At 01:32 AM 6/10/04, you wrote:
>I have been working with a mom who has a grouping of Galactoceles in the
>middle of one breast.  She originally asked me if she had mastitis,
>because of a lump in her breast.  However, she had no symptoms beyond
>this lump.  When I looked at her breast, again, there was no visual sign
>of mastitis, as well as no symptoms.  The breast looks normal but the
>cysts are easily felt.  Upon visitation with her own OB/GYN, and a
>referral to a surgeon, the surgeon performed an Ultrasound and diagnosed
>the Galactoceles.  They doctor drained them as best she could but said
>that she would not be willing to remove them surgically until the woman
>was finished breastfeeding.  The mom wishes to breastfeed for an
>extended time (her baby is currently 5 months old) and has no plans on
>weaning soon.  Two weeks ago she contacted me with symptoms of mastitis
>in the same breast as the galactoceles.

Joylyn, it sounds as if she had no symptoms and no problems with the
galactoceles until the drainage.  At the Milwaukee Breast Diagnostic Clinic
they do not treat a galactocele but advise the mother that they will be
absorbed in a few months. They should be left alone (certainly not
surgically removed). This clinic always asures the mother that it was good
that she came in to have it checked out.

Her current mastitis is probably caused by the irritation of the drainage.
Since she is now having recurring mastitis she would do well to treat the
area in an ongoing manner as recurring blocked ducts. The ducts were
irritated by the procedure and now block easily.

When I have clients with recurring blocked ducts I recommend lecithin gel
caps at 3600-4800 mg a day. The caps usually come in 1200mg and I suggest
3-4 a day. After a week or two with no blockage, the mother reduces by one
cap. If there is no blockage within another 2 weeks she can reduce it again
by one.

Most of my clients who have recurrent blocked ducts have a high fat content
in their milk (babies gain weight at a high rate).  Many of them need to
continue taking the lecithin (2 or 2 a day) because stopping brings about
another blockage. Some have an oversupply also and we work on that.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin





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