I have a four week old EBF baby. I also have a chronic pain condition (fibromyalgia) that I usually control with a variety of methods including therapeutic massage, physical therapy, biofeedback, and medication. I had to stop taking my medication when I was pregnant, and ultimately found that most of my symptoms were in remission during pregnancy.
Now that I have a four week old, my pain issues have returned with a vengeance. The drug that I normally take that helps me function is a pregnancy category C, meaning that the benefits should outweigh the risks of taking it (most drugs fall into this category, unless they are known to cause birth defects). For breastfeeding, there have been no studies and no reported problems, but the drug is excreted in small levels in breastmilk. (No reports of infants being harmed by the excretion, but no formal studies either.)
I am the breadwinner for my (large) family. I have to function. My doctor said it's a personal choice about whether I feel comfortable taking this medication. She said that if she were in a position where she felt like she had to take it, she would continue to BF.
But my baby is so young... not even a month old. I hate to take anything that is excreted in my milk, especially when she's so small and wholly dependent on my milk for life. It would be different if she were 18 months old and got most of her nutrition elsewhere. Any other drug options are in the same (or worse) safety category.
I'm at a loss. Can I get some honest opinions here? What would you do?
The drug is Amitriptyline, if that makes any difference.
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