Vasospasm - what worked for me!

A high dose of evening primrose oil! (3000 mg each morning and night, or 6 pills daily.) I just take the generic stuff from Target or Walgreens. *Obligatory talk to your doctor etc....

Vasospasm pain was absolutely ruining me around 6-10 weeks postpartum. I was desperately searching for help online, and my general doctor didn't know how to help me. There were moments where I swore I might've cut my boob off to end the pain. I had to wait a long time for my appointment, but I finally got in to see a breastfeeding medicine doctor.

Signs I had vasospasm:

• my pain felt like a random pulsing lightning bolt, centered on my nipple and radiating deep into my boob in different directions
• very sensitive nipples. It hurt for anything to touch them.
• nipples were constantly changing color. Sometimes they'd looks white or lavender. Sometimes they had little dark purplish spots. Sometimes they were bright cherry red.
• the pain came in between feedings, not so much during feedings. And most intensely at night, when my milk production was highest and I was also coldest. During a 'spell' it would start off mild and then over the course of an hour or two become really excruciating before tapering off...right in time for the next feed, to start the cycle all over again!

What the breastfeeding medicine doc told me:

• her preferred first line of treatment is 6000mg of evening primrose oil daily. Basically no side effects and available OTC. She had my try it for 2 weeks before determining if it worked or not.
• if that didn't work, she would've prescribed a blood pressure medication or a low dose SSRI. (I didn't have to go down this route, so I don't have much details on it.)
• don't pump extra! Vasospasm can be made worse by overproduction of milk because everything gets swollen and constricted. You need to calm your tits, literally. Any extra milk you are pumping could be contributing to your pain. Pump only long enough to get what your baby eats in a feed.
• keep your nipples warm with a heating pad, drinking warm water, cutting up and old flannel shirt and putting it in our bra. Anything.

Prior to starting the evening primrose oil I had tried magnesium supplements and was taking ibuprofen as soon as I would notice I was starting to get pain. I think those helped a bit, but only temporarily.

It's been over a month now and I only get mild pain when I accidentally miss a dose. I'm so thankful - this saved my breastfeeding journey. I hope some desperate mom searching for answers will find this post and be helped by it.