Redux (dexfenfluramine) was just featured on the front page of Harvard
 Medical School's -  Women's Health Watch newsletter.  A brief overview:
It has been approved and used for management of obesity - a condition linked
with incresed risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and certain types of
cancer.  It is recommended only for people who are 30% (20% in the presence
of other health problems) above their ideal weight.  Unfortunately, it is
being over-prescribed (the number of prescriptions in 1995 was 1.1 million)
The side effect of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH)a condition in which
blood vessels become narrowed, affects 1 in 22,000-44,000 people who take
Redux for longer than 3 months.  About 45% of people with PPH die within 4
years.
Another concern is a reversible short-term memory loss which has been
reported in about 18% of people.
This drug increases the amount of serotonin in the brain, the should be
avoided or used with caution with people who take serotonin uptake inhibitors
or tricyclic antidepressants and never with MAO inhibitors..
This drug produces an average weight loss of 5-22 lbs and should only be used
with people who are medically at risk if they do not lose weight and should
be short term.

I  think it is safe to say unless medically necessary, that taking this drug
is not a good idea...breastfeeding or not !

I think her child would rather hug a soft,.cushy mom than not one at all !

Maria Parlapiano RN, IBCLC
-A soft, cushy mom in NJ