CT Scan and breastfeeding!?!

[GEEKLOVE]

I had a CT Scan today.
I need to pump and dump for 24 hrs....booooooooo.
My question is how much and how often do I pump to make sure it is getting out of my system?
this sucks.

[Eligracey]

according to Jack Newman, according to my reading of this, you don't have to pump and dump at all:

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/09a-drugs_and_bf.html

Also see:

http://pediatrics.about.com/library/...stfeedingp.htm

http://breastfeeding.blog.motherwear...o-pump-an.html

[GEEKLOVE]

thank you for your help.
now i wish i knew what kind of dye they used.

[CorasMama]

if you did get a contrast dye that is contraindicated, the reason to pump and dump is NOT to "get it out of your system". Your body will take care of that. The reason to pump and dump is to keep up supply and prevent engorgement. Our bodies remove meds from our breastmilk the same way they do from blood.

[pumpkinhead]

Call your doctor and/or the hospital to find out which dye they used. Chances are good that you don't have to pump and dump at all.

[GEEKLOVE]

this sucks.
the office is not open until tomorrow and although i am pumping my breast i had mastitis in before is getting some hard spots in it and hurts.
the CT Scan was a standard upper abdomen scan.
they gave me barium drink and then an iv that gave me a "warm" feeling.
i looked at their website and it said they use the safest dye possible whatever that means.

[hollytheteacher]

I had one where I had to drink that red stuff and everything and my ds came and bf immediately after. The doctor and nurses all said it was fine!!

[GEEKLOVE]

it wasnt red liquid it was milky and white.
i just wish i knew...baby not happy
hmmpthhh.

[CorasMama]

have you tried using a warm compress on the problem area of your breast? Tylenol? Ibuprofen? Massaging it?

How old is your baby? If breastfeeding is really, really well established, and baby is a few months old, can you try putting a green cabbage leaf on it until the 24 hours is up, to relieve the pain?

[GEEKLOVE]

my little lady is 10 weeks old.
im massaging it pretty well it just feels like my breast is not draining as well as when she empties it
i am putting hot towels and using a hot water bottle on it when i pump.
i hate taking anything but ibuprofren sounds like a good idea.

[cmhermes]

The dye contrast staying in your system for about as long as you had the CT scan. No need to pump and dump. I've had plenty of CT and MRIs with dye contrast. If it was through an IV you are ok to nurse. I nursed afterward and was told it was ok by my dr. Dr. Hale agrees. The radiologist told me to pump and dump, but that's not really needed. Have you checked Dr. Hale's website.

[GEEKLOVE]

i was going to check hales site but i just dont know the name of the exact dye they used.
it is probably standard policy for them to tell you to pump and dump but i really dont want anything bad to happen to her if i do feed her.

[cmhermes]

Did you call the office today to find out the name of the dye? It looks on Dr. Hale's website that even radio contrasts, which even he contradicted in breastfeeding before, is now shown to be exctreted less than 1% in breast milk and infants absorb less than 1% of the contrast. Most of the other dye contrasts he has previously stated were secreted and absorbed at low rates.


http://www.acr.org/MainMenuCategorie...thersDoc1.aspx

[GEEKLOVE]

thanks for your help ladies!
by the time the office had opened 24 hrs had passed.
if theres a next time i will know what they are giving me...i feel kind of ignorant for not knowing but the communication in the majority of medical offices isnt the greatest anyways.
we are back on the boob and doing GREAT!
xo.

[cmhermes]

Awesome! Glad you were able to get through the 24 hours and are back to nursing! I know when ever I have CT or MRI with contrast it is usually with Gadolinium. It's the IV dye that makes me feel like I'm peeing myself. The radiologist told me to pump and dump 48 hrs. My midwife and Dr. Hale's website both said that the dye is out of my system almost as soon as the test is complete. It's good to know since I need MRI's every year for the rest of my life.

Happy New Year!

[hollytheteacher]

Originally Posted by cmhermes

Awesome! Glad you were able to get through the 24 hours and are back to nursing! I know when ever I have CT or MRI with contrast it is usually with Gadolinium. It's the IV dye that makes me feel like I'm peeing myself. The radiologist told me to pump and dump 48 hrs. My midwife and Dr. Hale's website both said that the dye is out of my system almost as soon as the test is complete. It's good to know since I need MRI's every year for the rest of my life.

Happy New Year!

Yeah that is the one I had ( I remember that feeling of peeing myself hahaha so weird...they did warn me ahead of time that i might feel like that though)

and yeah my ds literally nursed like an hour after that while I was in the hosptial and the dr and nurse were both in the room and thought it was fine (and that he looked like a cute little monkey lol)