I gave birth a week ago and developed shingles on my back shortly afterward. The area is small (maybe 3"x2"), I am not in much pain at all and the doctor at urgent care advised me to continue breastfeeding and stay off the antivirals if I am handling it OK. However, my sister had shingles a few years ago and dealt with postherpetic neuralgia for 2 years as a result. She is advising me to to take the antivirals to avoid any further pain/medication. Should I just allow the disease to heal and continue to breastfeed (which I really want to do), or should I take antivirals and pump to keep my milk flowing until the drugs are out of my system to help prevent any complications? I am afraid if I don't take anything and I develop this complication that I will have to take other medications and then refrain from breastfeeding while dealing with nerve pain. What is the likelihood of developing postherpetic neuralgia? I am 23 years old and in relatively good health.
2007-09-10 16:13:49 · 20 answers · asked by Jeanine 2 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Skin Conditions
When I say pump to keep milk flowing, I mean that I won't be giving the milk to the baby, just keeping things going for when the milk is safe again. But I think I won't be taking the antivirals.
2007-09-10 16:32:55 · update #1
if it isn't giving you much pain now, it is unlikely to cause post herpetic neuralgia. That happens when there is a lot of pain from the beginning. I'd just watch it and keep nursing.
2007-09-10 16:18:34 · answer #1 · answered by essentiallysolo 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
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2016-05-09 18:07:54 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-08-31 18:36:58 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-06 12:10:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
Should I discontinue breastfeeding to treat shingles?
I gave birth a week ago and developed shingles on my back shortly afterward. The area is small (maybe 3"x2"), I am not in much pain at all and the doctor at urgent care advised me to continue breastfeeding and stay off the antivirals if I am handling it OK. However, my sister had shingles...
2015-08-26 10:06:43 · answer #5 · answered by Bail 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Antivirals For Shingles
2016-12-11 12:54:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry about it if it stays in one area or is localized, as your doctor is right... Don't stop breast feeding and stay off the anti virals. Great advice, its the first time I've read a doctor give a patient a sane answer on this Yahoo Forum to someone in a LONG, long time without pushing meds.
Just have your hubby or someone in your family apply a cotton band aid patch with some anti bacterial ointment and don't scratch it.
An anti viral is a mis labeling of the pharmaceutical drug. It is a very powerful immuno-suppressant. It is designed to supress your immune system and if cancer is a suppressed immune system, why would you want to do that if it is NOT absolutely necessary???
I had shingles in a small area of my left upper chest while breast feeding my second baby. I simply put a patch with Neosporin ointment so that it would prevent scarring, got plenty of rest, ate well and changed the dressing every day.
I got better and both my kids got a mild version of the chicken pox, because the shingles are the Chicken Pox virus.
Keep breast feeding because you have anti virals naturally in your mother's breast milk for your baby. And, if your baby does get chicken pox, it will be mild case because you helped build your babies immune system up with mothers breast milk.
There is a study by Lars Hanson MD showing that breast fed babies have less ear infections, colds and flus and earlier comprehension, so breast is best.
You will like this web site for new mothers here: http://www.healthyanswersonline.com
2007-09-10 16:19:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Almost all of all do not know about that medical condition that you just mentioned. But getting a 2nd opinion would be a bad idea. In the meantime, if you get a 2nd opinion and they end up telling you that you must stop nursing.. I would be pump milk. Get a hospital grade breast pump and pump as often as you can. This way even if you stop, you can prolong your baby getting breastmilk for just a bit longer. I think if you pump regularly every 2-3 hours in addition to breastfeeding your baby for a at least a month, you will have a lot of milk stored. Good luck!
2016-03-13 10:39:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Acyclovir And Breastfeeding
2016-11-07 05:38:26 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
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2015-07-09 02:03:21 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have info on use of acyclovir while nursing:
http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bbreastfeed/0,,3x59,00.html
If your doctor perscribed valcyclovir, that may vary from those times.
About 20% of people who get shingles get postherpetic neuralgia. Aggressive and early treatment with antiviral drugs DOES help you to avoid getting postherpetic neuralgia. It's a judgment call, I'd say. You need to weigh the options and the facts.
2007-09-10 16:30:01 · answer #11 · answered by nursekuba 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