BF mums - what meds are you on for PND?
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Support
Forum Name: Living with Post Natal Depression
Forum Description: Around one in ten NZ mothers will be diagnosed with PND in the first year of their babies life. Find support and encouragement and share ideas for coping here.
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=33473
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Topic: BF mums - what meds are you on for PND?
Posted By: erinalba
Subject: BF mums - what meds are you on for PND?
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 7:26am
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I finally went to my doctor yesterday about the way I've been feeling and have been put on Loxamine. Unfortunately I had my baby and toddler with me at the appointment and both were crying so I didn't hear everything she said, but I did hear her say that small amounts of the Loxamine would get into my breastmilk. Took my first dose when I got home and felt really sleepy for the rest of the day, but did have really good sleeps during the night between feeds for the first time.
Anyway just wondering if there is something that won't get into breastmilk, or if anyone else is/has been on Loxamine, did it have any effect on your baby? ------------- Sue See my blog www.gojandal.com/wubboo http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: sarahm
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 7:35am
 sorry dont know anything about Loxamine
I was put on citalopram, the Dr said a small amount may get into the breastmilk but not really enough to worry about. I dont think there is anything that doesnt get into the milk to a small degree but I could be wrong. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 8:12am
All AD's will pass through your BM but I was told by MH that its only 2%. No long term studies have been done on whether this has a long term affect on your child but the AD's the prescribe for PND are safe for baby short term
Thats what I was told by the crisis team and North Shore Mental Health. I wasnt deemed bad enough for MMH... -------------   
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Posted By: Redbedrock
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 8:26am
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Loxamine is Paroxetine, it has the lowest secretion rate into breastmilk of most AD, you can get it on a special condition authority which means it is subsidised. Made me tired and bit spaced out for a few days but worked really quickly for me feeling better in about 10 days, symptons and emotionally.
I didn't notice any side effects in Fay, she is now a very noisy 3 and half year old who appears to have devolped emotionally, intellectually and physically in the way expected ------------- http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: NikkiB
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 8:29am
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Sue. I can't wait for you to get down here so I can give you a real hug ------------- A very lucky mummy to two gorgeous boys: RB 3/10/2008 JB 29/12/2009 |
Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 8:46am
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Yes I have read that all AD's go through into the breast milk but in such small amounts, it won't harm your baby. I am on citalapram and the research says anywhere between 1-5% goes through the breastmilk but this peaks four hours after you take the tablet.
However as my Dr told me (and it has become my motto): a happy mum makes for a happy baby, so if they help you, then the small amount that goes through is worth it! |
Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 10:36am
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I am on Citalopram and my Dr told me it was safe to take while bfing, he didn't go into the details of how much goes through BM but I trust him that it is safe for Ben ------------- Lindsey 
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Posted By: erinalba
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 10:39am
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Thanks for all your replies - feel a lot better about it now.
Next question - do you take in the morning or at night. My GP said I could take it at night if it makes me feel sleepy, but just wondering if it's better to take in the morning like it says to, or if it is always going to make me feel sleepy. ------------- Sue See my blog www.gojandal.com/wubboo http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: erinalba
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 10:43am
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Nikki - thanks hun - I'll be pleased when we get down there as I feel I will have a lot more support there.
Reading the pamphlet on PND that the doctor gave me and it says you shouldn't move house within 6 months of having a baby so I guess that's been a big trigger for it developing for me. Oh well, less than 2 weeks and we'll be there. ------------- Sue See my blog www.gojandal.com/wubboo http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 10:53am
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I take mine in the morning. I yawned alot for the first week or so but after that I didn't have any side affects at all ------------- Lindsey
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Posted By: ?Lolly?
Date Posted: 18 May 2010 at 11:08am
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I'm on Loxamine (Paroxetine 20mg) and I am breast feeding my twin girls still.
