Question about Advair

[colleen0419]

Hello!
Anyone out there on Advair? I have been on it forever to control my asthma. DD is 3 months and breastfed exclusively. My PMD scared me the other day about taking it, but my OB never said anything. I have tried other drugs to control my asthma while pregnant and Advair is the only thing that works for me. Just wondering is anyone has any thoughts, there is next to nothing published about side effects while breastfeeding.
"wait1"

[Amy_G_]

it is a combined med of
fluticasone(flovent)-- it is rated L3 by Dr. Hale.
that means it is moderately safe (there are no controlled studies in breastfeeding women, however the risk of untoward effects to a breastfed infant is possible; OR controlled studies show only minimal non-threatening adverse effects. )

and
Salmetrerol(serevent) is rated L2 by Dr Hale
which means it is a SAFER drug (Drug which has been studied in a limited number of breastfeeding women without an increase in adverse effects in the infant. And/or the evidence of a demonstrated risk which is likely to follow use of theis med is remote.)

Flovent gets the L3 rating most likely because it can be used topically instead of inhaled. And it is a steroid which can effect growth. Inhaled it is called Flonase, and the abolute bioavailabilty (how much is absorbed) is less than 2%, wso virtually none of it is absorbed systemically. It's when applied topically that safety seems to be an issue.

Please excuse typos.

[vickikreiner]

Dr. Hale is the author of Medications and Mothers' Milk. I am on his email list.
He says Advair is safe for breastfeeding and the ingredients are virtually nondetectable in mothers' milk.
Generally, if a medication is safe for a pregnant mom, it is usally safe for a nursing mom.

Think about it. A fetus gets mom's blood supply. A nursing baby gets the breast milk that has a filter system. Then any medicine that enters baby's stomach has to be absorbed into the blood stream, a whole nother filter system
Primary doctors usually go by the manufacturer's guidelines which almost always say medications are not safe in nursing mothers. That's probably why your OB was not concerned because no concern was necessary.
You can assuredly breath a sigh of relief!

[colleen0419]

LADIES< THANKS SO MUCH!!!!
That is why I love this sight!!!! You guys have really put my mind at ease!:hugegrin: