Mastitis after blood donation?

[Celia M. Malm]

I'm getting *WAY* out of my depth on this and could use some help thinking this through.
On Friday I donated blood for the first time ever. On Saturday, I very suddenly developed mastitis on the same side (left) that the blood was taken. Hardened area in breast, shooting pains (upon pressure) into nipple, also pain referred around to my back.
I've got a history of mastitis (neither side predominates in this), even though I haven't nursed for about 8 years. I've been told that I have polyps in my milk ducts, which started producing dark (soy sauce colored) blood from some ducts upon expressing milk, beginning about 10 years ago (during my last pregnancy).
I've never been particularly successful at treating the mastitis homeopathically. I've tried Phyt. several times before, as it seemed to be the closest fit, but without much benefit. Usually expressing of milk to clear the ducts and the application of heat is what clears it up.
Well, this time, with the mastitis coming on in such a pronounced correspondence with the blood donation, it seemed like there might be a link, and repping this I came up with Phos. Ac. Unfortunately, I have this remedy only in 1M, but I gave it a try anyway Saturday night, one dose. After a few hours with no improvement, I tried Phyt. 30C, one dose, again with no improvement.
By Sunday night, there was still no improvement, even after trying my usual methods (expression and heat). Expression was also more than usually difficult. So I tried another remedy that had come up in my repping efforts: Rhus Tox. 6X, one dose.
By Monday night, the pain was less sharp, but there were still hard areas (indurations?) in the breast. I have also been having *huge* issues with my blood sugar (type I diabetic on an insulin pump) since Sunday night--my blood sugar is swingly from very low to very high and back without much rhyme or reason. Tuesday morning (today), I developed a somewhat itchy rash on my left forearm, small raised dots, slightly pinker than my skin, running from the blood donation site (crook of arm) to my wrist. I have no known allergies to latex (or to anything except penicillin and sulfa). I had only minor bruising at the donation site. Tonight the rash seems to be starting to spread up my arm, while the mastitis continues the same as on Monday night. No other remedies have been taken and no warm applications made since Sunday night.
I'm at a serious loss here. Am I proving the Rhus Tox. with this rash (although that seems highly unlikely, more than a day after a single dose!), or is the rash a new symptom altogether? Is it a result of the remedies pushing things out (even though the masititis isn't really a lot better), or could it be a development as a consequence of the blood donation (despite coming several days after)? Have any of you seen such freaky symptoms in response to a blood donation? I have no idea what to do next at this point!
Cee

[Leilanae]

snip................
snip..............
Do you think there might be a link between the Phos Ac 1M and the blood sugar irregularities?

Leilanae

[usrardr]

please read dorothy shepherd's magic of minimum dose and you wd find CARCINOSIN 200 for mastitis.singlr dose is enough for you and there would no rash no mastitis.and my experience on many patients has taught me that it would only 24 hours.pl up date after taking this medicine thanku. dr israr ul haque.

http://sites.google.com/site/drisrarshomoeoclinics/
In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Celia M. Malm" wrote:

[Shannon Nelson]

Hi Cee,
A couple of thoughts--if you have a good, working
"constitutional"/chronic remedy, that's worth a try. (Even if the
current particulars don't seem to fit.)

Also, I see:
Chest; DISCHARGE FROM NIPPLE; BLOOD (p, 3, 1-1) (3) : bufo, kali-cy.,
SIL.
Chest; DISCHARGE FROM NIPPLE; WATER, bloody (p, 9, 0) (9) : carc.,
ham., kali-cy., LYC., Phyt., sel., sep., sil., Sulph.

I see Carc in one, but also Silica--making a feeble, out-of-left-field
maybe connection with the "sharp object" of the blood draw? (Um,
clutching at straws...)

(And I'm wondering how one would rep that rash?)
Shannon

[Rosemary C. Hyde, Ph.D.]

