Deja Vu isn't cool!
For anyone who's counting, I'm now on my 6th round of antibiotics for mastitis. Over the course of 6 months of nursing, I developed an infection after 2 weeks (which warranted the 1st round of antibiotics), and then another bout at the 2-month mark (requiring a 2nd, 3rd and 4th round of antibiotics). This latest infection came at about the 5 1/2 month mark - and it's taken a 5th (and now a 6th) round of antibiotics. Guess my anatomy is just prone to infection. Lucky me!
I have to say that my primary care physician (who I just saw for this latest infection) has been refreshingly sympathetic. What a treat to deal with an accommodating doctor when you're hurting! In addition to the drugs, he recommended moist heat (hot shower, a warm wash cloth, etc.) to ease the pain. While I've read that a shower can really help, it just hasn't worked for me. Why not? Probably because the idea of letting hot water run over my hurting body reminds me too much of the nights I spent taking multiple showers, trying to ease the joint pain caused by lupus. I have an aversion to the ritual - and experience both a physical and emotional reaction to it. I mentioned this to the doctor - saying that I know it sounds crazy, but the hot shower thing just conjured up too bad memories for me. I expected him to dismiss what I was saying, but instead, he said he totally understood. In fact, he told me that his wife had terrible nausea with one of her pregnancies, and wore one of those nausea arm bands around her wrist to help. It didn't do much good (because she was still nauseous for almost 9 months), but to this day, she still can't wear a watch because it reminds her of the arm bands and that terrible nausea. Exactly! How wonderful to be understood!
I have to say that my primary care physician (who I just saw for this latest infection) has been refreshingly sympathetic. What a treat to deal with an accommodating doctor when you're hurting! In addition to the drugs, he recommended moist heat (hot shower, a warm wash cloth, etc.) to ease the pain. While I've read that a shower can really help, it just hasn't worked for me. Why not? Probably because the idea of letting hot water run over my hurting body reminds me too much of the nights I spent taking multiple showers, trying to ease the joint pain caused by lupus. I have an aversion to the ritual - and experience both a physical and emotional reaction to it. I mentioned this to the doctor - saying that I know it sounds crazy, but the hot shower thing just conjured up too bad memories for me. I expected him to dismiss what I was saying, but instead, he said he totally understood. In fact, he told me that his wife had terrible nausea with one of her pregnancies, and wore one of those nausea arm bands around her wrist to help. It didn't do much good (because she was still nauseous for almost 9 months), but to this day, she still can't wear a watch because it reminds her of the arm bands and that terrible nausea. Exactly! How wonderful to be understood!
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