has anyone nursed while taking ptu meds?

[ki_chris]

Hi,
I saw my Endo today.  I am getting more blood work done.  My last labs were in July.  My TSH - .005  and T4 - 2.72 they are going to test for antibodies.  The last antibody test I had was in 2007 and was told the range was 0-40 and mine was at 116 so the doc wants to see where its at now.  I'm going to have the radioactive iodine uptake test done when the baby turns 1 yr. and I stop nursing.  

So, I'm having hyper symptoms and other ones too:
fatigue
anxiety  (comes and goes)
lights in eyes
hot all the time
palpitations  (comes and goes)
difficulty sleeping/ wake up frequently
weak feeling  (comes and goes)
lightheaded/ dizzy
headaches
jaw pain
slight tremor in hands (comes and goes)
hives on hands

so the doc said we'll check the levels and try meds.  I am concerned with taking meds while nursing. Has anyone done it and noticed any change in baby?  i don't want her at any risk so is it best to just wait till i stop nursing (about 4 more months)?

thanks for any help

christina

[ki_chris]

Hi, thanks for replying.  I'm sure that if I decide to go ahead and take the meds and continue to BF that I will have the baby checked as well and I will be thought to be nutty too!  Thats fine with me because no one can watch out for my babies like I will!

thanks again, its good to talk with someone that actually did take the meds and knows 1st hand.

Christina

[Dogdancing]

The amount of PTU that crosses in breast milk is minimal. (about 0.025% of the dose).
The American Academy of Pediatrics considers PTU compatable with breast feeding.

[Dogdancing]

I breast fed while on PTU, did two pregnacys while on PTU also.

I too was very concerned. Had my children tested routinely as I BF them for 1 1/2 years and there was never a change to there levels. Ped thought I was nutty wasting my money on labs as they do not consider the amount of PTU that is excreted in BM to be of any significant, but understood my need for doing so.

For me it was the toss up, exspose my child to very low amouts of PTU vs allow the graves to further damage my heart. I made the desision to keep my self heathy so i could be there for my kids.

I used PTU off an on for 8 years till I was done having kids/BF and then had the RAI done.

If I have time later I will see if I can get the stats my doc gave me on PTU/BF issues.

peace be the journey

Paja - Graves - RAI June 08

[ki_chris]

Thank you for the input.  My husband worked at Eli Lilly and is a grad student now in the Medicinal chemistry/Molecular Pharmacology program and he doesn't trust any medications either.  He said to try to find out all I could before I start taking anything especially if it could affect the baby.  

He and I are both worried about the RAIU (like do I have to stay away from people for that too?) and if I do have Graves if I have to have the radioactive iodine treatment.  Do you know are there other options?  Isn't surgery safer than putting radiation in your body or is that what is preferred by doctors over surgery?

Thank you for replying.  :)

Christina

[Brigee]

You should be aware that the FDA recently issued a new warning for PTU.  Given this warning, and just because I tend to be a bit paranoid about medications in general, I definitely would NOT breastfeed my baby while on this medication.  

FDA Warns About Serious Liver Injury Associated With Anti-Thyroid Drug
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm164207.htm

Brenda

[ki_chris]

just keeping this thread alive....