stomach bug and breastfeeding- treatments?

[karmab]

my s-i-l has a stomach bug and is bf'ing her 9 m.o. she called her hcp who said she can not take imodium or pepto. she is eating a b.r.a.t. diet for the most part, but still has the runs. any suggestions for treatment options that are safe with bf'ing? is there anything you can do or take for it?

[Heba]

Is her hcp being overly cautious because they don't actually have full information on the drugs and their compatibility with breastfeeding, or is there a particular reason for forbidding them in her case? Dr Hale (2008) lists Loperamide (I believe this is immodium, and also Pepto Diarrhea Control) as L2 - i.e. "safer" (where L1 = safest, and L5 = contraindicated). I am PMing you with info from his book which may be helpful for your sil to share with her HCP.

Also, the LactMed database (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT) says this: "Use of loperamide during breastfeeding is unlikely to affect the infant."

The AAP categorises it as "maternal medication usually compatible with breastfeeding."

[karmab]

i think he was just being cautious. she asked the pharmacist too, who also said she should not take loperamide.

[finnegansmom]

I had a full on horrible stomach virus while breastfeeding (both ends, not good) I didn't actually take anything for it, but she will definately need to increase her water intake. I remember being extra, extra parched and fevery to the point where I felt faint and weak. And she should continue to nurse for sure.