependant on severity and pain but involves massage, milking out and/or antibiotics...

if not breastfeeding, measure the lump and check if it changes size with her menstruation... mark it and measure it...before and after her cycle;

many lumps are cysts which come and go, grow and shrink with hormonal changes; after birth, strong hormonal changes which confuse the body so milk glands go crazy; also, a too tight bra or different bra pressing int he wrong area can cause some blockages...

dont panic...

bina

[oldoldgit!!]

Do not let it rest, keep chasing the Doctors, even take her to the hospital now if you have to, do not try any of the quack remedys, my wife had a small lump and was treated for Mastitis had fluid drawn off and told to come back in six months, went back had a biopsy and found a nasty, had a Mastectomy, six years later it started up again in the Liver and there was nothing they could do for her, died a year later aged fifty.

Hoping your wifes lump is nothing to worry about, but keep chasing it could be serious!

[Sheryl]

Depends very much on whether or not she is breastfeeding. If she is, then as Bina advised:

if no fever, milk duct blockage quite likely, apply heat and use gentle massage (a whirlpool bath/jacuzzi if you can find one is good), if no resolution return to doctor

if there is fever and/or the area around the lump is inflammed (red and tender to touch) mastitits is likely for which antibiotics needed, go back to doc ASAP, not because there is a risk of cancer but because there is likely an infection for which prompt antibiotic treatment (in same cases intravenously) is needed.

If she is NOT breast-feeding (and has not been in say the past month) then it's another matter altogether and should be concerned; mammogram and ultrasound immediately are indicated. If these show a fluid-filled cyst, then needle aspiration and biopsy; if a solid mass, then surgical biopsy.

Naturally women are always frightened by any lump in the breast, but if your wife is breast-feeding ior recently was, do rerassure her that both blocked milk ducts and mastitits (which is an inflammation/infection but NOT cancer) are both common conditions for nursing mothers.

good luck and let us know how it turned out.

[Mossfinn]

if she's breast feeding,

dont panic...

bina

Yes she is and I am not quite panicking yet.

I will post when she has seen the specialist in a couple of weeks, I think they are talking of syringing out the blocked milk, but as I was not there I am not sure.

Thanks for the response.

Moss

[Mossfinn]

Do not let it rest, keep chasing the Doctors,

Thanks OOG, I will.

there was nothing they could do for her, died a year later aged fifty.

I am sorry for your loss, OOG.

Hoping your wifes lump is nothing to worry about, but keep chasing it could be serious!

So do I, and I will and I hope not.

Thanks for the response.

Depends very much on whether or not she is breastfeeding. If she is, then as Bina advised:

Yes she is Sheryl, although topping up with formula because of the blockage.

Worryingly she has had fevers but had blood and urine tests, but they showed negative.

Naturally women are always frightened by any lump in the breast, but if your wife is breast-feeding ior recently was, do rerassure her that both blocked milk ducts and mastitits (which is an inflammation/infection but NOT cancer) are both common conditions for nursing mothers.

Yes they are Sheryl, but I am not entirely sure what the Doc said but I will be there when she sees the Specialist.

good luck and let us know how it turned out.

Thanks, but I have a feeling I might be posting more, but yes I will let you know the outcome.

Thanks again for all the replies.

Moss

[bina]

moss,

if she's breast feeding and now going to formula because of the mastitis, she MUST milk out the breast: use warm compresses, massage and pain killers before hand but she must milk out.... and get antibiotics probably

(goat udders and women breasts are similar in managing practices, just the antibiotics are different)

go to la leche league sites for more breast advice...

good luck, hope thats all it is...

bina

[Mossfinn]

good luck, hope thats all it is...

bina

Thanks Bina.

Just an update.

Saw a Doc at the Hospital yesterday, and she said the affected area was rather large!

Had it scanned and just proved it was Mastitis but with an infected Abscess.

They were a little concerned and dicussed an emergency operation.

Instead went for a syringe drain and drained off a considerable amount of infected fluid!! It was more like a sticky goo.

Booked in for a general anaesthetic on Monday for a further operation, to cut out the rest of the infection and clean out any further gunk left in the wound.

So, apart from the trauma of all that, I will be left with a 9 week old boy, with absolutely no parental experience apart from what I have gained in the last 9 weeks!!

I think I will wish myself good luck as well as the wife.

Thanks for all the previous responses

Moss