Drugs and breastfeedin - is Eltroxin (for hypothyroidism) safe?

[suzywong]

After 2 babies and nearly two years of breastfeeding my thyroid has become jealous and is refusing to function properly and I have been prescribed Eltroxin, 100 micrograms daily.
The doctor said it was up to me if I continued breastfeeding or not but there could be a danger to the baby.
Please can anyone tell me if it is really dangerous to continue breastfeeding while taking this medication.

Thanks

Copying and pasting this Mrs Wong:

Before you start taking Eltroxin

Tell your doctor if:

You are allergic to any of the ingredients in Eltroxin listed on the Product Description page
You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Eltroxin is not thought to be harmful to an unborn baby when taken by a pregnant woman. However, thyroxine levels need to be watched carefully during pregnancy because too much or too little thyroxine in the mother's bloodstream could affect the well-being of an unborn baby.
You are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
Although the active ingredient in Eltroxin, thyroxine, passes into breast milk, it is not likely to have a harmful effect on a baby. However, it might interfere with the results of tests to detect congenital hypothyroidism in the baby. You should not breastfeed unless your doctor says you can.

This site says the same sort of thing.

Doing a google search found other sites saying the same thing, that it seems to be ok. Didn't they discuss that you were bfing when they prescribed it?

Suzy, it's fine. I took it while breastfeeding both of my two boys. I took .137 mg then .150 mg daily. Your doctor is a dope.

Suzy, Eltroxin is simply a replacement for what your body is short of. It is quite safe to take it and breastfeed- your doctor hasn't read his or her BNF!

Well, I'm on 150mgs, took it throughout pg with DD and still taking it whilst BFing. DD had to have tests for congenital hypothyroidism when she was born, but I've never been told not to BF, and both have been discussed at 6 week check etc. If there is a problem I will be hugely pissed off!!!!!

Just gone and checked the leaflets in my tablets (for some reason I've got a different make for each size!)

First lot just say tell GP if you are PG or BFing.
Second lot mention pg but no mention of BFing.

Your Doctor sounds like a scaremonger to me, is he generally proBFing?

OH thank you all so much! You don't know how much this means to me today. I had to go and see a private doctor because the NHS was so slow and it was like seeing Ken Clark on a bad day!
He started telling me it was nonsense to be breastfeeding a 9 month old baby at all and that I was endangering my baby if I didn't stop breastfeeding when on this medication, all the while looking down his pince-nez galsses and refusing to make eyecontact.
I held my tongue for as long as I could but he went on and on and then told me I was being aggresive when I said we should agree to differ and he suggested that I had falsified the name and address of my NHS GP.
He made me cry and that takes some doing.
So between my wonderful DH and you gorgeous MNers and mates I feel I can now take my meds, get well and carry on feeding my fragrant boy.

Thank You
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Suzy- as someone who works in the NHS, I might say "serves you right for going private!" but I won't!

I don't understand why your GP couldn't have precribed the thyroxine for you - was there a reason you had to see a specialist?

bloody bastard!

hugs suzy X

Tell us where he is, and we'll go and give him whatfor for upsetting you.

Tosser. ('scuse language)

Bloody hell suzy, he sounds like a complete tosser. Shall we come and sort him out for you? How DARE he!!!!

Tissy
I has to go private because I am emigrating to Australia in August and the specialist appointment will take 3 months.
I think the GP recommended me to a specialist because I have hypothyroidism and Hishimoto's disease, where the body is producing antibodies against the thryoid.

His office is in Knightsbridge, he is a 75 yr old plus semi retired doctor and he asked me a lot of questions more than twice, i.e. not the sharpest tool in the box, but he did suck up to me big time telling me how good my cholestoral level was after I started to blub.

thanks gang

even so, there is only one treatment for an under-active thyroid, and that is thyroxine- can't see why your GP couldn't have started you on it anyway

His office is in Knightsbridge, he is a 75 yr old plus semi retired doctor and he asked me a lot of questions more than twice, i.e. not the sharpest tool in the box, but he did suck up to me big time telling me how good my cholestoral level was after I started to blub.

thanks gang

Suzy,

Sorry to hear that the doc was such a jerk, but hope the medication helps with the hypothyroid. Hugs to you!

Hey! I have Hashimoto's too. Welcome to the club. (I think if you have to have something chronic, it's the thing to have.) Let me know if you have any questions.

I've been on 150mcg of thyroxine for 20 yrs and had two pgs and bf two babies in that time, SW, and nothing terrible has happened! Good luck with your big move!

Thanks again everyone,
am feeling much better now
JJ I will certainly be pickingyour brains about Hishimotos, can I say I am most relieved that becoming tee-total is evidently not a pre-requisite of joining the club.

I know you've got the Eltroxin thing figured out, but thought I'd put this link here as well, as the site (overall) can be pretty useful for general health concerns....

STUPID SILLY A*SE!!! I shall come down to London and kill him for you - silly old fart.

You take your meds, feed your beautiful boy, and you will be bounding about with renewed vigour in no time...(((hugs)))

I am now bouncing around like a Jack Russell, still tired but once that baby sleeps through I will be frighteningly alert and eager.

Thanks again for all the support and advice