It's a half life version of Fluoxtine (which I was taking when I breast feeding my son) I opted for the Loxamine because a smaller % travels though to the breast milk. I took half a tablet for 7 days and for the first two weeks I felt nausous (like morning sickness) I felt spaced out and a bit forgetful. However it soon passed and I fell so much better now! I suffer from PTSD which is why I am taking it but I am under the care of Maternal Mental Health, and they have been fantastic. I am also seeing an Occupational Therapist once fortnight now (was once a week) and also have a session with the Psychiatrist every few months. I would suggest you talk to your Dr about being transferred to them as they really have been invaluable for me. I am really bad at remembering to take pills (which is why I got pregnant in the first place haha) So I take mine in the morning after I have had my breakfast. All I can say is I am feeling so much better since I started taking it. I didn't realise how much anxiety I was dealing with daily until it subsided! Good luck and if you want someone to talk too please feel free to message me :) ------------- Captain Chaos (5) & the Trouble Monsters (2!) 
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Posted By: 1st_Time_Preggies
Date Posted: 19 May 2010 at 6:59pm
| I take mine in the morning too, as the anxiety was really bad when I took it at night and they didn't make me sleepy at all (I wish!) |
Posted By: MonicaMouse
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 7:53am
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Another citilopram girl here too. Taking it in the morning. I know that they can make you tired etc for the frist week or so. Started taking them when B was 4 or 5 months old, continued thru the pregnancy and still taking them with D.
They 'seem' to be 2 relatively normal wee boys, 3 heads, speaking martian, walking backwards and constant fixation with their 'penie's.....seriously only the last one's true. I don't think that their other normal health issues have been caused by the ADs ------------- 
Blair 15/10/2007 Daniel 30/07/2009 |
Posted By: girly_girl
Date Posted: 20 May 2010 at 4:55pm
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I'm on citalopram too. I have been taking it in the morning but am about to start taking it in the evening as it makes me really sleepy - like dangerous to drive type sleepy. Doctor said to take it at night if I found it hadn't improved (which it hasn't) ------------- 
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Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 24 May 2010 at 7:09pm
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I've just been diagnosed with PND today and my Doc has prescribed me Cipramil but I've done a bit of research on it and it isn't recommended for BFing Mums! She knows I am breastfeeding cause I had bubs at Docs with me today for 3 month jabs and I specifically told her that whatever she prescribes MUST be safe for BFing!! I didn't particularly want to end up on meds anyway as I had depression as a teenager and got addicted to Fluoxitine (sp??) and became very reliant on them and found it difficult to wean myself off so don't think I'll be taking these ones she's told me to get. Hopefully selfhelp and support will work for me!!! FX!! -------------  
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Posted By: nuts_nats
Date Posted: 10 June 2010 at 6:39pm
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I think all antidepressants will carry the warning not recommended for BF Mum's, because small amounts are passed through the breast milk. Its a case of balancing risk, if you need meds to cope with your depression than it may be worth the risk, that for many meds long term effects of this are unknown.
I was on fluoxitine while I was pg and up until now but haven't been coping very well so am going back on effexor which I was on before I got pg and worked well for me. It was either that or try a higher dose of fluox. Finding a medication that works best for you can take a while! Also I would urge anyone never to wean yourself off any AD meds on your own without talking to your doctor it can be really dangerous... Oh and I take mine in the morning. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: lilycat77
Date Posted: 24 June 2010 at 11:18pm
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should i not be on fluoxitine??
i told my gp i was breasfeeding but he didnt say that there was anyother option?? shoudl i go back and ask for a differnt pill?? any help please? |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 25 June 2010 at 8:25am
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sorry havent read replies.. i was on loxamine and it made me super sleepy for the first two weeks..it didnt do anything for me mind you that was before i was preg..my doc wanted me off it before I got preg if poss... that was for anxiety..when i got PND at 24 weeks preg.. (depression really) he put me on citaopram and have been on one tab a day every since. I just have to take it after a feed so as far away from the next one as poss so the least amount poss goes through. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 25 June 2010 at 8:29am
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my doc said citalopram peffectly safe(i trust him) ..a small increase in risk of facial deformities before 12 weeks when preg but otherwise fine.. i needed to take them anyway and glad i did take it when preg otherwise the nb bit would have prob made me get worse..interesting abut the house move we moved 5 days before bub was born!
