Hello
I’m wondering if any ladies have had this and its actually gone away.
I’ve been begging for surgery now but they say it is deforming. Keep trying to tell them I don’t mind losing my breast if it gives me my life back.
I had to give up work. I can’t go running anymore. I’ve given up smoking.
This is affecting my mental health so badly.
I can’t be the only one feeling like this?
Flo
Hi Flo,
I’m sorry to hear you are feeling this way - hopefully one of our lovely Forum members will be along soon to offer their advice. I would also recommend posting on the Ask Our Nurses board where our expert team can offer assistance. You could also give them a call on our free helpline 0808 800 6000.
All the best,
Helena
Hi there,
I suffered with reoccurring periductal mastitis back in 2020. I was on and off of antibiotics for 9 months which my GP continued to prescribe me. The symptoms would ease off and then flare up again. The pain was horrid. It was effecting my everyday life and sleep. My nipple Was starting to invert. It was itchy, sore, red and inflamed. I had a feeling of intense pressure and a pimple would form which would pop with liquid. It was vile. I couldn’t wear a bra. It went on and on for 9+ months. I remember researching and trying to find an answer for what was going on, but all I found was forums with women suffering from the same thing.
I visited the breast surgeon in hospital 6 times and was told the same thing - ‘there’s nothing we can do, you need to give up smoking’. On another visit I was told ‘we will be seeing you for the rest of your life if you do not give up smoking’, but of course as smokers we don’t believe it can make a difference. It’s only smoking, how can a bit of smoke effect my breast! On my final visit to the hospital, I was spoken to by a breast surgeon that was very direct with me, he said ‘Lucinda, if you do not leave this hospital today and give up smoking, we will become good friends - you will be in and out of surgery on your breast for the rest of your life’. He went on to tell me that eventually my entire breast may need to be removed. He explained to me that I could NOT replace cigarettes with vapes. The nicotine in cigarettes is what was stopping the healing process. I cried and I cried to the breast surgeon. I didn’t want to give up smoking, I enjoyed it. But I did not want to go through a lifetime of surgery, and potentially lose the whole of my left breast. I have a little boy and a partner. So, that day, I walked out of the hospital and I gave up. I drove home, crying down the phone to my partner saying ‘I have to give up smoking, I don’t want to go through this anymore’ - & he gave up with me too. This was back in May 2021. Since then, my nipple has returned to normal and I have had 0 symptoms of periductal mastitis. No more antibiotics, no more visits to the hospital.
Until today, I went for a visit as a gland seemed inflamed in the same breast (all is fine), and I saw the same surgeon I was seeing all that time ago when I had periductal mastitis. He looked back at my notes and congratulated me and I thanked him. He asked me to share my story with other women who have this untreatable condition as I am living proof that giving up smoking is the only way this condition can go away. I didn’t believe it. I really really didn’t believe it and I really didn’t want to give up. BUT, I did it and it went away instantly. It was tough to give up, but my breast and my health is worth more than a bit of smoke in my lungs. I am now 30 and can live my life normally without the worry of it coming back (it’s been 15 months now). Somehow the awful condition I had has turned into a blessing as I am now a non smoker which will be beneficial in other ways too.
Good luck & GIVE UP!!