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Chronic Granulomatous Mastitis
Hi, I'm new here, I just want to know if Chronic Granulomatous Mastitis (CGM) is due to Tuberculosis? Or is there any other possible cause to it other than tuberculosis? I've been diagnosed with CGM two weeks ago ... and my doctor thinks it is due to tuberculosis. Any help? Thank you.
Hi there -
Granulomatous Mastitis is still very poorly understood by the medical community unfortunately. The majority of us here on this site have been diagnosed with 'Idiopathic' Granulomatous Mastitis, meaning no known cause for the disease. Tuberculosis is also a granuolma based disease and as you know, some women with GM will have TB. Most however do not, according to the published studies. Most GM patients have been repeatedly cultured for everything under the sun and all findings are sterile.
GM or IGM is in fact most common among young women, post breast feeding (2-4 years), however there are also cases among pre-pubescent children (very rare) and menopausal women. So it is not unusual that you would have onset now.
My own best assumption after three years of battling this disease is an auto-immune, allergic type reaction, with perhaps an element of prolactin or hormonal imbalance.
It is very important that you receive proper care asap. I am available to direct you to the best published articles I have referenced. We have a number of articles linked on the GM support group here. We also have a number of women who have experienced every known therapy for GM, all experimental of course, and they are more than willing to share experience. The majority are young mothers, and like you, find it challenging to deal with GM along with raising their families.
It can be done however. And you can recover from this disease - we are here to support you with whatever you may need.
Best, JoJo
Granulomatous Mastitis is still very poorly understood by the medical community unfortunately. The majority of us here on this site have been diagnosed with 'Idiopathic' Granulomatous Mastitis, meaning no known cause for the disease. Tuberculosis is also a granuolma based disease and as you know, some women with GM will have TB. Most however do not, according to the published studies. Most GM patients have been repeatedly cultured for everything under the sun and all findings are sterile.
GM or IGM is in fact most common among young women, post breast feeding (2-4 years), however there are also cases among pre-pubescent children (very rare) and menopausal women. So it is not unusual that you would have onset now.
My own best assumption after three years of battling this disease is an auto-immune, allergic type reaction, with perhaps an element of prolactin or hormonal imbalance.
It is very important that you receive proper care asap. I am available to direct you to the best published articles I have referenced. We have a number of articles linked on the GM support group here. We also have a number of women who have experienced every known therapy for GM, all experimental of course, and they are more than willing to share experience. The majority are young mothers, and like you, find it challenging to deal with GM along with raising their families.
It can be done however. And you can recover from this disease - we are here to support you with whatever you may need.
Best, JoJo
Hello, again,
I'm glad the information was helpful to you. Your doctor is right---we can often have a subclinical case of a disease and not have any symptoms, and only pulmonary TB is contagious. Since you had a family member with TB, it would seem that all family members exposed would have been tested back then, but I don't know if that's the usual protocol or not. I don't know that it would have made a difference for you or not. Did you have a biopsy that showed TB was the cause for sure? I would think a biopsy would show specifically what bacteria was the cause and what should treat it. If it is TB, I'm just glad you're getting treatment now with the anti-TB drugs. I think that the usual treatment is for six months and I'm hoping that will take care of it for you. If it turns out to be something else, I hope you get treatment that resolves it for you. With a four year old (and maybe other children?) you need your health and I'm hoping you'll have a complete recovery.
God bless you,
nc
I'm glad the information was helpful to you. Your doctor is right---we can often have a subclinical case of a disease and not have any symptoms, and only pulmonary TB is contagious. Since you had a family member with TB, it would seem that all family members exposed would have been tested back then, but I don't know if that's the usual protocol or not. I don't know that it would have made a difference for you or not. Did you have a biopsy that showed TB was the cause for sure? I would think a biopsy would show specifically what bacteria was the cause and what should treat it. If it is TB, I'm just glad you're getting treatment now with the anti-TB drugs. I think that the usual treatment is for six months and I'm hoping that will take care of it for you. If it turns out to be something else, I hope you get treatment that resolves it for you. With a four year old (and maybe other children?) you need your health and I'm hoping you'll have a complete recovery.
God bless you,
nc
Hello nc,
So glad to hear from you. Thanks for giving me additional causes of CGM, they were never discussed to me by my doctor, now I'm looking for infos about them here in the internet. I think you are right about the timing of it, it's been over 4 years after pregnancy. I will also look and will read deeper into acute mastitis ... it might be "it".
I was exposed to TB more than 10 years ago, when someone in the family had it, but it was treated immediately and he was cleared of it. My doctor said I might have had it then, but it was dormant due to strong immune system and it is only now that it surfaced. He never ask me to have TB tests ... and I also wonder why? Should I ask my doctor? He said I'm not contagious, because only pulmonary TB is contagious. I don't know if it is 100% true ... or else, members of my family is in danger of getting infected right now.
I started taking Anti-TB drugs days ago despite questions in my head, and keeping my fingers crossed. I pray it will be the answer to my illness.
By the way, I wish you well too. I know that most of us here are still suffering and in pain. But we are here to support each other and find ways to lessen the load on our shoulders. I trust God with all my heart. I know He is helping us carrying our loads.
Until then,
WorkingMom36
So glad to hear from you. Thanks for giving me additional causes of CGM, they were never discussed to me by my doctor, now I'm looking for infos about them here in the internet. I think you are right about the timing of it, it's been over 4 years after pregnancy. I will also look and will read deeper into acute mastitis ... it might be "it".
I was exposed to TB more than 10 years ago, when someone in the family had it, but it was treated immediately and he was cleared of it. My doctor said I might have had it then, but it was dormant due to strong immune system and it is only now that it surfaced. He never ask me to have TB tests ... and I also wonder why? Should I ask my doctor? He said I'm not contagious, because only pulmonary TB is contagious. I don't know if it is 100% true ... or else, members of my family is in danger of getting infected right now.
I started taking Anti-TB drugs days ago despite questions in my head, and keeping my fingers crossed. I pray it will be the answer to my illness.
By the way, I wish you well too. I know that most of us here are still suffering and in pain. But we are here to support each other and find ways to lessen the load on our shoulders. I trust God with all my heart. I know He is helping us carrying our loads.
Until then,
WorkingMom36
Hi, there,
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. From what I've read, it sounds like it's relatively rare and there can be other causes for CGM. Tuberculosis is one, but it can also be caused by an auto-immune response, sarcoidosis or Wegener's granulomatosis. It can also be caused by infection, but I think it would be acute mastitis if that were the case,
and that most often occurs within two to six years after a pregnancy. I hope your doctor will be able to answer all your questions and provide treatment.
Have you ever been exposed to tuberculosis that you're aware of? Have you had TB tests? Because you live in the Philippines, I believe there's a relatively high rate of TB there, so you may have been exposed without even knowing it. Please follow up with your doctor and take good care of yourself.
Wishing you all the best,
nc
I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. From what I've read, it sounds like it's relatively rare and there can be other causes for CGM. Tuberculosis is one, but it can also be caused by an auto-immune response, sarcoidosis or Wegener's granulomatosis. It can also be caused by infection, but I think it would be acute mastitis if that were the case,
and that most often occurs within two to six years after a pregnancy. I hope your doctor will be able to answer all your questions and provide treatment.
Have you ever been exposed to tuberculosis that you're aware of? Have you had TB tests? Because you live in the Philippines, I believe there's a relatively high rate of TB there, so you may have been exposed without even knowing it. Please follow up with your doctor and take good care of yourself.
Wishing you all the best,
nc
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