WARNING - Taking Codeine while BF
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Topic: WARNING - Taking Codeine while BF
Posted By: erinalba
Subject: WARNING - Taking Codeine while BF
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:14am
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From NZ Herald
Doctors have been put on alert after the death of a baby whose breastfeeding mother was prescribed the pain-killing drug codeine. People convert codeine into morphine at different rates, meaning some women transfer high levels of the toxic substance to their infants through breast milk. New Zealand's medical regulation authority Medsafe has advised GPs to "carefully consider the risks and benefits" before prescribing it to breastfeeding mums after the death in Britain of an otherwise healthy 13-day-old baby. A report in British medical journal Lancet said the infant's mother was an "ultra-rapid metaboliser" of codeine, and her breast milk contained toxic levels of morphine. Medsafe medical adviser Dr Stewart Jessamine said the death was a "rare event" but New Zealand doctors treating breastfeeding mothers should prescribe the "smallest dose" of codeine for the "shortest period of time". He said babies who became "unusually sleepy" after their mothers took codeine should be taken to the doctor. Other symptoms include the baby having difficulty breathing or feeding and the mother suffering nausea. Medsafe advises mothers taking codeine to seek urgent medical attention if they experience any of those symptoms. Doctors cannot tell if a mother has the genetic tendency to process codeine quickly. One in 10 European women is estimated to be an ultra-rapid metaboliser but there are no figures for Maori or Pacific Islanders. Breastfeeding Association national co-ordinator Marcia Annandale said the death did not mean codeine was unsafe or that breastfeeding was hazardous. "This is a tragic death, but codeine has been safely used by millions of breastfeeding mothers. This mother should have been told of the potential side-effects though." Codeine is combined with other medicines in over-the-counter products such as Nurofen and Panadeine. Annandale said the dose was low in such medicines and there had been no cases of babies suffering ill-effects after mothers had taken them. Codeine is rarely prescribed on its own as a painkiller in New Zealand, but it can help ease the after-effects of delivery for some mothers. Dr Bob Fox, of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs, advised mothers to be cautious with any medicines they took while breastfeeding. ------------- Sue See my blog www.gojandal.com/wubboo http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: Snickerdoodle
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:18am
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I always thought anything with coeine was a no-no for BF"ing mothers anyway?
That's so sad about the baby  ------------- 
http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: hooper
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:28am
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I thought the same too as Nurofen says on back of packet not to take if BF.
------------- Desiree 
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Posted By: erinalba
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 8:46am
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Doctor at hospital charted codeine for me after I gave birth to Keiran. I didn't take any tho. And then when I was in so much pain from my tear my MW was going to send me back to hospital so I could get stronger pain relief which would have been codeine. I declined as I don't do codeine too well and I'm allergic to Tramadol which is the other pain relief they would give. ------------- Sue See my blog www.gojandal.com/wubboo http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 9:30am
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I was prescribed codeine for campylobacter, when Benjy was still fully BF. The doctor told me I wouldn't be able to BF while taking it and that I had to wait 6 hours after the last dose for it to leave my system before I could safely breastfeed again.
I'm glad I had such an onto it, responsible doctor! ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 11:06am
I was prescribed codeine while pg  Man that poor baby and mother, that is just terrible.
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Posted By: thomasina
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 11:50am
| thats scary!! I was prescribed codeine while BF also. Nothing was mentioned about it being dangerous. But I am going to stop taking it now. |
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 12:00pm
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I took 120mg of codiene twice a day for my WHOLE pregnancy and afterwards. Funny that cuz the hospital told me it was completely safe to take. I'll prolly find that Thomas is completely immune to it cuz it was in my system the whole time. Good thing i'm not BF cuz i'm still taking it. ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Kelpa
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 1:49pm
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I am on on CODEINE every 6 hours now until when he gets here...have also a script for Morphine as in so much pain and nothing they can do.... -------------  
 
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Posted By: kezplanet
Date Posted: 01 July 2008 at 6:08pm
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Codine is also prescribed often after c/section along with voltaran (not the name on the bottle) I had it with both my girls with no ill effects. I was also prescribed codine for tooth ache recently for the pain. Nurophen I'm not sure about b/f but during pregnancy is not good as it is a muscle relaxant, like voltaran so you could imagine the reprocussions (sp) of that, similar to not taking asprin or disprin while/after preg/birth as it has blood thinning quailities so can encourage bleeding when not wanted. ------------- Kerryn, Mum to Ashlyn(29/3/04), Anastasia(1/11/05) & Abigail (24/02/09) |
Posted By: Neeks
Date Posted: 02 July 2008 at 2:58pm
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Your not supposed to take codeine or nurofen in the first 3 and the last 3 months of pregnancy either -------------  
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