Milky boobies

jellyhead

I started leaking milk 2 years after having my son. It's called galactorrhea (i think? like diarrhoea but with milk lol!).

Mine lasted a couple of years then stopped, then came back a few years later for no reason. Sometimes it's just a hormonal blip but the GP will need to test your blood to rule out a tumour on, erm, some gland or other.

eckythump

I have lactated several times,twice before I was ever pregnant and now still produce milk and haven't B/F D.S for 18 months now.

I saw a consultant many moons ago who said that its nothing to worry about but if it causes problems(wet tops and such) you can have an op to stop it.
this was after all other causes had been ruled out.
remember if you keep squeezing to check its still there you will produce more milk as boobs will think there is a hungery little one.
It doesn't bother me anymore as I have got used to it,but I do think what a waste when so many mums cannot produce enough milk.

Paparika

When i had mine, i had a breast checkup at the same time as i was at the age that i needed the mammogram, the doctor told me mine was down to an ingrowing hair!! and that particular boobie had been inverted for the same amount of time that it was leaking so i had a minor op to sort it all out worked fine, until this year and i noticed the inverted has come back and so has the milk, although its more creamy thank milky and to me smells, so please get it checked, it maybe nothing but just to be sure

becs

Jellyhead,

It can be a tumour on the pituitary gland called a prolactinoma. The tumour basically produces additional prolactin which cause the milk discharge. I was diagnosed last january with it after my levels were so high they stopped my cycle as well. Although a lot of GP's will have no experience of these they are not as uncommon as they would have us believe and can be treated effectively with drugs in most cases. The tumour is always benign and shouldn't cause too many problems. However this is just one of many possibilities so best to have it checked out by your GP.

jellyhead

My GP has done a blood test each time I've asked him about it - I'd recommend the OP asks, just to check.

There's no reason for it happening to me though, just one of those things. Each time it lasted for about a year.

becs

Hi Jellyhead,

I didn't want to suggest yours was down to that as you said you'd seen your GP and ruled it out. I just didn't want anyone reading your thread and seeing "tumour" and panicking, I just wanted to explain that particular scenario in a bit more detal to try and reassure anyone who has this problem and read the post.
I know the night my GP rung me at home to say my blood test indicated I had a tumour was absoloutely dreadful mainly because she didn't know much about the condition. I was terrified but now I am alot more knowledgeable about it, I wanted to try and reassure people that if that were the case with them then it really isn't as drastic as it first sounds. If it weren't for the 2 tablets I have to take a day I would have no other indications that I have the tumour.:o

jellyhead

Yes, that was quite insensitive of me, sorry! I just blurted it out. I just meant that the OP should ask the doc about it, that's all.

becs

Hi Jellyhead,

It wasn't insensitive. I just know there are people out there for whom the word tumour sends them into a blind panic so I just wanted to put the other side of the story so to speak.:o
But you are absoloutely right anyone with this problem should get it checked by a professional. In the majority of cases it will be absoloutely nothing which is the good thing. Us women are best at just saying "oh well it's not that bad" and just ignore these things because we're too busy.

jellyhead

I know, I am rubbish at seeing the doctor. I just put it off because it's too far out of my route to town after taking my son to nursery - I keep telling myself I'll go when he starts school lol!

magicgirl

once you start to lactate, the milk is always there. it is your bodys way to feed your child and in case of times of hardship etc, your body may nce again need to produce. mine have always leaked since my first pregnancy and i never gave birth to that child due to mc but my body still behaved as though i had. if you are ttc, then this could have brought on the leak. i am bf atm but while ttc i used to leak when i hear a small baby crying. it is erfectly normal. only time to worry is if the 'milk' is a different colour.