[Squrrl]

Oh please, I hope someone can help. A week ago almost exactly, I started taking supplemental cortisol at the advice of my doctor--I suffer from pretty severe fatigue among other things indicative of adrenal fatigue, and she'd had my cortisol levels tested and found them a bit iffy. Well, the cortisol worked immediately, I was on a four day energy high, and things were awesome. Then I got slammed down with a bad round of mastitis, which initially I took to mean that I'd overdone it on "false" energy.

For the last couple of days, my 4 month old seemed kind of abruptly to be peeing and pooping less than usual, and got kind of cranky. Call me stupid, but I was sick and recovering from being sick, and my milk supply has always been rather more excessive than otherwise (I nursed my first for three years), and it didn't occur to me until about an hour ago that he might not be getting enough milk! In fact, I'm pretty sure of it--I suppose you'd think it was obvious. Pooping less, peeing less, cranky, and nursing more than usual. Again, I plead illness.

But now I'm just horrified at the idea that my always-reliable girls could have let me and my son down, that my son could be HUNGRY for two days or more and I not realize it, that my new miracle-drug that broke the years-long hold of fatigue and misery could be the cause of it all--and I'm frantically searching the internet and getting a lot of nothing. All I can say is that the timing is damning (the mastitis shows in a new light too, of course) and that hormones are all sort of interconnected, so it's pretty plausible.

Anyone have any light to shed? Any experience? I can't believe how upset I am. And here I was MAD at him for waking up every hour at night to nurse. BECAUSE HE WAS HUNGRY.

 

[Heba]

*Hugs* I'm sorry you're having doubts about something which is obviously really helping you.

I can't find much information on cortisol supplements (hydrocortisone?) in Dr Hale's Medications and Mothers' Milk, but information from the LactMed database (http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT) does not suggest that it should have much effect on supply.

Might it perhaps be a growth spurt (many babies experience one around this age)? If your little one is suddenly waking at night where he didn't before, might it be the 4-month sleep regression (which is perfectly normal)? I wonder also if the mastitis might be causing him to drink less than usual (sometimes mastitis can cause milk to taste a bit different, which can put some babies off a bit).

Hang in there - be kind to yourself, and keep your baby close. If you'd like to let me know the exact name of the drug you're taking, I can see if it's listed in Hale's book to see whether there are any demonstrated effects on lactation (searching the LactMed database, link above, might also yield some information).

Please let us know how you get on!

xx

 

[PatioGardener]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heba
Might it perhaps be a growth spurt (many babies experience one around this age)? If your little one is suddenly waking at night where he didn't before, might it be the 4-month sleep regression (which is perfectly normal)? I wonder also if the mastitis might be causing him to drink less than usual (sometimes mastitis can cause milk to taste a bit different, which can put some babies off a bit).

I was just going to say this. 4 months old is a common time for baby to eat more, wake u at night more, and make Mama question her milk supply. Can you count wet diapers for 24-48 h and see if there are enough? Maybe get a weight asap and a weight in a week and see how well baby is gaining? That could put your mind at ease that this is just regular 4 month stuff.

 

[Squrrl]

Thank you ladies for the support and suggestions. After the first shock, I decided to cut my dosage back, nurse more, and tough it out. He was/is still peeing "enough", it was just a lot less than I was used to. (Counting diapers is awkward because we EC but I'm all the more in tune with "normal" for it). Things are getting better, though he still fusses if he's at one side for long, and calms down if I switch sides.

The drug is actually freeze-dried adrenal cortex with a bit of echinacea and lomatium dissectum (?) root, trade name Isocort.

Maybe the reduction corresponded unfortunately with a growth spurt, but there's little doubt in my mind that production took a hit--in addition to all the rest, I later noticed that if he stayed on one side actively sucking for, say, six or seven minutes, it was actually hurting, and I'd have to switch sides.

At first I was really really shaken, but now the shock is off and I think little Edric and I are going to be alright. It's still really nice to hear comfort and reassurance from you ladies.

 

[Jules09]

I have Addison's disease and take replacement dosage hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone, and I've never had a problem with supply (DD is 10 months old). If anything I had some oversupply in the early months.

 

[wilddreamergrl]

I had severe adrenal fatigue a few years back and began taking hydrocortisone supplements. (Actually, I started with Isocort and it helped but wasn't nearly strong enough.) I continued with HC through pregnancy and now that I'm nursing. My little boy is almost 3 months. Have not had a problem with supply at all, he is gaining well and is quite chunky. I'm guessing that like previous posters have suggested that this is a growth spurt not connected to your supplementation. I encourage you to stick with the Isocort or even HC and take as much as you need to stabilize. Weak adrenals aren't good for anyone!

 

[Megan73]

NAK
According to the book, The Nursing Mother's Guide to Making More Milk, cortisol is on the key hormones for lactation although it doesn't go into detail about adrenal fatigue and supplementing. I would try tracking down the authors of the book via e-mail for an opinion.