Lactnetters. . .I have searched the archives, but nothing seems to be
specific to the situation I am asking about. Mom has been diagnosed by OB/GYN
with GBS in her breastmilk/breast.  Most of the posts have moms resolving the
mastitis, or babies with GBS.  I have a mom at her wits end.   Determined and
committed is an understatement.  She has had recurrent mastitis for 4 months.
 She can only remember about a month and a half that nursing was not
excrucitating.  At this point, she is back on Keflex and her nipple has a
crusted infection and crack.  This is only on one side.  Other breast is
fine, no pain with nursing at all, no nipple trauma, no mastitis ever.  Her
primary doctor is now considering sending her to an infectious wound
specialist.  Mom's fear is that after all this she will be told to wean and
"solve the problem".  Which, if she wanted to do, she would not be nursing in
excruciating pain for 4 months.  (Not that everyone has not already told her
that, but she keeps hoping the next doctor will have the solution.)  She is
open to any suggestions and hopes someone has an answer for her. She does not
want to wean, but she wants to enjoy her baby and not dread every feeding.
By the way, baby is doing fabulous. . .already doubled her weight and happy
as can be.  I asked her to write her history as she remembers it.

This is mom's story:
Exactly 2 weeks after giving birth to my baby I went back to the emergency
room with a fever of 106 degrees and my right breast about 5 times the size
of
my left, bright red, hot, and hard as a rock. Nothing would come out of the
breast when pumped and to nurse on it was not even a thought because of the
excruciating pain. Was in the hospital for 5 days until the fever broke and
breast went some what normal. Was given an IV antibiotic and Dr. Neumans
nipple ointment which seemed to help me. Went home from the hospital but
still
always in pain to nurse on the right side - it always stung, sometimes worse
than others- was also treated for yeast because we thought that was the
initial problem (diflucan, acedophilus, nystatin, ect.)
Had to have emergency Gallbladder surgery about 1 month after I had the baby.

After I had the surgery was able to nurse for a while with out that many
problems but again the right breast was always sore. About 1 and 1/2 months
later got mastitis again - severly - was able to get it under control without

such a high fever this time - it only went to about 102 degrees at most. But
VERY painful - this time I was able to nurse through it. Was given a regimen
of Keflex for 10 days. Breast never healed though and once I was finished
with
antibiotics I was vacationing in Orlando and it came back again full force -
I
was in PAIN!!! Came home went to my OBGYN and he prescribed higher dosage of
Keflex went on that and breast seemed to get better but then once I was off
it
again I got mastitis this time on Christmas day I literally could not move
off
of the sofa the entire day, by nightfall I almost went to the hospital
because
I was in so much pain a fever of 103 and general malaise. I could not even
move my body it was like some horrible flu. Then my fever started to break
after taking motrin. My breast was huge again, red, so hot it began to peel
like a sunburn and the weird thing was it was really shiny? The pain radiated

down my arm and my back - I was in extreme pain my breast was hard as a rock
-
I could not nurse because of the pain and I could not pump because nothing
would come out. I also had severe cracked nipple when I first had my son and
was not given an opportunity to nurse him until about 2 days later. Which at
this time it started with the excruciating pain. It has always hurt to nurse
-
my baby is now 4 months old and I pretty much have been in pain nursing the
entire time. Never had a problem with the left breast - no pain at all. I
have
been on Keflex almost an entire month and my breast is still red and
irritated
although not as bad. This time around my regular family practice doctor also
resorted to giving me shots of Rocephin. But still to no avail I am still
battling this infection - I do have a crust over my nipple and I did have 2
sonograms at different times - both of which revealed nothing at all - no
abcesses. I also had my milk and nipple cultured this last time at the OBGYN
and it showed that I have GROUP B STREP in my breast. I did test positive for

GROUP B STREP at 38 weeks pregnant vaginally.
Please I am begging for help - I really dont want to stop nursing but it
seems
I have no other choice. I am tired of being in pain and of being on medicine
and my doctors dont seem to know how to treat my situation.

Me:  Her doctors are willing to try anything.  They basically think they are
out of options, and have no clue.  She is lucky in that they are cooperative
and willing to work with her, but no one has been able to help.

Thanks in advance for any ideas and possible causes/solutions.

Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC   FL, USA


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