A mother I know slightly had a first, mild episode of ulcerative colitis a 
couple of years ago.  She now has a 9 month old son.  Five or six days ago 
she had a severe flare-up and a yard or more of her colon is badly 
affected.  She was hospitalized on Friday for IV fluids and at that time I 
looked at her and thought "this better work."  She's still there tonight, 
Tuesday, and it's getting really scary.  Huge eyes, body wasting away, 
tubing everywhere.

Two issues.  First, I wonder if *she* would benefit from some 
breastmilk.  She has no pumped milk set aside, doesn't know anyone with 
any, and hasn't pumped enough to be successful at it.  I've only found a 
couple websites that confirm breastmilk is used occasionally in adults and 
that one indication is ulcerative colitis.  Does anyone have more specific 
information?  I would like to mention the possibility to her 
physician.  So, any info -- ***ASAP*** -- on documented uses of banked 
donor milk for adult ulcerative colitis would be very welcome.

Second issue is how long she'll be allowed to keep nursing the baby.  They 
are about to tell her to stop, because of the range of medicines they're 
going to try next.  So far they've had her on two that are L3 in Hale.  As 
far as I can tell the new ones are too, but the physicians are more spooked 
by the possible side effects.  I think cyclosporine is next.  At first they 
said she couldn't have sulfasalazine while breastfeeding, but I photocopied 
Hale and Briggs et al. and sent it to her, and she says she's been on it 
for a couple days now, and her baby is still visiting her to nurse in the 
morning and evening.  I would like to be able to keep encouraging her, 
because she's so sad at the prospect of weaning like this.  He's a *big* 
robust 9 month old who nurses twice a day. I also have to wonder how much 
milk she even has at this point.  I've never seen anyone go down so far, so 
fast.

--Elise
New Hampshire

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