breastfeeding and medication

[pie]

I have just got back from talking to my GP. I have a course of antiobiotics for a skin infection (fun) and a box of Lustral for PND. She has suggested that I take the antibiotics before starting the Lustral, but has left it up to me to decide.

Would both be too much for poor Anastacia?

Guilt guilt guilt guilt about the Lustral and breastfeeding. It would still be better for her to get the tiny amount of Lustral than to switch to formula right?

I love b/f her, she has put on 1lb just in the last week, so I think she loves it to.

Taking Lustral wouldn't 'cancel out' the benefits.

This is really doing my head in.

Anyone taken Lustral and b/f and noticed changes in baby?

I'm sure Tiktok or someone will answer, but I'm sure you are absolutely right and the benefits of breastmilk outweigh disadvantages of the tiny amount that may get into breastmilk (if any). I heard someone on the radio (top expert) saying that he EFAs in breastmilk are vital for brain development and are theoretically implicated in protecting against depression in later life. I'm not trying to make bottle feeders feel bad, but I did think you might find that cheering news, Pie. Good luck.

I'm sure Tiktok or someone will answer, but I'm sure you are absolutely right and the benefits of breastmilk outweigh disadvantages of the tiny amount that may get into breastmilk (if any). I heard someone on the radio (top expert) saying that he EFAs in breastmilk are vital for brain development and are theoretically implicated in protecting against depression in later life. I'm not trying to make bottle feeders feel bad, but I did think you might find that cheering news, Pie. Good luck.

Thanks aloha, I was a bottlefed baby, I wonder if that has contributed.

Pie, good news! I did a quick internet search for you and found this on the Breastfeeding Network site. Basially it says that it appears that Lustral does not appear tp reach the baby at all, that you can't detect it in the baby's blood and it has no adverse effects on development. Carry on!

Here's the relevant para:
Sertraline (Lustral) -has a half life of 26-65 hours and reaches a peak after 7-8 hours. The long half-life metabolite is only marginally active, unlike that in fluoxetine and hence is unlikely to cause accumulation in the baby. There are published studies on more than 30 infants with no untoward effects noted. In almost all cases none of the drug has been detected in the infant plasma. Reported but anecdotal, evaluation of an infant exposed to 100mg daily was that the child reached normal developmental milestones and weight at 3 months.

Well that looks encouraging, thank you!

Was wondering whether Anastcia would noticeably change.

I'm thinking in that case I should start the Lustral ASAP rather than wait until the antiobiotics are finished as it will take weeks to have any effect anyway.

Pie, good news! I did a quick internet search for you and found this on the Breastfeeding Network site. Basially it says that it appears that Lustral does not appear tp reach the baby at all, that you can't detect it in the baby's blood and it has no adverse effects on development. Carry on!

Here's the relevant para:
Sertraline (Lustral) -has a half life of 26-65 hours and reaches a peak after 7-8 hours. The long half-life metabolite is only marginally active, unlike that in fluoxetine and hence is unlikely to cause accumulation in the baby. There are published studies on more than 30 infants with no untoward effects noted. In almost all cases none of the drug has been detected in the infant plasma. Reported but anecdotal, evaluation of an infant exposed to 100mg daily was that the child reached normal developmental milestones and weight at 3 months.

Hi thre Pie. Just thought it might help to know that I have taken Lustral as a breastfeeding mother with both my children - in the end I figured it was far better to have a happy mummy and be breastfed than to stop. I managed to get a friend who is a bfc to look up the 'Breastfeeding and Mother's Milk' book and there are no recorded side effects for sertraline in breastfeeding or pregnancy (just as well as I am taking it now at almost 34 weeks pg).
It is one of the oldest of the 'newer' antidepressants and has had more research done on it than most.
Concentrate on enjoying feeding Anastacia and getting yourself well. PND is horrible and whatever you can do to help is a good thing. Feel free to get in touch privately if you want to.
My children are now almost 4 and almost 2 and both of them show no side effects I can see. I bf them both for a year and more and sure the benefits of that are far more than anything negative drugs have done to them.

I think (personally) that bf if you have pnd is really important. I found that I kept on thinking 'this is one thing I know only i can do for them and it is one of the best things' and that helped me to make a recovery.

Take care and look after yourself.

Pie, good news! I did a quick internet search for you and found this on the Breastfeeding Network site. Basially it says that it appears that Lustral does not appear tp reach the baby at all, that you can't detect it in the baby's blood and it has no adverse effects on development. Carry on!

Here's the relevant para:
Sertraline (Lustral) -has a half life of 26-65 hours and reaches a peak after 7-8 hours. The long half-life metabolite is only marginally active, unlike that in fluoxetine and hence is unlikely to cause accumulation in the baby. There are published studies on more than 30 infants with no untoward effects noted. In almost all cases none of the drug has been detected in the infant plasma. Reported but anecdotal, evaluation of an infant exposed to 100mg daily was that the child reached normal developmental milestones and weight at 3 months.