Dear Lactnetters,
I had a young woman from Russia come to me today.  She had surgery on one
breast in 1992 for what appears to have been an abscess (thru her
interpreter).  She has large (approx. 3in. by 1in) scars at 1o'clock, 4
o'clock, 7 o'clock and10 o'clock.  There is no scar tissue around the nipple
or areola area.  Her breast has a concave appearance on that side except over
the scar tissue which is very firm.  She is currently nursing a 6 month old
on one side only although giving about 4 supplemental bottles per day.  Baby
eats about every 1-1-1/2 hours and twice at night and is doing well by
report-the baby was not with her at the visit.  She has breastfed 2 previous
children on one side exclusively for 1 year each.  She has accepted that she
is not able to produce as much on the affected side and at this point is not
nursing at all on that side due to the severe pain,  although did feel fuller
after birth.  The problem is the severe pain she feels in the affected side
when she nurses on the other side obviously from the oxytocin effect.  She
wants to have surgery to "open the ducts again" (most likely impossible
unless that guy with the little wire probe that's been talked about on
Lactnet is around!), release the scar tissue or do "something so it won't be
so painful".  She does not care if more ducts are affected making production
nil on that side if the pain will go away.   Does anyone know of any
procedures that could help her?  Is it possible to use a TENS unit for this
type of pain?  She is planning to have more children and "wants to be a good
mama which to her can only involve breastfeeding."  I love hearing these moms
from other countries be so adamant.  There are a lot of bad feelings about
the way she was "mutilated" without being informed of what was being done.
 If there are any procedures, are there any that would not be considered
cosmetic-she is on medical coupons.
Please E-mail me at [log in to unmask] or post as others may be interested.  TIA

Denise Stuart, BSN, IBCLC
Kent, WA
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