Tweet
Hi, my name is Brandi and I could use some advice. I have a history of depression and anxiety. I started taking Lexapro when my child was three weeks old. I was on it for a couple of months with no noticeable change. I asked if I could switch to Zoloft because I had read that it was the preferred antidepressant for breastfeeding. My doctor also added 1 mg of Klonopin daily to help with anxiety. Over the course of the past several months, I have gone from 50 mg of Zoloft to 150 mg, and unfortunately still haven't noticed a change. Within the last week, my doctor has switched me to 20 mg of Prozac along with the 1 mg of Klonopin. He wants me to increase the Prozac over the next few weeks first to 40 mg and then to 60. My child is now nine months old and feeds four to five times a day. My concern is that the Prozac will build up in his system more than the other SSRIs that I took. I was wondering if I should stop breastfeeding him immediately, start to wean him, or continue to breastfeed. I would love to at least keep breastfeeding until he is a year old, but I worry about the long half life of the Prozac. Advice would be greatly appreciated.
-
-
Hi Brandi,
The levels of Prozac that you mention are probably compatible with breastfeeding. As the doctor gradually increases your medication, your baby will also receive a gradual increase in the medication. Although Prozac has a very long half-life, the levels in milk are moderate, and it is generally well tolerated by the infant.
If you have any further questions, or would like to discuss this in more detail, please call us at the InfantRisk Center at 806-352-2519. We are open Mon-Fri from 8am-5pm CST.
Colleen Peace, BSN, RN
Comment