Medication & breastfeeding

[Kiwiberry]

I was diagnosed with epilepsy a year ago (at 30 yo but auras started at 29 yo). I've only recently been able to see a neurologist due to my insurance. I'm currently almost 35 weeks pregnant and he doesn't want to see me again until after my baby is born. I am on Keppra (500mg twice a day as well as 50 mg of Zoloft). This will be my third baby but the first time I've been on medication. I've breastfed my first two children and I really want to breastfeed this little one as well. I haven't had the chance to ask my doctor yet but wanted to see if anyone else had any experience with this. Will it be safe for me to breastfeed this baby while on these medications? Since Keppra is the safest anti-seizure medication you can take while pregnant, I'm assuming it would probably be the safest you could take while breastfeeding as well? Any help would be very much appreciated. I'm too afraid to Google it because of horror stories that I read about whenever I Google anything.

 

[IchigoMewMew]

The British guidance (BNF) says that Keppra is present in breastmilk and should be avoided, don't know if the same advice applies in other countries. There are things licensed in the US that we aren't allowed to use here (and probably vice versa) Zoloft it says they don't know if there are any effects so best not to BF. Your doctors will be the best people to advise as it may depend on the dose and they'll also need to weigh up the risks and benefits to you and Baby

 

[Kiwiberry]

Here in the United States it seems to be a divided issue. About 80% of the moms that I've talked to on this epilepsy group I'm a part of say that their doctors are perfectly fine with the Keppra (as long as I'm on a lower dose which I am). They said the baby is already used to the Keppra since I've been taking it while pregnant. Then I have another 20% who say not to breastfeed while on Keppra as recommended by their doctors. I'm just so confused. My doctor knows that I'm on Keppra and Zoloft, they have also asked if I'm going to breastfeed which I said yes. None of them have said anything against it, so now I'm just hanging on the fence here. My neurologist seems to have zero experience dealing with pregnant or nursing women who have epilepsy, but he's a good neurologist for epilepsy. I just don't know what to do it seems so divided.

 

[Kiwiberry]

I went and checked the bottle of this one medication I'm taking for BV, and it says not to take while breastfeeding. So I went and checked the Keppra bottle, it's from the same Pharmacy but says nothing about not being able to take it while breastfeeding. I'm also on the generic version of Keppra, so I'm not sure if that will make a difference or not. I know it makes a difference in certain symptoms. Still getting mixed answers on the epilepsy group I'm a part of. I'm definitely going to talk to my doctor about it next week, but I still wanted to get advice from anyone who has experience.

If I end up having to, I'm going to stop taking Keppra. I would rather breastfeed my baby then to worry about whether or not I'm going to have a seizure.

 

[crownest]

Talk to your Pharmacist I find them a great source of knowledge. I wouldn't risk stopping meds until you know for sure risky for you and baby

 

[Kiwiberry]

I'll definitely be talking to the pharmacist. I think I can even give them a call and talk directly to them. I'll do that on Monday as well as talk to my doctor next week.

 

[noon_child]

Try contacting these people via their Facebook page The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk information service

 

[Kiwiberry]

Try contacting these people via their Facebook page The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk information service

Thank you hun! I liked their page and I'm going to do a bit of reading on it.