Did you know that smoking gives you a predisposition to non-lactating breast abcesses? No? Neither did I.... but it does. And just for fun, even when you've quit for "at least 10 years" you are more likely to get breast abcesses than someone who never smoked. There have been a number of studies into this. Smoking cigarettes changes and damages your milk ducts which over time can develop into abcesses. These can need draining, medication and even surgery.

 

Here's my story:

Routine self check of the old fun bags found a lump that seemed ominous. Being a responsible breast owner i popped off to the doctors for a second opinion.... then it was mammogram, ultra sound, biopsy time...  all very daunting and scary. Luckily it wasn't cancer. I had a non-lactating abcess... well between the 2 boobs there were 7. 70% of women who get these are smokers, 85% of the non-smokers are former smokers or passive smokers. Treatment has been brutal and I'm still looking at surgical options. The abcesses are monitored, then when they reach a certain size they are drained and flushed which for me always leaves bruises. Mine have been quite persistent and i spent almost 6 months on high dose antibiotics (at one stage I was taking 3000mg a day) which all you ladies know brings with it horrid side affects. I had to go through 15 draining procedures. My breasts are covered in needle scars. If I have another outbreak we need to consider surgical options. 

 

The longer you smoke, the heavier you smoke the more susceptible you become to these. 

 

Please, if you're looking for that final reason to quit...do it for ya boobies!

 

PS.... don't forget to do self exams!

Wow, I never knew this Jo, so sorry you are going through that.  Thanks for letting us know.  Definitely another reason to quit!! 

Hi, Jo. Very glad to hear from you… but I’m so terribly sorry that you’ve had to go through this. It sounds agonizing. Thanks for this info. Smoking poisons our bodies in so many ways… yet another reason to go the NOPE route! Take good care, my dear. 

It was scary in the diagnosis stage and the treatments been annoying but I think i"m through the worst of it 

 

The first thing the surgeon said was "How many smoke fi you have a day" ... I was so proud saying none since 2017.... "Good for you",said the surgeon, "but the damage was done. Although it would have been much worse if you were still smoking. We'd definate have needed surgery" 

 

Wow. Fingers crossed that the worst is over.

 

And it’s awesome to talk about our quits with pride! Gone are the days of looking at the floor sheepishly, evading the question, or trying to minimize how much we’re smoking. Proudly proclaiming our quits is another beautiful facet of nonsmoking freedom! 

Hi Jo 

Wow … I’m so sorry you have had to deal with this … it’s sounds horrible…

Dam smoking …. Even after years of quitting , it can come back and slap us in the face ..

I wish you well in the future , for a speedy recovery 🐸