I am utterly dissappointed

[capital]

I have arthritis and I found that mine started to come back slowly about 1 month postpartum, but it was not that bad and I was able to go to 6 months before I desperatly needed medication. I couldn't carry the baby easily and could hardly stand up from the floor, pick things up, etc. so I knew it was time. I went on prednisone and that was enough for me. It is fine to take unless the dose is super high to the point that the amount the baby is getting could impact their growth. I started at about 60 or 80 mg and then taped down and stayed on 5 or 10 mg long term. This was four years ago so can't quite remember. With my second baby I was able to go without any medication for 13-14 months. Both times I went on medication around the same time that period came back, so I really think that BF hormones helped me out a lot. The best book out there that I have ever found it called "Medications and Mother's Milk" by Thomas Hale. He also has a really good website and there is lots of information on there about arthritis medications and BF as well as all other types of diseases you could imagine.

http://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/lact/

You will find the info in the medication forums

Teh other part that is really interesting is the section on how drugs actually get into Breastmilk.

 

[carang]

huh.... labetalol was the drug that they put me on! they made me swear that i wouldn't bf while i was on it! i'm a little disappointed now!

 

[capital]

that is too bad Carang. It seems like so many drs are more worried about a potential law suit that taking the time to really research the issue. I found very little support from my rheumatologist and had even gone to another DR who supposedly had an interest in drugs and BF and was told, ?well its not like your ina thrid world country, the formula is safe hear?. Which is hardly the point! I did my own research and make my own decision on which drug was best for while BF and what I was confortable with. My pediatricain was much more supportive and said she would just what babys growth to make sure there was not an effect on baby, but I ended not having to take any extrememly large dose anyways. I also had good information from another dr who ran a breastfeeding clinic as well, so If you can find the right people who know what they are talking about you will find a drug that is safe to take.

 

[Query]

I had very bad wrist pain (including numbness of the hand for the first month)after I gave birth to my baby. My doctor told me it was carpal tunnel syndrome and that it would go away in a couple of months. The numbness did but the wrist pain just worsened with breastfeeding the baby caused by the way I had to twist my wrist to hold my breast to the baby's mouth. I found breastfeeding and carrying the baby very painful whenever the wrist is twisted in a certain angle. Eventually after 6 months, i went to see an osteopath, who injected steroids into a vein on my wrist and the pain miracleously went away. I'm still not sure what I had- maybe it was arthritis? How can you tell the difference?

 

[joyofliving]

Thank you for your response

I am overwhelmed by the response by all of you and truly appreciate your concern and help. I am definitely more relaxed and informed after reading the replies, the article by Dr Newman and visiting Dr Hale's website. I have been prescribed Voltaren SR (Diclofenac Sodium) and Plaquenil (Hydroxycloroquin) by my Rheumatologist Dr. Tak Hin Chan, which fall under L2 category. So I shall continue breastfeeding after some more research.
Query, doctors can figure out whether its Arthritis by looking at your symptoms, family history and by running a battery of tests. The symptoms in my case are severe body ache, stiffness and pain/ warmth/ redness/ swelling in many joints (Especially in the morning). I have a strong family history as well. As far as I know Arthritis does not always go away completely after one or two rounds of treatment and one has to take medication for a lifetime to keep it under control. But then there are several types of Arthritis and treatment varies according to which one the person has. (Although it is difficult to put it into one category in the initial stages).

PS: Sarah I have sent you an email.