Tweet
My daughter is almost 17 months and recently I've been going through alot of testing. So far just carpal tunnel. They're doing a nerve study and eeg tomorrow. My neurologist offered cymbalta 1st but I wasn't interested at the time because I've been doing very well with my mental health for the past 5 years. He put me on gabapentin but it's not helping and made my depression explode. When I go in tomorrow I'm going to discuss other options. He wants me on something for depression and chronic pain but he's not very familiar with lactation safe meds. Any advice on possible medication that I could talk to him about that would be safe for her to?
-
-
Hi, thanks for your post.
The good news is that you have more options because you have an older child. Toddlers get much less milk relative to their body weights than infants and their bodies are better able to process medications. Many of the drugs that we worry about in infants are not a problem in older, breastfeeding children. Your doctor will probably want to put you on a tricyclic or SNRI antidepressant because those are the most effective at treating inter-connected pain and depression. Cymbalta is an SNRI. If you are being prescribed this medication in the United States, I feel confident in saying that every member of those two drug classes will be safe for your child, at whatever dosage you happen to take. The same is true of NSAIDs, most opiates, topical anesthetics, anticonvulsants, alpha-2 agonists, and memantine.
However, I would stay away from valproic acid (Depakote) and large doses of opiates like Vicodin. These can cause problems for children. Regardless of what you end up taking, watch your child closely for changes in behavior (especially sleepiness), new rashes, and stomach upset.
Feel free to post again if you have a specific medication that you want to discuss. Please call us at the InfantRisk Center if this has not completely answered your question.*(806)352-2519
-James Abbey, MD
Comment