HELP Mastitis diagnosis-antibiotics not working-28w pregnant

041517

Good evening!

I need a little advice here. About a month ago, I started seeing changes in my left breast. Symptoms include swelling, itchiness, peau d'orange on the lower inner quadrant, partially inverted nipple, thickening of my skin, slight redness and tenderness. I went to my OB right away thinking it could possibly be IBC. He referred me right away to the breast specialist which I have been working with ever since. Well, when I got there, I think she suspected IBC as well. I had a punch biopsy done and an ultrasound. The results of the ultrasound said that the milk ducts were dilated (which I figure is normal since I'm pregnant) so I kind of ruled that inconclusive. The biopsy took 9 days to get back and they sent it for multiple tests. The breast specialist said that the pathologists reviewed it and said they saw some inflammatory cells but nothing that resembled cancer but they were still pretty baffled (I ruled the biopsy inconclusive at this point as well). My doctor concluded that it MUST be mastitis so she prescribed me some clindomyocin as I am allergic to anything that ends in -cillin. After 4 days, there were no improvements. She saw me again, noted that it got a little worse and prescribed me another antibiotic (cepholexin) to try. This is an antibiotic that usually works for me. Well, I'm going on day 4 again and nothing is improving.

Symptoms as of today all remain the same except now I see that it is spreading a little to the right breast.

Can someone suggest something that this could be? Should I push for a 2nd biopsy? I don't want to keep trying antibiotics due to my being pregnant so I am just freaking out a little.

I'm so very confused on what this could be....is there any other causes for peau d'orange out there?

Kicks

You might want to see a Dermatologist for the skin issues going on. Especially with the skin issue spreading to other breast also. IBC seldom/if ever presents in both breasts.

'Something' is obviously going on so it does need to be found out what is. No one here can give you a DX - only a Dr who actually see you can do that.

amarantha

Well.... I happen to have IBC in both breasts although when it first presented it was only on the left side. The right side was always a little suspect though. Anyhow it has come back in both. When I first went for biopsies the first time round, the technician told me that if the biopsy were to be negative, that would be inconclusive, and it such were the case, we would go on to an MRI. She believed from just looking at me that it was IBC, and was ready to continue believing that even if the biopsies were negative. Well it turned out that they were not negative, so we did not have to go any further to get a diagnosis on that score. However I would say that at this point if you have all those symptoms and antibiotics do nothing, I would want to have an MRI or something further. Don't let them put you off if the symptoms don't go away.

041517

update: I talked to my doc and she's suggesting I meet with a surgeon who is familiar with my case. The surgeons going to check it out. She's also giving me a diagnostic mammogram to see if they missed anything which I'm comfortable with since I'm in my 3rd trimester. I'm hoping they keep testing and testing until they find something because something funny is going on. Maybe I'll suggest another biopsy. Fingers crossed!!

amarantha

Good. I sure hope you get some answers soon ! Keep us posted !!