dr giving incorrect advice

[trishalishous]

i just went to the doctor, and she has told me to either wean DD or put up with my migranes.
she says that there are no safe painkillers in lactation, even if i pump and dump.
i went straight next door to the pharmacist who grabbed out a handy little breastfeeding & medication book, and showed me 6 different drugs i could have been prescribed, and also told me NOT to pump and dump. (which is what our lactation consultant also told me)
so how would you adress this? write a polite letter to the practice? just change doctors?

[Traveller]

this doctor will continue giving out incorrect advise that is detrimental to breastfeeding if she doesn't know any different. I would advise you to take the information you got from the pharmacist and take it back to your GP and let her reaction guide your decision to get a new GP or not. She may be really thankful you have brought this to her attention. I hope you get some relief from your migranes soon

[AndiE]

What Traveller said sounds like good advice.
I've had the opposite problem - my GP had told me to buy over the counter stuff which the chemist wouldn't sell me once he found I was BFing.

I've recently had an issue with my GP (who I HAD thought was brilliant). I think bottom line is you have to trust your GP fully - if you don't, it's time to change care providers.

[~clover~]

IMO once a baby is over 6 months, most doctors will stop taking BFing into consideration & suggest weaning. Mine when DS was 6 months actually said to me that it was of no benifit anymore. That was for me to go on anti depressants.

Some are helpful, others just aren't that worried about it.

[MrsBexie]

I just realised you are on ABA forum too!! I knew I read this post somewhere else! LOL

[berrme]

There are plenty of health care professionals who give poor advice because they aren't aware that it is bad advice. I would let your GP know that the pharmacist gave you a list of a number of safe medications like traveller suggested and see how they respond.
I had a pharmacist tell me that the only option for drops for my non-closing eye when I got Bell's Palsy was Visene which specifically says not to use when breastfeeding. A GP was also at a loss when asked, but within about 30 seconds my ob gave me a list of a dozen safe options off some database he had access to. Maybe GPs need to be reskilled at using drug databases? I don't really expect them to know everything, but I do expect them to take a patient's requests seriously and to be able to find the answer when they need to.

[trishalishous]

I just realised you are on ABA forum too!! I knew I read this post somewhere else! LOL

thought id get as many opinions as possible

DH just pointed out that the doctor telling me that ibuprofen wasnt safe is definately completebs, as we give DD ibuprofen (prescribed) for teething pain!
my fil is a gp, so im going to ask him for some info tonight.
thansk everyone.

[black_rose]

Nurofen during pregnancy isn't safe, it isn't recommended in children until one month either.

[emc2]

A GP was also at a loss when asked, but within about 30 seconds my ob gave me a list of a dozen safe options off some database he had access to. Maybe GPs need to be reskilled at using drug databases? I don't really expect them to know everything, but I do expect them to take a patient's requests seriously and to be able to find the answer when they need to.

The odd good experience, I've had with a couple of GP's is when they've rung a specialist or a specialist within a hospital to get the answer. Sorry not to do with lactation though. Unfortunately it is time consuming for them to do that.

[trishalishous]

Nurofen during pregnancy isn't safe, it isn't recommended in children until one month either.

thats true, its a category c drug (I took codiene instead when pregnant)
DD is 10 months, and the reading Ive been doing today says its completely safe when breastfeeding. I think a doctor should at least know that much about lactation

[MantaRay]

I would definitely write a letter - that way hopefully they will learn from it and improve the advice for the next mum. I would mention the pamphlet the pharmacist showed you and also the phone numbers for the drug information lines that can give advice on medications and breastfeeding. Good on you for wanting to do something.

[Kazbah]

Something that my GP told me is that the drug companies themselves don't get accurate results on BFing cause it's difficult to measure effects on mice in that respect (his exact words) so the drug companies tend to say "not recommended while BFing" as a blanket cause. If you look up MERKS (I think?) then it says what's on the info inside the packet only. So my GP has said to me with my migraine tabs that is says no, but it's OK.
I guess that if the GP takes what the drug companies have as their info, then they will say 'no' to a lot of drugs. If you're ever worried, give Rodney @ Monash Medical a call - he's made BFing a speciality of his and is absolutely wonderful.

[trishalishous]

thanks!
Ive actually found a few studies on analgesics so I can ASK for something that a) im not allergic too and b) wont bother DD.