It sounds to me like a potential sepsis (infection) from the donation site. As potential remedies, look at Bufo or Pyrog (specifically for infections spreading in red streaks along lymphatic channels). Other possibilities are Echi, Bry, Bell, Lach, Ars, or possibly Rhus-t (it worked slightly because it’s one of the basic remedies for infection and fever, but it needs to be used in higher potency, because you’re dealing with a potentially serious acute, and it may not be called for by modalities). Use 200c diluted in water, and repeat as needed (this is an emergency acute). You’ll have to use keynote modalities to distinguish among them to find the most effective remedy (chill, fever, thirst, skin manifestations, etc…). Good luck! If you don’t find a remedy or potency that works, and the infection continues to spread, you will probably need to be seen medically.
Rosemary
It is not how old you are, but how you are old. -Jules Renard, writer (1864-1910)
From: minutus@yahoogroups.com [mailto:minutus@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Celia M. Malm
Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 12:31 AM
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Minutus] Mastitis after blood donation?
I'm getting *WAY* out of my depth on this and could use some help thinking this through.
On Friday I donated blood for the first time ever. On Saturday, I very suddenly developed mastitis on the same side (left) that the blood was taken. Hardened area in breast, shooting pains (upon pressure) into nipple, also pain referred around to my back.
I've got a history of mastitis (neither side predominates in this), even though I haven't nursed for about 8 years. I've been told that I have polyps in my milk ducts, which started producing dark (soy sauce colored) blood from some ducts upon expressing milk, beginning about 10 years ago (during my last pregnancy).
I've never been particularly successful at treating the mastitis homeopathically. I've tried Phyt. several times before, as it seemed to be the closest fit, but without much benefit. Usually expressing of milk to clear the ducts and the application of heat is what clears it up.
Well, this time, with the mastitis coming on in such a pronounced correspondence with the blood donation, it seemed like there might be a link, and repping this I came up with Phos. Ac. Unfortunately, I have this remedy only in 1M, but I gave it a try anyway Saturday night, one dose. After a few hours with no improvement, I tried Phyt. 30C, one dose, again with no improvement.
By Sunday night, there was still no improvement, even after trying my usual methods (expression and heat). Expression was also more than usually difficult. So I tried another remedy that had come up in my repping efforts: Rhus Tox. 6X, one dose.
By Monday night, the pain was less sharp, but there were still hard areas (indurations?) in the breast. I have also been having *huge* issues with my blood sugar (type I diabetic on an insulin pump) since Sunday night--my blood sugar is swingly from very low to very high and back without much rhyme or reason. Tuesday morning (today), I developed a somewhat itchy rash on my left forearm, small raised dots, slightly pinker than my skin, running from the blood donation site (crook of arm) to my wrist. I have no known allergies to latex (or to anything except penicillin and sulfa). I had only minor bruising at the donation site. Tonight the rash seems to be starting to spread up my arm, while the mastitis continues the same as on Monday night. No other remedies have been taken and no warm applications made since Sunday night.
I'm at a serious loss here. Am I proving the Rhus Tox. with this rash (although that seems highly unlikely, more than a day after a single dose!), or is the rash a new symptom altogether? Is it a result of the remedies pushing things out (even though the masititis isn't really a lot better), or could it be a development as a consequence of the blood donation (despite coming several days after)? Have any of you seen such freaky symptoms in response to a blood donation? I have no idea what to do next at this point!
Cee

[Celia M. Malm]

It sounds to me like a potential sepsis (infection) from the donation site.
I thought about that, but there's no indication of infection at the donation site.
Cee

[Celia M. Malm]

The bloody discharge doesn't really seem to figure into this acute, though--it's been chronic for years. The "rare particulars" here seem to be:
- *Doesn't* improve from heat. ("Better from heat" is usually a *very* strong symptom for me.)
- The rash. (Which I can't figure out how to rep at all.)
The mastitis seems to be a lot better this morning, actually. But do I attribute that to time, or one of the remedies (did the Phos Ac take a while to act, due to being such a high potency?), or what?
The rash is still there, although the raised dots are smaller.
This whole thing is baffling....
Cee

[Jean Doherty]

I think if you are feeling toxic and ill you need some overview either medical or from a skilled homeopath. Polyps in milk ducts ? should be monitored Also the blood donation unit should be informed? Jean

[Celia M. Malm]

>Do you think there might be a link between the Phos Ac 1M and the blood sugar irregularities?
I hadn't thought about that. But would this be an aggravation, a proving, or what?
Cee

[Leilanae]

I don't know what the "label" would be? Just noticed Morrison lists it under clinical, diabetes and the high-low-high could be descriptive of the action of Phos Ac.

What do you think?

Leilanae