doctors, doctors everywhere and not a piece of real advice in sight

It's been a frustrating day of phone calls. After my 3rd round of high fever/red, lumpy breast last week (beats me if that's a clogged duct or mastitis, and my LC doesn't seem to think it matters that much, but I do wish one of the specialists I have spoken to would chime in on the matter) I decided I wanted to see an MD about it.

So I went to my GP who suggested long-term low-dose steroids (here we come weight gain!) and promptly sent me a referral 3 days later to a breast cancer surgeon. Brilliant.

Said surgeon, when I finally reached her on the phone this afternoon, told me she does indeed treat mastitis and would be happy to help 'cure me once and for all' 'just as soon as I stop breastfeeding' (this pronouncement was said in the just that perky tone you might use with a toddler "I will give you a lollipop just as soon as you stop hitting your sister"). I then explained my specific medical restrictions, and she told me to go immediately to an infectious disease specialist (do not pass Go and collect $200), but 'only when you're in the middle of an infection so they can biopsy the breast.' Sticking a needle in your breast, sounds like fun, eh?

So I decided to brave the specialist's wrath and see if I could make an appointment just to talk about the situation. "You poor, poor thing the receptionist said" ... and then offered me her very first appointment at the end of next month (How anyone is supposed to call at least 30 days in advance to get a biopsy while in the midst of an outbreak really does beat me). So that's not particularly helpful.

I then called my GP who suggested I just see the ob/gyn I saw for a bcp script (which of cousre I never filled ...). I happily called her and should be able to get in tomorrow, but they'll call and let me know if that works of if it'll be 2 weeks from now ...

Of course, it doesn't help that I'll be out of the country next week, gone for part of every week for work, and leaving the country for months come summertime, and of course the allergies to common meds doesn't leave that many options either ... but I at least wish I knew which type of doctor I should be seeing (Ob/gyn? Breast surgeon? Infectious disease specialist?) and had some idea of the range of treatments (The very perky surgeon did mention that she has had to have patients 'like me' admited for 2-weeks of in-patient treatment. Sounds like fun with a baby in tow, right?). And then there's the lurking suspicion that either my pain tolerance has gone way up (I am rather proud of the fact that I have taken no meds other than tylenol and advil for a full 12 months - not even a drop of my beloved sudafed for flights) or that my infections really aren't that bad because when it comes to a choice between treating the infections or giving up breastfeeding, well, I'm going to keep right on feeding my baby. And if advil is the only viable option, advil it will be.

But it would sure still be nice to see one of those fancy-pants doctors, rather than relying on Drs. Google and my beloved bloggy-people (hi Io! hi Rachel! hi Ms. J!) for a diagnosis.