Been put on medication - Doctor said "should be fine with BF" which didn't inspire confidence

[1catherine1]

Yesterday I was a little unwell and it led into 2 episodes of intense pain that lasted an hour each and left me feeling like I couldn't breath very well. Today I have been struggling with bad stomach pain so I made the trip to the doctors.

He told me what is was (Gastro-something or other, apparently a form of indigestion more common in people who suffer with IBS) and gave me some medicine for it (Omeprazole). I asked him if it was ok to take while BF and he checked and said "should be fine" which wasn't as certain as I was looking for. I've read the leaflet and it says:

If you are breastfeeding, you should take Omeprazole only if your doctor considers it to be absolutely necessary. At present, there is insufficient information available to evaluate the risk to your child from breastfeeding.

So... What to do... He said that it should be ok, I can't look after her if I'm in pain like I was last night. WWYD? Should I watch closely for any changes in her? What sort of changes? I only have to take the tablet once a day... If I took it in the morning as I left for work would it be safe to assume the active ingredients are out of my system or diluted sufficiently by the time I get home?

toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT is pretty reassuring, or you can check out the Breastfeeding Network, whose site has drugs info and the no. for the drugsline.

Factors to consider are the age of your baby, too.

Isn't Omeprazole prescribed for young babies with reflux? If so I'd have thought it would be fine in the small amounts transferred through milk.

Thank you both. I feel very reassured. She is 6mo and a very happy and healthy baby.

Dr Hale says it's fine and he's the god of drugs and bf!!

catherine - not to be the harbinger of doom or diagnosis internet but the intense pain you describe sounds awfully like when I had gall stones.

Various Drs decided it was indigestion and prescribed Omeprazole (was bfing whilst on it too and it's def. compatible with bfing).

Turns out the intense pain was gall stones being passed. The pain would build up and last an hour or two at top whack (literally writhing on the floor, unable to breathe properly) then recede with no pain between episodes just mild discomfort on occasions.

It was then replaced by a constant burning sensation in my stomach - this was pancreatitis and the omeprazole dose just kept getting upped to no avail. I was eating whole packets of Rennie in one go to stem the 'acid' but no joy. By the time the pancreatitis kicked in full throttle even IV morphine didn't work.

If the omeprazole does nothing please go back and get it checked out. I have know a fair few new mums (babies under a year) having gallstone attacks so keep it in mind just in case it isn't as your Dr has diagnosed. I'm not saying that they are wrong at all (as the Gastro-whatist might be the most logical/common/probable diagnosis if you have IBS) but that an alternative might be kept in mind if the omeprazole doesn't work and you get no relief.

PS - I carried on bfing DD3 (and DD2) through hospital admissions and the gall bladder op and everything was fine afterwards re. bfing.

A second one who had gallstones a couple of years ago and matches your symptoms. Omeprazole helped the reflux but it wasn't the cause. They just need to send you for an ultrasound to confirm. I only had 1 gallstone and it was in my gallbladder but apparently one of the biggest the sonographer had seen!

hale has it as l2 a safer drug so one that has been noted as a remote risk to bf babies or proven not to increase adverse affects in small trials.