Hi Janaki Costello

>I have a question about a mother breastfeeding a 3 mo. old baby.  The mom has
>shingles.  The pediatrician has told her not to touch her baby in case he
>will get chickenpox.  The mom's Dr. wants her to wean for one week so she can
>take Famvir (famciclovir) an antiviral used to treat shingles.  Dr. Hale's
>book says there is no data on famciclovir and breastfeeding and acyclovir
>would probably be preferred.

>Has anyone had experience w. effects of mom having shingles on nursing baby?
>Do any of you know more about Famvir?

Why does the mom need to be treated at all? In Canada I would not treat
someone with shingles who is fairly young . The only reason we would treat
is to try and prevent post herpetic pain syndrome which is very unlikely to
occur in a young person. Otherwise it is a self-limited condition.

She would have to be careful with touching the baby. Perhaps he is trying
to decrease the lentgh of time she would be contagious but the difference
in that time if treated versus non treated I think is only a matter of one
or two days. I personally would rather not take the medication.

Famvir is very new to Canada and of course the info the company gives us
says not studied therefore not recommended in breastfeeding.


Karen Cunningham M.D. C.C.F.P.
London Ontario Canada
Email : [log in to unmask]
(My husbands address)