posted
I have made a couple posted on general and thought I would try here.
I have not been diganosed with Lyme but within the last few days I am convience I do have it. I have looked over some of the newbie links.
Anyhow I was currently nursing my 15 month old until 4 days ago. Should I completly stop nursing her until I get a positive test?
Posts: 24 | From Leitchfield, Kentucky | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
Milkmomma,
It's me again!
I know you're feeling anxious for your baby, as I would be if I knew what I know now, when I was breastfeeding.
It is important to remember to not let any test decide anything for you, on it's own, especially if you have already had a 'positive test' which was your bullseye rash. Bullseye rash = Lyme disease. If you never treated it, then you'll still have it.
I think you said that you remember the tickbite, AND the bullseye rash. Therefore, if I were in your shoes now, I would now assume that I have Lyme disease that got missed and never treated and decide accordingly on what to do.
Have you read Dr. Burrascano's Diagnostic hints and treatment guidelines available on www.ilads.org in the articles and presentatiosn section? I will type out a little bit of what it says about pregnancy (I know it's not the same as breastfeeding):
"it is well known that Borellia burgdorferi can cross the placenta and infect the fetus. In addition, breast milk from infected mothers has been shown to harbor spirochetes that can be detected by PCR and grown in culture."
I know it is a heartwrenching time for you. I hope you get the right kind of medical guidance that you need. (from an LLMD).
Just my 2 cents.
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
| IP: Logged |
tabbytamer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3159
posted
Milkmomma,
I would think that a doctor would give you the best advice regarding that question. But a doc that is very literate with treating Lyme Disease per the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) guidelines. Also known as Dr. B's guidelines in treepatrol's newbie link.
This is how I look at it. And this is not medical advice, just a hypothetical viewpoint if I found myself in your position.
If you have exposed your little one to Lyme and possibly other co-infections, either through pregnancy or possibly breast milk, she's already been exposed. I am not an expert, but I would guess that stopping breastfeeding today or in the next week or two--whenever you get a hold of an LLMD's office to ask them this question--wouldn't make much difference at this point.
Also the fact that your little one is not feeling well, as a former breastfeeding mom myself, I would think it would be quite a shock to the little one to just stop her cold turkey.
Now, having said that, if tomorrow, for example, you found a new engored tick on yourself, I would consider those quite different circumstances. Then we might be talking a possibiity of new exposure. To a possible new set of unknown TBDs (tick-borne-disease).
Or, hypothetically, perhaps next week your baby starts treatment for Lyme/TBDs. As breastfeeding is suspected as being one way of transmitting TBD bacteria, continual breastfeeding may be counterproductive to the treatment she would be getting.
In other words, while her body is fighting to kill off Lyme with antibiotics, the breastmilk may be replenishing her body of active Lyme infection.
Having said all this, my reasoning on this could be completely wrong. And I hope someone else will come along with better information.
And, remember, your little one may already be completely free of Lyme/TBD. No LLMD has yet determined whether she had or has it.
In the meantime, try not to panic. Your kids need you to be strong right now. And your hubby needs to have confidence in your ability to make rational decisions.
Also, most important, if we are not understanding your questions, please continue to ask them. We are not doctors. But we are here to offer as much support as we can.
Try to hang in there for now, okay? Give you little ones some extra hugs for us
Not sure about answers for your situation but I do think it is very worth the cost of a phone consult to speak to him.
Not only about the breastfeeding issue but possible treatment/diagnostic info for your children.
I have four children all thought to be infected in utero/congenitally. They were also breastfed.
My other children had too many to count hospitilizations and antibiotic treatments for symptoms very similar to what you have described in your children.
The only way to know what to do is to speak to an expert, inform yourself and make the best decision yourself. Unfortuneately there is no black and white with this disease and treatment is a very personal decision in what you feel the most comfortable with.
God bless!!
Cheryl
Posts: 204 | From kentucky | Registered: May 2003
| IP: Logged |
pmerv
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1504
posted
I had one child infected in utero and he is quite well today. We went through some hard times when he was younger before we knew what was wrong but after treatment (for about a year) he did well.
I am not a proponent of no breast feeding. I nursed my kids 2+ years. I didn't know about Bb in breastmilk HOWEVER they don't know if Bb survive stomach acid. They do know breastfeeding is good for babies.
What if you give up breastfeeding to protect your baby, and the baby later gets LD from a tick? We have already pulled 2 nymphs off my baby grandson. I just don't believe stopping breastfeeding on the chance that they might get a spirochete or 2 that would have to go through the stomach to infect them. Especially to give up something so important just in case - when giving it up might be a wasted gesture.
That said, I know people do make that choice, I just wouldn't be one of them. You'll have to make your own choice.
-------------------- Phyllis Mervine LymeDisease.org Posts: 1808 | From Ukiah, California, USA | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[kiss]](graemlins/kissing.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic