Thyrogen

[AmandaV]

Hello,
I am currently breast feeding my 14 month old. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and have to undergo periodic evaluations to make sure the cancer has not returned. It is past time for my tests as I was pregnant last year. My endocrinologist has scheduled me to have thyrogen injections in September. I'm rather confident that my daughter will not be ready to wean at that point as she shows no interest in doing so now. The thyrogen website simply says that they don't know if it is in breast milk and to avoid breast feeding. Do you have any further insight?
Amanda

[admin]

Amanda:

Thyrogen is just the synthetic form of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). When used by itself, it can dramatically increase thyroid production by cancerous tissue, thus indicating their presence. By itself, it would not be contraindicated while breastfeeding. HOWEVER, if they also use Radioactive IODINE-131, the latter is most definitely contraindicated in breastfeeding mothers.

Radioactive iodine transfers to breastmilk in high levels (27% of the moms dose) and mothers, depending on the dose, SHOULD NOT BREASTFEED at all, or even be close to your infant for perhaps a week (again depending on dose).

So, if Thyrogen is used BY ITSELF, its fine and you can continue to breastfeed.

If Thyrogen is used with I-131 or another iodinated radioisotope, you CANNOT breastfeed at all.

For more info, call the InfantRisk Center.

Tom Hale Ph.d.

[AmandaV]

Thank you for the reply! I no longer have to have whole body scans, so we will not be using I-131 this time. All he will do is test my thyroglobulin levels after the thyrogen injections. My endocrinologist could not tell me whether or not it was safe, so his answer was no, of course. I appreciate the quick response and for your website!