Hello,
I am posting a question to Lactnet for the first time, so I'll introduce
myself.  My name is Sara and I am a new LLL Leader (6 months now!) in
Wisconsin.  I have checked the archives, and Hale (1999).

My co-leader and I are working with a mom who had her 3rd baby almost 4
months ago (the baby will be 4 months next week).  Recently the mother was
diagnosed with high blood pressure (I believe she was actually taken to the
hospital when she blacked out while shopping).  She was prescribed
Lisinopril (Zestril) and has been taking it for about 10 days.  The mother
describes side effects in herself of dizziness and a feeling of "hyperness",
like she could go out and run a marathon.  Her call came because she felt
her baby has been fussier since starting the medication.  She nurses on
demand, but the baby will fuss during latch-on, and arch her back.  In the
past she has had to make accomodations due to overactive letdown, but since
getting past the newborn period, that has been much better.  The mother is
thinking "I should just wean so I don't have to worry about it".  We have
repeatedly tried to get her to call her doctor to report her symptoms, as
well as the baby's.  The doctor does know she is breastfeeding.  Her next
appointment is the week after Christmas, and she is planning on waiting
until then to bring it up because she says she doesn't want to bother the
doctor with her questions. (!)

When I looked in Hale (1999) it sounds like the mother should actively
search for alternative medications.  The half-life is 12 hours, the peak is
7 hours ( and the baby does not go that long without nursing, even at
night).  The only "bright" spot was the molecular weight that is 442, and
the introduction in Hale says that higher weights reduces the entry into
human milk.

As a LLL Leader, we do not give medical advice, but we are sharing the above
information with the mother and still pushing her to call her doctor.  We
could also list some alternative drugs that she could ask her doctor about.
Anyone have any information that could help us?

Thanks for any help.
Sara Demmon
LLLL in Wisconsin

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html