Adderall and breastfeeding?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Youre taking adderall so you don't have to drink caffeine? Yikes.

Haha! no. I don't think I can properly explain that sentence, I probably shouldn't have posted it. I just needed to see if anyone on here had ever taken adderall while breastfeeding.

[Anonymous]

it's a category C drug and has high breast milk excretion, so no, I would not take it and breast feed.

http://safefetus.com/search.php/index/details/DrugId/1101/TradeName/Amphetamines/TradeId/2778

[Anonymous]

My kids and I all take Adderall (ADHD being the family gift that keeps on giving). It's an amphetamine, and although it works very well for me, I waited as long as possible to start my kids-- one at age 11 and the other at age 12. And they need it for their brain to function properly. No, I would never expose a baby to speed. That's crazy.

I did expose my kids to formula. They are fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I probably wouldn't do it, and this is coming from someone who took Wellbutrin and drank coffee and alcohol (not very often, and definitely didn't breastfeed drunk or anything) while nursing. Did you take Adderall before your pregnancy?

yes, was on adderall before pregnancy, managed to stay off it from about 9-10 weeks into the pregnancy on. Similar for my previous pregnancy and did manage to stay off it until I weaned DD at about 13 months, but I'm not able to get by as well now.

I can't find anything that suggests that adderall is UNsafe for breastfeeding, at least as compared to many other drugs... just the usual cost/benefit analysis... but am I wrong about this?

Did you take Wellbutrin for ADHD symptoms and if so did it help? Is Wellbutrin better?

My psychiatrist (who DID do the research), said it depends on the baby. Watch for irritability, trouble sleeping, decreased appetite, and slow down in weight gain. Also, try to take the Adderall immediately after feeding/pumping. My DD is four months and I just went back to work and haven't tried it yet, but have my old prescription ready if needed. I didn't take it during pregnancy and my work definitely suffered.

I think it's better to let your work suffer, than to risk your baby's normal brain development. Or are you a single parent?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Youre taking adderall so you don't have to drink caffeine? Yikes.

Haha! no. I don't think I can properly explain that sentence, I probably shouldn't have posted it. I just needed to see if anyone on here had ever taken adderall while breastfeeding.

You're trying to use caffeine as a substitute for adderall, is how I read it. That amount of caffeine probably isn't good either. I like PPs suggestion of taking the immediate release form and pump and dumping on the days you need it. You can still breastfeed the majority of the time if you are only taking as needed.

[Anonymous]

Among adderrall, caffeine, and formula, I'd choose formula.

[Anonymous]

Is meth safe for breastfeeding? probably not.

[Anonymous]

How can any drug be kept out of breastmilk??

[Anonymous]

This can't be answered in a vacuum. How many milligrams, how frequently, what type? 40mg twice a day of the regular adderall is not the same as 10mg once daily of extended release.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This can't be answered in a vacuum. How many milligrams, how frequently, what type? 40mg twice a day of the regular adderall is not the same as 10mg once daily of extended release.

PP here, to elaborate, I took 20mg extended release once daily once my son hit 13 months. He was still breastfeeding, but most of his diet consisted of solids. I did not notice any changes or reaction in him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This can't be answered in a vacuum. How many milligrams, how frequently, what type? 40mg twice a day of the regular adderall is not the same as 10mg once daily of extended release.

PP here, to elaborate, I took 20mg extended release once daily once my son hit 13 months. He was still breastfeeding, but most of his diet consisted of solids. I did not notice any changes or reaction in him.

OP here - I'd be taking 10 mg Xr and aim to take it 2-3x week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This can't be answered in a vacuum. How many milligrams, how frequently, what type? 40mg twice a day of the regular adderall is not the same as 10mg once daily of extended release.

PP here, to elaborate, I took 20mg extended release once daily once my son hit 13 months. He was still breastfeeding, but most of his diet consisted of solids. I did not notice any changes or reaction in him.

OP here - I'd be taking 10 mg Xr and aim to take it 2-3x week.

Having read up on this and called several pediatricians who are experienced in this area, nothing I have read or been told indicates such a low dosage even daily would be a problem for your baby. In an abundance of caution, you can aim to take the adderall right as you are breastfeeding so that it reaches peak concentration between feedinge. 10mg is a very low dose, however. There is more of a risk that it may lower your supply a bit whenever you take it than that your baby would be harmed.

[Anonymous]

By the way, threads like these are why people who have no training and understanding of science should not opine on drugs. Comparing adderall to meth is the height of stupidity. A dose of meth is typically MUCH more potent than adderall, lasts a lot longer, and is taken in larger doses more frequently. Dosage, concentration, potency, frequency -- all of those things matter. You can't just opine in a vacuum based on your knee jerk prejudices and tv watching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

How can any drug be kept out of breastmilk??

6:42 ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By the way, threads like these are why people who have no training and understanding of science should not opine on drugs. Comparing adderall to meth is the height of stupidity. A dose of meth is typically MUCH more potent than adderall, lasts a lot longer, and is taken in larger doses more frequently. Dosage, concentration, potency, frequency -- all of those things matter. You can't just opine in a vacuum based on your knee jerk prejudices and tv watching.

OP here, agreed, just wanted anecdotal experience stuff, not random opinions of why I'm horrible to even consider it (though I knew I'd get those).

My doc was very big on cost/benefit analysis and how much my ADD is affecting me and in what ways. I have been in therapy for it too, with some success. I think many people believe ADD is only a disorder where you're less productive, but it also causes emotional dysregulation and volatility. So the calculus involves some of the same factors as when you're deciding to go on an antidepressant. The main difference is that some antidepressants have been heavily studied with breastfeeding, whereas Adderall has not. Hence, me inquiring about anecdotes. The fact that almost no one can say they've done it is an interesting data point if nothing else.

Those of you who are ADD but did not use adderall while breastfeeding, feel free to opine with how you coped - either switched to formula, used a different drug, or tried some therapy techniques I might not have heard of...