To      : Laurie Wheeler
Re      : Claritin 20 mg and Zantac 150 mg TID

I think you and the infant will be fine with these two products.  First,  I
looked up to see if there is any drug interaction,  and there is none(Hanson
1996).  Secondly,  we know that Zantac has a high M:P ratio 1.9-6.7,  but the
absolute dose to the infant would only be about 2-3 mg/day, an amount far too
low to produce sequalae.  Beside we use Zantac in infants all the time and it
very effective and safe.

Although Claritin apparently penetrates milk relatively efficiently (M:P ratio
= 1.17)  the absolute dose transferred is miniscule (0.029%).

The age of your infant helps as well,  being older and less susceptible to most
drugs.

Regards
Tom Hale, Ph.D.





Dr. Hale,
I am nursing a 26 month old daughter, 22 lbs, nurses rather frequently, about
10x per 24 hrs (this includes several night nursings).  For some reason, I
have broken out head to toe in hives.  Dermatologist prescribed Claritin 20
mg bid and Zantac (ranitidine HCl) 150 mg tid for the antihistamine effect.
These probably will be needed on a short term basis, couple days I think.
Are these drugs and doses safe for nursing the toddler?  The doc didn't know,
but we discussed that they were both available in pediatric syrup form, and
with the age of my child, they were probably OK.  Also the Claritin is
usually 10 mg qd, but he says a colleague presented at a conference that some
docs now use up to 60 mg per day, with no toxic effects.
Thank you so much,
Laurie Wheeler, rnc, mn, ibclc
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Violet LA