lisa how annoying they did that! I got super sleepy for two weeks.. but after that fine.. so take mine after first bf in morning.. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: anon
Date Posted: 30 June 2010 at 11:46pm
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I'm on Citalopram too. My Dr said it was even safer than Fluoxetine (prozac) and safe if I get pregnant while taking it too. There's no such thing as 100% safe but the risks of anything are very low and more to do with poor feeding and loss of weight but I saw no change in my baby at all. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: janda
Date Posted: 21 July 2010 at 2:06pm
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Hi. I have just been prescibed citalopram by my gp which I will start tonight. Originally she thought I need to stop breastfeeding, but I told her about the www.mothersmatter.co.nz website that the PND plunket nurse told me about, as it talks about meds etc and breastfeeding.
I have also taken zopilcone sleeping tablets for the last 2 days and GP told me to give a bottle if bubs needed it within 5 hours of taking the tablet. But now she seems to think it's not necessary and I can breastfeed within that 5 hour window. Does that sound right? Last night she wanted take the bottle, the flow was too fast and she was choking on it, even though it's a newborn teat. |
Posted By: nathansmummy
Date Posted: 24 July 2010 at 10:03pm
| Janda if your GP is unsure, ask them to consult with Maternal Mental Health as they have Psychiatrists they can speak to to discuss your medication. I spoke to them today and they said GPs can do this and it sounds to me like your GP is not sure. |
Posted By: ALittleLoopy
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 5:55pm
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not BFing yet but very interested in this thread as i think im going to need to go back on AD's and plan to BF exclusively. I was on loxamine before TTCIng but came off as was feeling good by then (hence being ready to TTC) and they were rated class D on the safe list A being the safest so i wasnt going to risk it....how can it be a class D and stil ok for BFing?? im really confused!! -------------    CHEM 6/12+ |
Posted By: myfullhouse
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 6:57pm
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Bamn I think it is because not much of the AD gets through the breastmilk and therefore into baby. Plus "they" say that often the beneficial effects of ADs on Mum outweigh the POSSIBLE sideeffects on baby.
If you are not sure then ask your GP/MW/MMH or for more info check out http://www.mothersmatter.co.nz/default.asp - Mothers Matter website as they have info on ADs and bfing ------------- Lindsey
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Posted By: mummytobesep08
Date Posted: 15 August 2010 at 11:30pm
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just wanted to add also that the drugs are classed differently in pregnancy than in breastfeeding. One I am currently on is rated B for breastfeeding but D in pregnancy.
From what I understand a status of D means that if the benefits greatly outweigh the risks and taking an alternative medication is not an option, they you might still take it. Oh, and I 2nd that mothers matter website. It is updated regularly and the people who give the information for it are really experienced ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
Angel babes '07 & '10- <3 <3 |
Posted By: kazzam34
Date Posted: 16 August 2010 at 10:50am
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I'm really thankful for this thread as I have been wondering the same. when not-pregnant/breastfeeding, Fluoxetine has been a wonder drug for me. I came off of it to get pregnant (my very stupid choice as I had heard about a woman in the US suing due to a heart defect and that there was some research linking Prozac to heart defects). Have been anxious but generally ok throughout the pregnancy but from about 28 weeks have just completely crashed. Went to my GP who isn't keen to prescribe anything because of the pregnancy and basically I have ended up finding my own counsellor to talk to (appt tomorrow, thank god, as am just crying and crying every day).
Am certainly going to be knocking on my GP's door the day after the birth asking for some medication, and want to make sure whatever he gives me is safe for breastfeeding. Kazzam |