Here is a little update on my mom with the irradiated hypothalmus and a
lesson in listening to moms and "never say never".  I visited her today.
She started the oxytocin spray 2 nights ago-day 41/2-yes expensive stuff-
$75 for 50 doses!  She felt a "little tingle" the morning of the 4th day
that she thought may have been a little letdown and expressed her first
droplet of milk since the first day-this is before she started the spray.
She began using the spray and within 1 minute feels a good letdown,
described as painful at times.  The baby is nursing well with audible
swallowing every suck to every 3rd suck and satisfied after the feed I
observed.  She is supplementing if he will not go back to the breast but
still fussy and he takes 1/2-1 ounce (was taking 21/2 ounces of formula
before the spray).  She had not supplemented him since 10:00 this morning
and this is 6:00 tonight.  His stools are not quite up to where I would
like them but may be slower due to the formula-wets are good.  She is
coming in to see me tomorrow for a weight check because he was unchanged
from the doctor's office on Friday but I don't know if it was difference in
scales.  If he gains, great-continue nursing frequently. If he doesn't, we
will do ac/pc weight and see where we are.
Now you have some great ideas that you have shared so I will try to answer
some of the questions that came up.  First, doing a prolactin level was my
next recommendation if the spray did not see results.  With the galactogues
she used last time, shouldn't there have been some fullness if the levels
were ok?  But there is no fullness now until the spray is used so there is
an interconnection there that I need to study more.  She does not have an
endrocrinologist right now because they have retired.  Her internist is
ordering her DDAVPP.  Agreed, she needs a reproductive endrocrinologist
except this is her last-dad is going in next week for surgery. She still
needs a good endrocrinologist to follow her through the rest of her life.
She was glad I mentioned the oxytocin with orgasm.  She says she had her
first orgasm about a year ago after her last child and she has noticed an
decrease in vaginal dryness. So does that mean she is secreting more
oxytocin anyway since her last birth?  Can there be any regeneration or are
there satellite areas?
This is a mom that is VERY strong-willed. She has beat most all the
negative results they warned her of after the radiation.  She wanted to try
the oxytocin spray because she thought it might work and sure enough, it
is!!  Never doubt a mom-let her "run the show" and I am the facilitator!
So the things I am now assuming is that the whole hypothalmus probably was
not irradiated-I too questioned how she was functioning and reproducing
without the whole thing-, the prolactin level right now is probably within
normal limits but if supply is low, maybe the galactogues will work now
whereas they didn't before without the oxytocin.  I told her I want to keep
in touch with her on a weekly basis to see how things are going.  Do you
think when the prolactin switches to an autocrine control, she will
continue to maintain supply-this is the time she had to supplement with her
first one, her longest experience.  I will try to keep you posted.  Please
let me know any more of your thoughts.
Denise Stuart
<[log in to unmask]>
Kent, WA

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