Sometimes it just feels like sod is going out of his way to prevent me breastfeeding my little one!!!

[Wills]

Sorry but feeling sorry for myself - this might be a little long. I've overcome hurdle after hurdle and am now stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. I failed to ever get a good latch with dd1 but recognised that it would have been lovely so set up to get lots of support with dd2. Had an initial terrible time with dd2 until finally bf thrush was diagnosed. Had massive fight with gp who refused modern medicine but she finally gave in at around 6 months. But fluconazole didn't clear it up although it did help so perserved until 11 months. So with ds was determined that at first sign of that awful burning pain I would be on the fluconazole immediately - thus was on it by day2. With a mixture of fluconazole and mixed feeding I perserveed to 2.5 months when gp basically told me to give up as there was no hope. So started very reluctantly to wean him off me. We moved house at the same time and a new health visitor took one look at me and announced that I didn't have thrush at all and was probably suffering from Reynards phenonmenum. Now that I've learnt how to handle the Reynards I am finally pain free and feeding is beautiful. Except... I'm struggling to get him to give up the bottle. Its been a long struggle but gradually each day he latches a little longer. Then two weeks ago my back locked up during a bedtime feed (first thing in the morning) and as we know no one around us I was forced to phone for an ambulence. I went to see the back specialist yesterday. I told him repeatedly that I was breast feeding. He's given me some exercises that whilst simple are actually agony to do. He feels its essential to get my back moving soon and has therefore given me a cocktail of drugs to take. Again I questioned whether they'd be ok to take whilst breastfeeding. Oh yes he replied but you will be spaced out whilst you get used to them. So I explained that I don't know that many people down here, certainly don't have a support system to help get my kids to school should I be too spaced to drive. "No it wont be that bad". So off I went to the pharmacy with my prescription - being a little neurotic of drugs and a little distrustful of doctors when I don't think they've been listening well I asked the pharmascist and guess what, the main drug is not licenced for bfing women. His words where that whilst it would probably be ok he couldn't actually recommend I take it and was surprised that the doctor had given it to me.

To cope with the kids on my own I need my back to function (tonight I'm struggling to pick up ds). To get my back functioning I need to do the excercises and keep all things non-inflamed ... which means taking the drugs.

So I've not taken anything, I'm frozen up and in pain, tearful and v.v. pissed off.

Breast feeding is sooo incredibly beautiful. I want to do it. This is about me and not about ds, he's fine - its just that we don't plan to have anymore so this is my last chance! Not fair

[Littlefish]

Bump for you until Tiktok comes along. She has a good link to a website or document which will tell you whether you can take certain drugs while breastfeeding.

Sorry I can't help, but please, please, hang in there until someone more knowledgeable comes along.

Don't give up!!!!!

[tamum]

God, you have my sympathy. I had the exact same thing with my back until dd was 6 months- constant agonising spasms, completely debilitating. I was told repeatedly that all I could do as long as I was bfing was to have physio and take ibuprofen and paracetamol round the clock, which I did. Have they offered you physio at all?

[SoupDragon]

Don't give up yet. There must be something you can take for your back which is suitable for bf-ing women.

You have my sympathy, I've been there with the locked up back - it's a nightmare. The worst time was when 6 weeks preg with DS2 - I had to go and stay with my parents!

[SoupDragon]

Osteopathy! Have you tried that? It unlocked my back a dream last time.

[lummox]

nightmare. much, much, sympathy.

i found the la leche league v helpful with drugs and breastfeeding (anti-histamines rather than painkillers for me). i emailed because it wasn't that urgent, but i did once telephone when i was about to give up and someone spoke to me there and then.

hope you feel at least a little better soon.

[Piffle]

Wills
so sorry you have suffered so much
I also have Raynauds - only hands and feet though. Glad at least you have that sorted
Now I had serious back neck and shoulder issues after dd.
While you are pregnanct and b/f your body produces a hormone called relaxin which does what it says on the tin, keeps your muscles etc a little lax, hence the ease in which you can go into spasm.
My heartiest recommendation is an osteopath.
Hot and cold packs alternating. A decent anti inflammatory - I think I took voltarol and that was safe while b/f at that time.

I also used to be prone to seizing firth thing in the morning.
No sleeping on tummy, be tough, if you can bear it sleep with flat or orthopaedic memory pillow.
Regular pain relief, taken every 4-6 hours will keep the pain at bay.

Keeping it moving is vital, small movements, repeated often.
I really feel for you, very stressful time

[mandymac]

I don't have any answers as such, but I do know that there aren't a lot of drugs that are licensed for use during breastfeeding, as drug firms don't want to (or can't) actually test safety. Can you call him and get him to suggest alternatives to what he prescribed? I know that some anti-inflamatories are OK when breast feeding (I have used 400mg ibuprofen tablets and was recommended diclofenac (sorry rubbish spelling) when breastfeeding). For pain relief, you can take paracetamol and codeine if needs be (again, was given the OK to take this whilst breastfeeding).
Good luck - I really hope you can get this sorted out and carry on breastfeeding, but at the end of the day, getting your back sorted is very important.

