Mastitis after blood donation?
Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:30 am
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
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