Hi Kathy,
I don't know if this will help, but there are some things about the symptoms
that remind me of pain I experienced myself with my second. Not everything
but I had the blanching of the nipples (I will not say painless) and the
feeling of deep breast pain. So I know we're not supposed to post about our
own experiences here, but I have always felt that the intervention I finally
had that resolved my deep breast pain was a miracle, so I figure it's worth
suggesting.
It's been 11 years since, so I can't say I remember exactly how the pain
was, but I don't think I would say "breast on fire". I had other symptoms
not mentioned here, so I'm not sure that this will apply but I will say that
after two trips to an LC with a lot of attempts at interventions to help,
what finally seemed to resolve the deep breast pain was a friend suggesting
that I get in a modified "cow" yoga position, raise baby up to meet my
nipples on a pillow while in that position and nurse that way. Something
about that position seemed to get things going to finally resolve the deep
breast pain after 3 months!
I should say that I also had one of those white blebs, so maybe my deep
breast pain was due to a deeply buried plugged duct. But I had deep breast
pain on both sides and it seemed some kind of fungal infection caused
that.(non-responsive to nystatin but it seemed also that things cleared up
when I finally got treated for athlete's foot) Anyway, being a bit of a yoga
fanatic, even though I don't think what your lady and I have are quite the
same, I definitely think that the position and working with gravity to nurse
downward did something to work things out!
For what it's worth...
Your friend and fellow Brooklyn LC,
Barbara Holmes RD, IBCLC
Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 22:17:10 -0400
From: Katherine Lilleskov <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: neurological pain?
I apologize in advance for the length of this post, it is just that I wan=
t to get=20
the details right, because it's a little unusual and I'm pretty sure it i=
s not=20
ductal yeast, though if I don't describe it in detail, I think that would=
be the=20
logical conclusion.
I am working with a woman who is five weeks postpartum. She has extreme=20=
pain "like my left breast is on fire'" about an hour or sometimes sooner =
after=20
nursing. Nursing itself is pain free, she describes the pain coming as he=
r left=20
breast is filling with milk and is experiencing intermittent, simultaneou=
s=20
neurological symptoms, numbness and pain in her arm extending to her hand=
.=20
When she nurses the baby, the pain is relieved, though she can't bear to =
put=20
the baby on her breast until she expresses about 5 ml of milk.She also=20=
experienced this in her right breast to a lesser degree, though that has=20=
generally resolved. She does not have oversupply, the breast is completel=
y=20
soft after feedings and if she tries to empty more with a pump only gets=
a=20
few mls following feedings. Several test weights showed the baby took in=
=20
between 2.5 and 4 oz per feed. Lawrence desctibes this type of situation,=
and=20
suggests that it is caused by pressure on nerves in the axilla from=20
engorgement in the tail of spence, though she doesn't describe the "breas=
t on=20
fire" sensation. Just to complicate matters, this woman also experienced=20=
painless blanching of her nipples during the first couple of weeks postpa=
rtum,=20
though she says that with her burning breast sensation now, there is no=20=
evidence of vasospasm., no nipple color changes at all.
Have any of you come across anything like this and what did you do???!!!
Cabbage and ice have been somewhat helpful as has Sudafed, but she doesn'=
t=20
feel like she can take continuous Sudafed, and I find that concerning as =
well.=20
Her supply is extremely average and I am worried about down-regulating it=
.=20
Lawrence says that this usually resolves within several weeks, as=20
engorgement settles down. But she is reaching the end of her rope and I a=
m=20
hoping someone out there in lactation world has a magic bullet...
Thanks for any ideas,
Kathy Lilleskov RN IBCLC
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