Help

[Roxy29]

Hello!! I have a Little baby and recently i was diagnosed with RA, my treatment is sulfasalazin. Is anyone who has breastfed with that treatment??

[helixhelix]

You really need to ask your doctors that question. We are not qualified to answer you. (I’m surprised your doctors didn’t tell you if yiu had already had your baby).

[AgedCrone]

Surely you asked your doctor about that....if not call your rheumy nurse ASAP....before you take it ...a lot of the drugs we take should not be taken by nursing mothers.

[Shalf]

Hi Roxy, there are members on here who have young children, not sure about babies. I'm sure if they read your post they will be keen to give you support in respect of life with RD (rheumatoid disease) together with a young family should you need it. What none of us can do is advise what to take in terms of meds. Your rheumatologist determines that. All you need to do regarding feeding your baby and medication for RD is to ask your Rheumy and/or your GP. I would suggest soon if you want to breastfeed. It will give you peace of mind.

Nice to have you here.x

[Pippy25]

Did whoever prescribed you this know you were breastfeeding? I hope you seek some medical advice on this. Hope your little one is doing well and sending some warm wishes, Take care

[Hidden]

Its supposed to be safe according to the literature. Did you speak to your docs about it. Its a pretty toxic drug. I'm guessing you are very anxious about this and are just checking to see if other mothers have breast fed whilst taking it in order to check the outcome. As a mum I'd be anxious too. All you can do is check with your doc, weigh up pros and cons and go with your gut feeling as a mum.

[Chiboosmamma]

I was diagnosed when my daughter was 5 months old and I was breastfeeding. Told this to my consultant who prescribed sulfasalazine. He said it was suitable for breastfeeding mothers. Fed her like this til she was 2 yrs old. Unfortunately for me I had to come off sulfasalazine a year later as it was no longer working for me. Certainly speak to your nurse or consultant but I did breastfeed whilst on this treatment. Good luck and sorry you have this awful disease. It’s not easy with a baby that’s for sure!

[Roxy29 in reply to Chiboosmamma]

Thank YOU!!! My baby has 8 months , and yes iS So Hard to me with this awful disease. I read So much and i speak with my doctor about the treatment But i what to speak with Someone who was in my situation.

[Chiboosmamma in reply to Roxy29]

Don’t know also if you’ve spoken to your rheumatology occupational therapist. If not ask for an urgent referral. I started to struggle with my daughter in actually getting her into a feeding position with the pain in my fingers, hands and wrists. My occupational therapist was able to offer me useful advice and provided me with hand splints, wrist supports and compression gloves, all of which helped greatly,

Good luck to you and don’t let this disease take anything away from that special time with your baby.

[bpeal1]

My son is now 10 years old but I took sulphasalazine all the way through my pregnancy and during breast feeding. I fed him until 13 months. Obviously 10 years ago is a long time in the medical world but I was told then that it wasn’t licensed for use during breastfeeding (due to the ethics of testing it on healthy breastfeeding mums) but it had been taken by many, many breastfeeding mums. There had been a very few cases reported of babies developing a rash but in all cases this had gone once sulphasalazine or breastfeeding had stopped.

You really need to talk to your rheumatology team if you have concerns. My rheumatologist view was that the benefits of breastfeeding far outweighed the risks, but you need to take advice from your team.

[Claire32]

Hi,

I just wanted to say hi.

I have a six month old baby, I’m not on sulfasalazin, I’m on enbrel.

There’s also a really good group on Facebook called Rheumatoid Arthritus support for pregnancy and ttc and lots of posts (literature) about which medications are safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding.

I got diagnosed after the birth of my daughter nearly 8 years ago. I ve just had a baby boy six months ago. I’m really struggling at the mo with my hands and wrists but I know from last time that with time, the right medication and when baby doesn’t need so much picking up that my joints will improve and I will be ok.

Really hope your doing ok xxxx

[Troygirl]

Here some info, but ALWAYS check with your RA doctor as well as the babies pediatrician!

drugs.com/breastfeeding/sul...

[helenv81]

I was told it was safe to breastfeed on sulfasalazine but not at the highest dose (I think). My son wouldn’t latch on properly and feed (even with lots of help) so apart from a couple of small feeds in hospital he was bottle fed so it wasn’t really an issue for me.

[Roxy29 in reply to helenv81]

My baby all She want is to breast all the day. Is a Hard decision FOR me.

[helenv81]

I can understand that. What dosage are you on?

[Roxy29 in reply to helenv81]

Now only 2 ..But i need to increase to 4 in next 2 Weeks

[helenv81]

I was on 4 and believe that was ok but not 6 which I got increased to a few months after having my son. I would recommend you speak to your rhumy nurse though as things may have changed although I assume your rheumatologist knew you were breastfeeding when he prescribed it.

[Roxy29 in reply to helenv81]

Yes She know’s , But i live in România and here the Doctors are very conservative. She Said that is ok to breastfeed Now and in next future to give up with the breastfeed.