[AshleyLL]

#1058669

Hey everyone,

I was diagnosed with graves disease last Friday and have since started taking methimazole. I was taking labetalol prior to this and am still taking it as my beta-blocker. I am a nursing mother and have been fighting to keep nursing through all of this. My endo said these meds are safe for nursing, but various medical sites say the methimazole is not. What have you all heard?

And another thing, I woke up this morning with intense vertigo. This is after taking the methimazole in conjunction with the labetalol for 2 full days. Has anyone experienced something like this?

Thank you and so good to not feel so alone in this

[Bobbi]

#1169276

Methimazole is in a class of drugs known to pass into breast milk, and therefore it has a theoretical ability to adversely impact your baby’s thyroid function. Whether or not the dose that you need to be on to have "normal" levels of thyroid is a threat to your baby is something for your doctors to tell you. Personally, I would double check with the pediatrician to discuss the risks, if any, to the baby — in some cases the baby has to be tested for thyroid levels to make sure that it is not being made hypothyroid.

As for the vertigo, call your doctor. It may be something easily taken care of, or you might have something else going on — like an inner ear infection/virus — that could benefit from medical intervention. Obviously, being dizzy with a small baby is something you don’t want to persist.

[snelsen]

#1169277

I suggest you take a couple blood pressures, check your pulse. sometimes the labetalol dose may need to be decreased.
when you call the doctor about methimazole, report your vertigo, too. as Bobbi says, there could be several different causes.
The semantics of the words dizzy, vertigo,can be confusing. It is helpful for the docs to have you describe how you feel (room spinning around you, or woozy and dizzy, etc… ) Bobbi mentioned several possibilities. The important thing is for you to feel better. And continue to be a happy new mom safely nursing your baby. that is all possible, but you and baby need to be followed closely by your respective docs. Is it possible to have the endo and pediatrician and you to have some good
communication set up during this time?
Congratulations on you sweet baby. I was on Tapezole, breast reding, for a long time until I had my thyroidectomy,, which was my treatment choice. the only time I did not nurse him was the day of surgery and for 24 hrs. After, while the anesthesia was out of my system.

[LaurelM]

#1169278

Hi AshleyLL,

First of all, congratulations on your little one! You didn’t mention how old your baby is. Sometimes the age & weight of your baby may factor into the recommendations for continued nursing while on Methimazole. In general however, it is considered generally safe by the American Academy of Pediatrics. They have produced an official policy statement to that effect. http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/3/776 You will find Methimazole in Table 6.

I certainly understand your concern. I was a bit of a wreck (understatement) about being able to nurse safely. As it turned out, I was able to safely continue nursing my baby for several months while taking Methimazole. My endo told me the meds were safe. My baby’s Dr. also checked with the pediatric endos at our regional children’s hospital. They all concured that continued nursing was safe and encouraged. To error on the side of extra caution, they did check our baby’s thyroid levels at 4-6 week intervals for a few times (via a heal stick). There was never an issue. She is now a happy and healthy almost 7 year old.

I do echo the advice to check with your doctors regarding the dizziness. I hope all goes well.

Laurel

[AshleyLL]

#1169279

Thanks ladies!!! I appreciate your advice so much! I have a call in to my endo and our pediatrician and am hoping to hear back soon. My daughter is almost 9 months old and 22 lbs – she’s a big girl! She’s also very attached to nursing and I’m so glad to hear promising things, I would hate to have to stop cold turkey! ” title=”Confused” />

I am on 100 mg of labetalol 2x a day, and it seemed to do okay until I started the methimazole at 15 mg 2x a day – maybe a double-dose was just a little too much! I will be very glad to no longer feel like I’m on a rocking boat:) You all are such a blessing to my life – thanks for being here for help and support:)

[snelsen]

#1169280

Ashley, what a great post from Laurel!! I do wish all of could meet someday. wonder where the next conference will be? I love to go to Boston, but it won’t work forme this tear.

Laurel, my daughter was eating steak, salads ,etc., but she would have a little nip of breast milk at night or when she fell down, or when her brother tormented her too much!
She began to call it "milk factory!"
Shirley

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