When can I start Breast Feeding again?

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Im breastfeeding my 7 week old baby and due to having a horrible attack of vertigo (have a long history of balance problems) had to take 15mg cinnarizine tablets for 24 hours, hospital, gp and pharmacist said under no circumstances can I breast feed until its left my system..but..none of them have a clue when this will be!...I havent taken anything for 36 hours and in the meantime ive expressed and dumped the milk and DD has hadexpressed milk and formula..she is getting so upset now though trying to latch on and Im getting upset too as all I want to do is feed her...looked on Kellymom but cinnarizine isnt available in the states so no literature available..did try the la leche league helpline but was unable to speak to anyone..I feel so misrable but Hospital said I could make her seriously ill if the drug hasnt left my system

Just looking it up and found this:

'Pharmacokinetics
The peak plasma levels of cinnarizine are obtained 1 to 3 hours after intake. Cinnarizine disappears from plasma with a half-life of 4 hours.
Cinnarizine is completely metabolised. About 1/3 of these metabolites are eliminated in the urine and 2/3 in the faeces.
The plasma protein binding of cinnarizine is 91%.'

hmm..so Im guessing that in theory it should be gone from my system by now then and shouldnt show up in the milk?

when did you take the last tablet?

errm..I think it was early hours of yesterday morning

Find out if there is a pharmacy nearby open and go speak to a pharmacist to see if they could help. I'm not sure i understand the previous post but if i have got the jist you should be ok by now!

jollyma..phoned my pharmacy and the pharmacist was stumped! could only read me what it said in the BNF (which Id already looked up!)

check here breast feeding network

its a Uk site and they also have a helpline

sorry you and your baby are having this extra stress. someone at the hospital coudl easily have checked this out for you

thanks Kristina..just phoned that helpline..no one available to take the phone call until Sunday..hospital, gp etc have been fairly useless and just said dont take the tablet..or take it and basically give up breastfeeding

how annoying...please don;t give up breastfeeding.

I cant feed her Belgo as I have no idea how long the medication will take to leave my body...Im sat here in tears with a screaming dd who wont take a bottle and is just desperately trying to latch on to me

phone any of the other breastfeeding helplines

most pharmacists, gps and other medical bods do not know enough about breastfeeding and medication so they err on the side of overcaution when it comes to breastfeeding and drugs.

oh no thats pretty useless

what about the lactation support specialist at the hosptial where you gave birth? or teh duty pharmacist?

you might have to make a decision yourself -
But I really understand why you want proper HCP advice and not just someone on the internet

however, giving up Bf is just bloody stupid advice unless you want to ( which you dont) or its essential ( which its not). it TOTALLY ignores the risk to your baby of giving up and the distress to you ( on top of your health problems)

foxytocin..do you have any others you can recommend?? Ive tried la leche league but there is no one available..no one available at breast feeding network either

you need to get your DP/DH to take baby away from you and try to give her teh bottle - she probably wont take it from you when you have teh real stuff up your t shirt

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers 08444 122 949

NCT 0300 330 0771

National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212

La Leche League 0845 120 2918

Kristina..we dont have a lactation support specialist at the hospital where I gave birth...tried duty pharmacist..he said highly dangerous..dont breast feed and ring drug info centre in Liverpool on monday

NCT Breastfeeding Line - 0300 330 0771

8am?10pm, seven days a week.

Call our Breastfeeding Line to talk to a qualified breastfeeding counsellor for information and support to help you breastfeed successfully.

Sorry no advice

I'm so sorry , i dont knwo what else to suggest

please dont give up if you have come thsi far, if you don't feel its safe to feed then pump and dump again. or better still freeze the milk in case you late discover its ok

i will keep bumping for you in case an expert comes along

Yes express again, keep your supply up. Please don't give up if you want to carry on bf.

Judging from what belgo has found online, I am going to say that it is safe to breastfeed your baby.

When a drug is completely metabolised by your body, it is out of your system therefore out of your milk as well.

I hate it when people who know nothing about breastfeeding wave a shroud at mothers rather than going somewhere and finding evidence based information on their behalf. It is their effin job to do that.

I better stop now or I will get into a proper rant.

Bumping for you.How awful for you.The post about the half-life does suggest you would be fine now but obviously you can't take the risk.I feel for you as I had to not feed DD2 overnight twice as she was scheduled for a GA,and it was so so upsetting,little crying baby wanting to be fed,I am shuddering remembering it.Poor you and poor baby.Hope you can feed her soon.

Just a thought-drugs have different names in the US,so if you could find out what its called there then you can look it up on kellymom.

these people manufacture it,they are in the states so should be open now,and should know.
medical.kellysearch.com/suppliers/cinnarizine/US/167925