Interferons and breastfeeding

[ms1980]

Is there anyone on here who is or has breastfed while taking interferons. I was diagnosed with ms last week and my dr. has prescribed Rebif. If the diagnoses wasn't bad enough, I found out that I will no longer be able to breastfeed my son due to the medicine. Through online research it looks like the interferon molecule is too big to get into the milk and would be destroyed in his digestive track anyway. It also looks like interferons are naturally occuring in the milk. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Lulu54]

Hi MS1980 - you don't say how old your son is but congratulations anyway!  We love babies around here.  

This is going to be a tough decision for you it sounds like ... but you and I both know you would not take any chance in harming your son.

There is no doctor around who would allow you to continue nursing and taking Rebif at the same time.  There are too many unknowns and not worth the risk.

You could delay your decision to start rebif for a few months, but again that is a tough decision.  If your disease is active,  since childbirth tends to cause flares, putting off the DMD would maybe open your body up to the chance of permanent damage.  

Do you want to be able to chase your son, play ball, walk in the park as he grows up?  You want to take every opportunity offered to you to help make that a reality.  And unfortunately that may involved taking the rebif (or any other dmd) and stopping breastfeeding.

I know there are several moms here who have faced this decision and I hope they will be able to share their experiences with you.

be well,
Laura

[steph74]

As Lulu mentioned, there are a lot of unknowns in the progression of the disease.  However, recent research suggests that breastfeeding is *more* protective against flares in the disease than DMD.  I wish I had the article handy, but if you google for this, you might be able to find it.  Quix also might know.

No one can make the decision for you, but you have to weigh the costs and benefits to both options: continue breastfeeding and delay starting the medication or start the medication and discontinue breastfeeding.  The age of your baby may be a factor, your personal feelings about breastfeeding, etc.,.  But remember, too, that the DMD (rebif or anything else), won't bring you out of a flare that you are currently in, but may slow the progression of the disease.  Other drugs that you may use to treat the symptoms you 're having also may or may not be compatible with breastfeeding.

A few years ago it was standard to recommend that a woman with MS not breastfeed and start DMD immediately after birth, but now there is some evidence to suggest it might be okay to wait.  This makes the decision more confusing, but you do have options.  Good luck with your decision.  

Stephanie

[ms1980]

Thanks for taking the time to comment on my post. My son is 16 months. I received an email from Dr. Jack Newman (Canada) who said that it would be okay to continue to breastfeed on the Interferons. From what I found out from Googeling him, he seems to be an expert on breastfeeding.
I also read that the rebif received an L2 rating (safe) in Dr. Thomas Hale’s “Medications and Mother’s Milk.”  I just want to get as much info as I can on this subject so that I can make the best decision for me and Remy. I am not going to let ms take anything anyway from me that I don't have to.
Please keep the comments coming. I have not made a decision and appreciate anything that you all have to offer :)

[Lulu54]

Be wary of any information you receive from sources that you don't know - that would include all of us here too! LOL

Is it worth the chance?  Talk to your own neurologist about this decision.  Steph is very right too that the other drugs that can be used to manage your symptoms are not a good idea while you continue to nurse.

I do wish that Quix were around - the Pediatrician in her would probably have solid information to share with you.

I  respect your desire to continue nursing and realize that this emotional bonding with your child is obviously important to you.  Perhaps a discussion with his pediatrician about other forms of comforting and bonding with him would be helpful in making this decision too.

my best,
L