Hi Anneen,
Wow - kudos to you for advocating for yourself & baby! I agree that it's really stressful to fight doctors.
What I thought was interesting in the study was that the researchers said "Even at the time of maternal Cmax (peak at 0.67 hours) and following a 1 gm maternal dose, the infant would only receive a maximum of 0.21 mg/kg/day, which is approximately one half of the low end of the range of therapeutic doses commonly used to treat allergic symptoms in infants (0.5-2 mg/kg/day)." So the calculated dose to baby was quite low even at the time when the med peaks in mom's blood at around 40 minutes after administration.
I see that some common meds include Copaxone, Betaseron, and Avonex. Here is info from "Medications and Mothers' Milk" (Hale, 2002)...
"Glatiramer [copaxone] is a synthetic polypeptide indicated for the treatment of relapsing, remitting multiple sclerosis. IT is primarily indicated for those who do not respond to interferons. Glatiramer is a mixture of random polymers of four amino acids, L-alanine, L-glutamic acid, L-lysine, and L- tyrosine. Its molecular weight ranges from 4,700 to 13,000 daltons which would reduce its ability to enter milk. It is antigenically similar to myelin basic protein, a natural component of the myelin sheath of neurons. No data are available on its transfer into human milk, but it is unlikely. If ingested orally, it would likely be depolymerized into individual amino acids, so toxicity is unlikely.... Lactation Risk Category: L3 [moderately safe]... Pediatric Concerns: None via milk."
Interferon Beta-1B (Betaseron) "is a glycoprotein with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory activity presently used for treatment of multiple sclerosis. Very little is known about the secretion of interferons in human milk, although some interferons are known to be secreted and may contribute to the antiviral properties of human milk. However, interferons are large in molecular weight, generally containing165 amino acids, which would limit their transfer into human milk. Their oral absorption is controversial, but it is believed to be minimal. However, interferons are relatiely nontoxic unless extraordinarily large doses are administered parenterally. Interferons are sometimes used in infants and children to treat ideopathic thromboplastinemia (ITP) in huge doses... Lactation Risk Category: L3... Pediatric Concerns: None reported."
Interferon Beta-1A (Avonex, Rebif) "is a glycoprotein with antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory activity presently used for reducing the severity and frequency f exacerbations of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Very little is known about the secretion of interferons in human milk, although some interferons are known to be secreted normally and may contribute to the antiviral properties of human milk. However, interferons are large in molecular weight, generally containing166 amino acids, which would limit their transfer into human milk. Their oral absorption is controversial, but it is believed to be minimal. However, interferons are relatiely nontoxic unless extraordinarily large doses are administered parenterally. Interferons are sometimes used in infants and children to treat ideopathic thromboplastinemia (ITP) in huge doses... Lactation Risk Category: L3... Pediatric Concerns: None reported via milk."
Do you have the names of the meds you might use? If so, we'll see what we can find.
Kelly
