To be annoyed with pharmacists whilst breastfeeding...probably unreasonably

[Meshy23]

I’ve been breastfeeding for 5 months but in that time I’ve had colds, aches, travel sickness and now quite severe constipation. In that time I’ve gone to the pharmacist for advice (in a bid of easing pressure on GPs) but without fail the minute I tell them I’m breastfeeding they refuse to give me any medicine.

I totally get this but what grated me most was I suffer badly from travel sickness and before a flight I wanted travel sickness medicine. I told the pharmacist that I can give my baby formula and pump and dump until the meds’ were out of my system which they calculated (i give DD a bottle of formula at night so have no issue with this). The pharmacist flat out refused and said they cannot dispense the medicine as I am breastfeeding even if I don’t give my milk to the baby. End of - no alternative advice in either situation.

I love pharmacists but I do feel quite alone suffering (mildly) without any medicinal help for symptoms.

Maybe I should not want any medicines. Maybe I should be happy that there is a stringent level of protection for young children. But I just feel a bit annoyed especially as it’s not like pregnancy where medicines can go straight through the placenta and I can avoid giving my breast milk if necessary. It feels like another example of a new mum being ignored!

But I’m being unreasonable and feeling sorry myself about a first world problem right?

A garage analogy would be:

Customer: My car is out of petrol. The manufacturer says I have to put 98 petrol in, but will it be ok to put 95 in?
Mechanic: I can’t be sure
Customer: yeah but logically, with your knowledge of engines and fuel, how dangerous or problematic could it be really?
Mechanic: I’m not prepared to take the risk
Customer: could you check?
Mechanic: I don’t know where to look
Customer: well can you just let me put some 95 in?
Mechanic: no, sorry, you’ll just have to walk home.

No, a corrected garage analogy would be:

Customer: My car is out of petrol. The manufacturer says I have to put 98 petrol in, but will it be ok to put 95 in?

Mechanic: It would probably be ok but if legally liable if your car blew up so I recommend going to the garage across the street who are better insured against the rare incidence of it happening.

Customer: yeah but logically, with your knowledge of engines and fuel, how dangerous or problematic could it be really?

Mechanic: I’m not prepared to take the risk as it’s my job on the line and it could harm you too.

Customer: could you check?

Mechanic: of course, the manufacturer of the petrol doesn’t recommend it and there aren’t enough studies for me to be sure it won’t cause your car to blow up.

Customer: well can you just let me put some 95 in?

Mechanic: no, I’m sorry, you’ll have to phone the other garage to make an appointment with them then everyone will be legally covered and you’ll get the petrol that you need. I appreciate this isn’t convenient but I am also a human being so please don’t abuse me for not wanting to supply something I’m not professionally happy with.

I’d be legally liable**

’I’m not happy fixing this as I don’t have the right equipment and I wouldn’t be legally covered, you should take it to the dealers garage instead’

What I’m saying is that the equivalent of the helpful useful dealer’s garage often doesn’t exist at all when you’re breastfeeding, though. Which is a bit rubbish, really, if you needed that car/tooth/kidney/life without intense pain.

ok an update on this:

• I spoke to my GP receptionist again as I’m still suffering. I mentioned I was breastfeeding so can’t access pharmacy services and she said I can access our area’s “extended GP service” which I didn’t know about (I live in SE London). So I did last night. Still feel bad about having to see the GP but honestly felt like I had no choice.

• at the appointment the GP read up info on the breastfeeding network and gave me general tips on managing constipation and prescribed lactulose. I guess she used her medical knowledge and professional judgment based on reading that info to prescribe this - which I wouldn’t have.

• I was able to use my prescription exemption to get this for free.

Not sure if that helps anyone but thought I would mention it.

• if you really need something to control symptoms and need to see a GP - and if you are lucky enough to have an extended GP service in your area and tell them that you are breastfeeding and can’t access normal pharmacy services, they may be able to give you an appointment more urgently than otherwise (eg during the evening etc). You can then use your prescription exemption card if still valid.

• she would invariably consult the breastfeeding network for advice on what to prescribe to a breastfeeding mother.

• but she is a medical professional so as Jenny says, she can’t condone that the public looks at this advice and self diagnoses.

Sorry my last message is a bit all over the place! I’m not good at editing on my phone - but hope you get the gist.

Yeah it makes sense OP. Glad you got treatment.

It's difficult because a blanket "computer says no" type culture does push women into taking matters into their own hands with a greater potential for harm.

I was 6 weeks pregnant when I was on holiday on another island of the UK. I had thrush. I went to the chemist to ask for canesten, but was told to go to my GP. My GP was totally inaccessible hundreds of miles and a plane/ ferry away. I was still told to go to my GP. I ended up going to A&E citing (not untruthfully) that I was pregnant and bleeding, and sent to gynae as a walk-in. They gave me a scan, confirmed a heart beat and told me I needed Canesten. I could either wait for hours for a prescription from the duty doctor or go to a different chemist, omit the truth/ lie and get the Canesten. I went for the easy, dishonest option. But such hoop jumping makes it harder for women to make sensible choices.

I was pregnant/ BFing/ TTC through 5 hayfever seasons in a row. The effect of common medications will be different when establishing BFing with a young baby to long-term feeding with a toddler where the supply is much more resilient and the BFing is a beneficial supplement to a diet of solids.

BFing advice is pretty poor (well, even poorer!) past 6m anyway. Following a bout of mastitis (triggered by baby being ill) I ended up with painful vasospasms, basically Reynauds in my nipples triggered by feeds/ cold. The HVs looked at me blankly when I asked for advice and told me to stop BFing my 8m old bottle refuser I managed until 20m and tolerated it by a 2:1 feed ratio on each side.

I understand the difficulty of ethics and professional protectionism, but surely there must be better ways of giving mothers access to common medications while still protecting pharmacists, babies and NHS resources.