[hewlettsdaughter]

Hi - what a nightmare. I've seen this link posted on mn before - might help with knowing what medication is ok? Hope you manage to get your back sorted and manage the breastfeeding too (must be difficult feeding while you're in pain )

[Wills]

Its the anti-inflamatory that I can't take! grrr. The pain killer and the muscle relaxant that he's given me are fine (just strong). I had been taking 600mg ibruprofen but it just doesn't touch it and the doctor said he wasn't surprised it wasn't working and that I needed something serious to get the inflamation down to allow me to move my back and keep doing the excercises. I agree I need to phone him but I'm not looking forward to it and might go to my gp first. The back specialist was nice but I never felt he was listening to me. He was one of those people that doesn't wait until you get to the end of your sentence before they've jumped to a conclusion etc. He was insistent that the drugs were fine with breast feeding (cos trust me I kept asking him because of my concern as to whether he was listening). I think he's going to tell me its fine when what I need is WHY he thinks its fine.

[Wills]

HD - THANKS!!! I've found it. He's prescribed me Celebrex and here's what the BFN says:

"There is less information on the newer Cox 2 anti-inflammatories which are used for patients who are at risk of gastric bleeding eg Celecoxib (Celebrex). It may be wiser to avoid these and take a combination of traditional NSAID with a proton pump inhibitor eg omeprazole, a combination of which is safe in breastfeeding."

Well that's that then isn't it. Although what the heck NSAID and proton pump inhibitors are is beyond me. Will hopefully get an appointment with my gp and hope she is sympathetic. (she's not breast fed before so I'm not sure she'll understand my desperate desire to keep at it)

[Piffle]

Gp is there to find a medicine that suits you and your situation.
Tell her what you have, what you need and what your restrictions are. My Gp was always very supportive and he was a childless aged bachelor

[dreamteamgirl]

NSAIDs are Non Steroid Anti Imflamatories, such as ibrubrofen
PPIs are a clever little drug which have a very short half life- maybe 1-2 hours, but whose effacy continues for maybe 4-5 hours. They are generally used to treat gastric issues.

Cox IIs are instead of NSAIDs, but are felt to be more effective for the right diseases.

HTH

[dreamteamgirl]

NSAIDs are Non Steroid Anti Imflamatories, such as ibrubrofen
PPIs are a clever little drug which have a very short half life- maybe 1-2 hours, but whose effacy continues for maybe 4-5 hours. They are generally used to treat gastric issues.

Cox IIs are instead of NSAIDs, but are felt to be more effective for the right diseases.

HTH

[Wills]

Thanks

[2plus2plus1]

COX2s are NSAIDs.

The PPIs would be prescribed for stomach ulcers, or reflux conditions.
I think the info on the BFN is unrelated to the cause of your pain.
It is suggesting that they should be avoided if BFing - but like the pharmacist says they are qualifying that with - it hasn't really been investigated.

If you go to the GP, tell him what you have been prescribed maybe he could prescribe omething similar that is safe.

[frogs]

The website I suspect you mean is this one . It is an amazing resource for proper research-based information on drugs and bfeeding.

Just to add a reassuring voice: the reason most doctors, most pharmacists and most drug information leaflets tell you that medication x is incompatible with bfeeding is that, frankly, hardly anyone has bothered to look whether (a) the medication passes into the milk and if so in what quantities and (b) whether any active ingredient that does pass into milk has any adverse effect on the baby. This is not a particularly sexy research topic, drug companies won't go a bundle on it, and it's easier all round just to put 'don't take while bfeeding' on the instructions and have done with it.

There are some medications which are absolutely contraindicated in bfeeding, principally the anti-cancer drugs, though I know there are others. Some drug combinations are also not a good idea. Clearly no-one can absolutely guarantee that taking a particular drug will have no adverse effects, but there is a presumption that for most drugs the benefits of bfeeding outweigh any theoretical risks from the drug passing into the milk. Unless you have specific information from a senior medic who knows what he/she is talking about (as opposed to just having a quick read of the BNF), I would tend to assume that that the above equation applies unless proven otherwise.

I have bfed all three of mine while taking a powerful immunosuppressant which is notionally contraindicated in bfeeding. I have in that time heard all manner of nonsense from all sorts of people who should know better (yes, hospital doctors included) about how my baby's immune system would be permanently damaged, blah blah. I've also been on a variety of knockout painkillers, which ditto. All my children have immune systems like armoured tanks.

[hewlettsdaughter]

Wills, how's it going? (have you seen your GP?)

[Wills]

Hi HD. GP was incredibly supportive. She's given me the "ppi" and kept me on ibruprofen which is fine. So I'm over the moon.

[qi]

I'd think carefully with osteopathy. I had some back problem went to one (he has a photo of princess Margrat shake his hand display in the room) who did a "click" for me ask me going back for another click in a week. While the second day of the click my bakc got totally worse. Eventually I want to physio and that was a bit slow but worked. You can also consider archipuncture.
Good luck.

[Wordsmith]

What's archipuncture?

Wils you have my admiration and respect - I would just succumb to the bottle if b/fing was that difficult.

Not criticising - just don't know how you do it. Have you ever just thought 'sod it'?

[jennster]

Hi there... Glad you are feeling a little better. Pharmacist HAS to say that drug is unlicensed as NONE of them are. They would have to do clinical trials on lactating mothers to get them licensed...any volunteers?

I was on iv tramadol (very strong) with meningitis and still managed to carry on. There are very few drugs you can't actually take while breastfeeding, although there is a dose issue.

Here is a good reference site.

[qi]

oops, akupunkture that is what I meant.
I used it for my knee problems worked very well.

[hewlettsdaughter]

Hope your back problem clears up soon Wills x