Anyone here taken migraine meds while breastfeeding?

[MegumiEto]

Long story short, my migraines have taken a turn for the worse since having DS2. I've been having them every couple of weeks, totally debilitating with sickness and diarrhea. With a 3.5 year old and a self employed husband, I just can't do that any more. DS2 is 7 months, btw.

Went to my doctor and she has prescribed me sumatriptan, which I used to take before I had kids. When I had DS1, the advice on this was not to feed for 12hrs after taking it and then pump off all my milk and discard it before feeding again. At that point, my migraines werten't too horrendous, so I just used to put up and shut up. Pumping makes me really sore and neither of my DSs have taken milk from bottles at all.

Now, my doctor says the current advice on sumatriptan is that it has poor oral bioavailability and that the baby only receives less than 1% of the mother's dose and that no ill effects have been reported in breastfed babies.

I trust my doctor, but just wanted to ask if anyone here takes sumatriptan or any other migraine meds of a similar type. Am I worrying about nothing?

Haven't taken any yet but if a migraine comes on on a day my husband is at work and I have to get DS1 to preschool, I'm really going to have to.

I've always been told (but haven't checked with BfN or anyone) that triptans are a no-no if BF. if you're suffering regularly, could you talk to your Dr about preventative meds, rather than just acute treatment? Triptans can be great once you 'realise' it's a migraine, but if you're anything like me, that's usually only after the D&V, and a host of other symptoms! If they're regular, that needs addressing, in my opinion - cut the occurrences down, THEN deal with acute treatment when they do occur.

I am a chronic migraineur too, and things spiralled very quickly downwards after giving birth to DS (following heavenly, blissful 9 months off during pregnancy). I now take amitriptyline daily and as long as I'm very (very) well hydrated stay mostly migraine free.

See here.

Thanks, I have tried all sorts of preventatives when I first started getting migraines and none of them worked for me. I have had some relief staying off caffiene (sob) and trying to get a good night's sleep (bitter laugh). Vitamin B6 helped a bit too, but I don't think you can take that while bfing.

That link seems to be saying the same thing as my doctor, which is reassuring. My DS is in good health and is big for his age. Really really want to be able to take it, at the moment they hang over me like a cloud.

Your right there is new advice and they now belive you can take them and still continue to Bf. I've now take two with DS and he's had no ill effects so far, but he's slightly older as my mirgrains are hormonal and didn't return untill he was 13months old.

This info came out while I was PG with DS (about 2years ago now I think) I got so excited as my Dr also wouldn't prescibe anything while I was feeding DD. Make's life so much more berable then just taking painkillers which leaves me needing to go to bed.

Mombojombo, this triptan is also avaible in injections and if you can't keep anything down then this is a good option as an acute treatment. Your right regular migrianes can be helped with preventatives in my case that is stopping me ovulating so taking a hormonal contraception which does this condistrably reduces the no off attaces I have, but I still need an acute treatment that will leave me able to function. As I have no one who can look after the children except DH taking time off work.

That's majorly good news! I used to take sumatriptan nasal spray (nice and quickly absorbed without threat of being vomited back out) as acute treatment but thought I had to ditch it while BF. I'm actually a little bit excited now as migraines with baby are horrific. They always come at worst time - last time I had aura right through bathtime and couldn't see my slippery screaming baby!