Inverted Nipples with Infections

MellieMel · Posted: 01/06/08 - 11:50 Post subject: Inverted Nipples with Infections

Hello! I have already posted this on another forum but have had no responses and not sure this is even the best forum to post. My situation is odd so I can not find a message board regarding this issue. Here is my story:
I really need some advice! Hopefully someone out in cyber land knows about this issue. For the past four years I have had serious issues with my nipples and infections. My nipples both started to invert in 03 and about two months later I had an engorged right breast and had to have emergency surgery to fix the problem. Well since then I have had three more surgeries (on both breast) and have now gotten fistulas in both breast. I am 36 and have never breast fed. After a year, I just got mastitis again in my left breast and had to go to emergency room to have it drained. BTW...I have had several biopsies and nothing came back positive. I am having a hard time getting answers as to why this is happening. Just last night as I was cleaning the wound, white spongy stuff was coming out of the hole and it really freaks me out! Its not just fluid like every other time. I thought at first the doc must have left gauze pad inside me and that might be what is causing infections. Well now I think it might be scar tissue. I have an appt tomorrow (Monday) with yet another breast surgeon to talk about this. I have never had problems with them in the past. I have gone to several different breast surgeons and they basically tell me I have to live with this problem forever! Now that is a little hard to believe. If they can separate Siamese Twins at the brain then someone out there can fix me!!! Right??!! Anyway I believe that the problem is with the inversion. Mastitis (what I believe) is caused mainly when breastfeeding an infant. A crack or tear in the nipple lets bacteria in and causes an infection. Well with nipple inversion, I believe bacteria is getting in and not having a way to escape therefore causing the infection. I believe nipple inversion surgery might be the answer but I can not get any doctor to agree with me. Insurance does not cover the cost of cosmetic surgery but in my case I am trying to get them to pay since this is basically the cause of all the other surgeries and issues I keep having. I am so confused and lost on where to go. I have spent all morning researching preventative mastectomies because I am so fed up that I sometime just want them gone and new ones put in their place!!!! I do have other women in my family who have had bc so my chances are probably pretty good. I would like to get a gene test to determine if I have the bc gene but again insurance does not pay. I am sorry this is so long but this is actually the short version! Please if anyone out there has any advice let me know. I would really appreciate it!!!
Thanks,
lost and confused:(

spitfire63 · Newbie Joined: 01 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

I am having possibly my third surgery due to what seems to be infection i believe caused by inverted nipple. I have taken the medicine (antibiotics),the Ultra sound never shows lumps though twice i have found them.Of course my dr will not agree that the infections are due to the inverted nipple. The Biopsy also never showed anything positive.

This time is different. I have found 2 lumps,green like substance from the insention was done in the past two surgeries.

If anyone knows of who to talk to about this matter or knows of any other information please contact me about this matter. I am scared this could be leading to cancer (denied as i said the first two times) or something my dr may not know about.

Any help will greatly be appreciated.

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Inverted Nipples with Infections

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