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flaring and nursing! Help

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/8/2012 6:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi ,
I am new to this forum.
I had stopped taking medicines (Asacol & Rowasa) when i started nursing my baby. But my flare up symptoms are now coming back and i am worried taking any medicine while nursing my little one, could someone suggest which is a safer medicine while nursing-Rowasa/ Canasa or steroid enema. I have read mesalamine passes through breast milk more than steroid enema does so i am more inclined towards steroid enema. Also I usually do not get much success with canasa alone and need to take oral medicine as well.

Please help!! i am very worried abt passing medicine to my baby.
Thanks
Posted 3/8/2012 7:36 PM (GMT 0)

I was told that all rectal meds are considered safe when breastfeeding because only a small amount is absorbed system-wide so you are probably safe with any of the rectal meds but you do need to consult with your doctor.

Posted 3/8/2012 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
and also oral mesalamines are ok, too, with some of them resulting in a possibility of diarrhea for your baby (but who can tell with infant breastfed poop anyway). Check kellimom.com for some good links, or look at the meds you're concerned about at http://www.infantrisk.com/category/breastfeeding, which is where you will find all of the information available on medications and mother's milk, compiled by Dr. Hale, the leading researcher on this topic.

It is important for you to be healthy. If your flare is really out of control, prednisone is a good safe option to get it under control quickly. Then I'd suggest taking your meds.

Just need to add that I took Asacol when nursing my 2nd child, but only 4/day. When she was 31 months old I had my 1st full scope and had to increase my dose to 8/day and I opted to wean her. BUT - she was 2.5 and it was time to wean anyway.
Posted 3/8/2012 8:58 PM (GMT 0)
I know of several moms on here who have breastfed while on oral and/or rectal mesalamine. Ditto the suggestion of the kellymom.com site. (And not being snarky to kazbern, but it's kelly with a y, not an i.) And absolutely ditto that it's improtant for you to be healthy. My first UC flare started when my son was about 4 weeks old. It took until he was 3.5 months old for me to be diagnosed - my breastmilk supply had long since crashed, I was 25 lbs below my PRE-pregnancy weight, and I was so weak I couldn't stand up if I was holding him. You do NOT want to get that sick with a newborn, trust me. It's hell.
Posted 3/9/2012 1:19 AM (GMT 0)
Your story was mine. I also stopped all meds to breastfeed. I now think this was a huge mistake, as flaring postpartum turns out to be very common.

My dr. said it was OK to take pred while nursing, but I didn't want to. I went back on Asacol and eventually went up to 16 Asacol a day while breastfeeding for 2 years. The kid was fine.

Because for awhile it looked like I might have to take pred, I tapered down some of the daytime feedings when he was around 3-4 months old, replacing those with formula, so it would be easier to step altogether if I had to.

I really think taking Asacol and nursing is fine.
Posted 3/9/2012 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
I breastfed both of mine while on Lialda, Rowasa and Canasa with no problems. My doctor even said I could BF on Pred, but luckily I never needed that.
Posted 3/9/2012 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
thanks for replies....i feel much better now.
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