Anybody breastfed whilst taking Risperidone? Messing with my supply

[WorriedAboutStigma]

I had a psychotic incident out of the blue a couple of weeks ago and have been made to take Rispiridone (yes, really made to - was close to being sectioned if I didn't do what I was told ).

One of the side effects is increased prolactin which has increased my milk supply and leaving me engorged. I know how to deal with it, but I am pissed off at the finely tuned balance of supply and demand being meddled with at this stage. The "baby" in question is almost 2.

Will it settle down? It's not really supply and demand anymore if the drug is messing with my hormone levels.

Also pissed off to the extreme that they were "concerned" that I was still feeding an older child (older than ds2, obviously). Told the doc that there were 5 people in the room and unless anybody had taken a specialist interest in breastfeeding, it was likely that I knew more than them all put together. Not the sort of thing I would normally say, but it was true, and boy it was good to speak my mind!

Anyone with any experience of Risperidone or similar?

I don't anything about your meds but please contact Wendy Jones at the Drugs in BreastMilk helpline. Wendy is a BFC & pharmacist who runs the national helpline (and is fabulous at both roles too!).

I do hope the medication is helping you to feel better and that any overproduction side effects are temporary (as is the 'break').

I have to say you are a stronger person than me on standing up for yourself in a meeting. A psychiatrist questioned my motives for bfing DD1 & DD2 (then 8w & 22m) and told me I was forcing DD1 to bf (it was inferred I was getting my jollies from it ). I entered the appointment fairly happy and upbeat - I walked out actively suicidal! Not the best psychiatrist unless he was trying to upsell his clients (seeing me for PND, how about a spot of suicidal ideation as well? ).

Thanks TruthSweet. I refused to take any meds until I had verified for myself that they were ok with breastfeeding, so have already spoken to Wendy. Seems that this whole group of meds are fine with breastfeeding, it's just the annoying side effect of increased prolactin.

I don't like my psychiatrist at all. Maybe they are annoying to gague the reaction from the patients or something. Sounds like yours was not terribly nice at all.

I definitely feel a lot better, but whether it's the meds or the rest (ds1 was the world's worst sleeper, and only started sleeping through shortly after ds2 was born - therefore I'd been sleep deprived for many years....), I don't really know.

Glad you've already spoken to Wendy, I've found her to be very reassuring when I have needed advice.

Do you know how long you will have to be on the meds? Just until you feel better or for the medium/long term? Hopefully you continue to feel better and will be allowed to wean off them.

Personally I have found psychologists to be better, as any psychiatrists I have had any dealings with seem to be very, ahem, Freudian. Nothing is what it is, it all has a hidden meaning (or not so hidden with that particular Dr's case) even when you know very well why you do the things you do. I always have psych.'s commenting on how self-aware I am (well if I don't know why I do what I do, how on earth would anyone else??)

I don't know how long I am supposed to take the meds. Nobody can give me an answer.

The last I heard was that maybe the dose can be reduced after the new year, so really not that long. Doc expects me to make a "full and swift recovery".

I am actually finding it quite amusing chatting to the psychologist. Like a game almost. I sometimes tell him what I really think and sometimes tell him what I think he wants to hear. No doubt he will write "nutter" in my notes!!