Dom questions

[KoalaMommy]

I went to the LC yesterday because I've noticed my 10 month old seems hungry in the night and I'm not getting as much as I used to when I pump.  She agreed my supply had probably dropped and got me a prescription for dom.

so I have some questions about it

1) I thought I'd read about women tapering up, but she started me out on 30mg 3 times a day, is this normal?  Why do people taper up?  will it cause problems not to?

2) do you have to stay on it after you start, or will my supply continue to be higher after a month?

3) And this is important: I think I have strep (my older kids have it) and I'll go to the walk-in clinic tomorrow.  Do you tell people you're on it?  It seem irresponsible to me to leave out a medication, but it's so controversial and the LC said she didn't know of any interactions with other meds

4) it came with no info, what are the normal side effects?

TIA

[Buzzer Beater]

I started on dom about 9 days ago after noticing a drop in supply after I got AF back. I started at 90mg and have had no real side effects or problems other than digestive (duh, that's what it's for), and those went away. Maybe a headache or two caused by dom, not sure.

Have you tried other avenues to increase your supply? I tried fenugreek, mother's milk tea, oatmeal etc and didn't notice too much change. The dom has already worked for me, I feel like I'm back to the same level I was before AF.

[Megan73]

I've never heard of anyone tapering onto dom although you MUST taper off or risk completely tanking your supply. The supply benefits will typically only last as long as you take it because it works by increasing prolactin levels. When you get your supply to where you want it, you can try dropping one pill a day every couple of days or a week as long as your supply is steady.

A total of 90 mg a day seems to be the standard dose. I never had any symptoms but many women report hunger and weight gain - which makes sense.

I would tell them about the dom. It is controversial in the U.S. but I doubt it is where you are (Australia?) if it's available to nursing mothers by prescription. It isn't at all controversial in Canada.

HTH

[AislinCarys]

I got Domp. prescribed here in NZ. That doesn't mean that doctors in general know about it. Our family dr had never heard of it, and had to make a lot of phone calls to find an LC who could confirm that it is a good idea to prescribe. The specialist ped (usually you see a well baby nurse, independently from any dr, we were referred to the spec. ped. due to to DD's low weight gain) knew about it, and have prescribed it himself to both mothers (as a galactagogue) and babies (for reflux - although he said they prefer other drugs for that, that work better).

It isn't common here, but I know of two other women here who've used it. Both homebirthers with great midwives who got them onto good LCs.

On the other hand, I'm not sure you'd have to tell why you're on Domp. Just tell them you are.

And as for dosage, Dr Jack Newman is the expert, check out his pages (and his protocol for increasing milk supply).

[carrierwright]

This is the link that will tell you side effects, common dosages, tapering info, etc. Good luck!

[KoalaMommy]

Originally Posted by Buzzer Beater 
Have you tried other avenues to increase your supply? I tried fenugreek, mother's milk tea, oatmeal etc and didn't notice too much change. The dom has already worked for me, I feel like I'm back to the same level I was before AF.

Yes, I've used fenugreek always before with success.  I have several factors that have contributed to this drop.  This is my 3rd baby and he's 10 months old but I've had some health issues and medications lately that have done this, so fenugreek wasn't working.  But the dom is working great.  I'll bet my prolactin levels really had dropped and I really needed this boost. 

Originally Posted by Megan73 
It is controversial in the U.S. but I doubt it is where you are (Australia?) if it's available to nursing mothers by prescription. It isn't at all controversial in Canada.

HTH

I am in the US, so it is controversial, but I ended up feeling better and not needing to go in.  Hopefully I'll stay healthy while I'm on the dom.   I'm going to take it for 2 months, and if my supply drops after that, at least my son made it to a year nursing.

[Buzzer Beater]

 Good luck, mama! I hope it works well for you. I just ordered enough to get us to one year, then we'll reevaluate.