Doctor Prescribed Amoxycillin 500Mg. Is It Safe to Breastfeed?

Updated on November 30, 2016
M.F. asks from Bonita, CA
16 answers

I came in following up on a slight yeast infection/hemorrhoid thing after giving birth to my baby girl on the 12th of November. I've never had a hemorrhoid before this so it's all new to me and now it won't seem to go away. I was given colace and I feel so uncomfortable when I'm out...it's embarrassing. Are the side effects of colace feeling gassy and also it feels like I have to drop a deuce! 😖💦 Well anyhow, the doc didn't really listen to me. I told her i was given diflucan-1 pill and I took it. I felt better. No pain peeing. No bad smell, no more gross discharge. Well 2 days later it seemed to return. The smell...the slight pain when urinating. It wasn't a u.t.i. They checked my urine and it was negative for it. But the e.r. Did say I had a little bit of a yeast infection starting. So at my doctor's office they took my urine and then next thing I knew they gave me papers and sent me on my way. It was amoxicillin 500mg. 1 pill every 10 hrs. For 10 days. But is it safe to breastfeed??? I breastfeed my baby and this doctor didn't even explain her findings or anything. ☹️ I'm going to find a new primary. But I need to know...is this safe or should I just pass on taking this amoxicillin?

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D..

answers from Miami on

Why didn't you press her for more info? Don't leave the doctor without knowing this kind of stuff. We aren't doctors and have no business advising you about this drug.

5 moms found this helpful

W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Welcome to Mamapedia, M.!

So you CAN get a yeast infection by taking amoxicillin. I've NEVER heard of a doctor giving Amoxicillin for a yeast infection.

Did you ask them WHY they are giving you Amoxicillin?
Did you tell the doctor you were breast feeding?
Have you filled the prescription yet? If not? when you do? ASK the pharmacist about the safety of taking it while breast feeding.

Hemorrhoids don't go away. They shrink. Drinking a lot of water, eating a high-fiber diet will help alleviate them.

You need to find out WHY the doctor prescribed you the Amoxicillin and you need to ask the doctor and/or pharmacist if it's safe.

4 moms found this helpful

More Answers

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

You need to ask your Dr. We can't diagnose you.

In my past experience, a Dr has prescribed 2 diflucan if needed. Sometimes it takes 2 pills to knock it out, especially if you're on antibiotics. A known side effect of antibiotics is yeast infection. Find out why you were given antibiotics.

I don't have experience with Colace.

Find a Dr you like and can communicate effectively.

6 moms found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

i'm glad that since you don't trust this doctor or get sufficient information that you're going to get a new one. but until then, call his office and speak to him or a nurse, or to your pharmacist, or call a nurse hotline.
you're breastfeeding a baby. that's way, way too important to entrust to an internet advice board. even when it's full of geniuses like us.
your baby deserves better.
khairete
S.

5 moms found this helpful

K.A.

answers from San Diego on

Interesting first question.
The pharmacist where you go to fill your prescription can tell you.

5 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Congrats on your new baby. You must be exhausted, and having some medical issues just adds to it. Your hormones, your body chemistry, and your digestion are all in flux.

I think you may have left out some details here, or things weren't explained. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic and is given for a bacterial infection. You say it's not a UTI but you've had pain while urinating. So where's the infection? Usually you have to complete the full course of antibiotics to be sure the problem goes away. Anyway, it not only doesn't help yeast (a fungus) at all, it can make a yeast infection more likely because it upsets the balance of good bacteria and yeast in your body. So you probably should be treated for that with an anti-fungal or use plain yogurt (no effect on baby/breast milk).

If you're getting a new primary, great. Is that why you went to the ER, because the primary wouldn't see you? The ER is a tough place to be treated for minor things, and it's expensive! Anyway, you can, in the meantime, talk to your OB or your baby's pediatrician about breastfeeding safety. Go through the papers you got and look for more info, or take them/fax them to the doctor for clarification. Something is missing from this picture.

Hemorrhoids are common in the last stages of pregnancy and after birth. If you don't want to take the Colace, you can use a simple stool softener or suppository, increase your water, and eat more fiber throughout the day. You don't want to have one massive bowel movement a day - you want gentle and frequent movements, without straining. Don't sit on the toilet for long periods of time, consider a "donut" cushion or at least sitting to one side as much as you can, and talk to your doctor or the pharmacy manager about topical treatments you can use to shrink the swelling.

It's okay, as a new mother, to be overwhelmed and confused with so much going on, so much to learn, and a demanding little one. Add on so little sleep, and it's a recipe for head-spinning. It's totally fine to use your doctor's 24-hour line for questions and have a nurse call you back - sometimes just hearing another person explain it can make it clearer. You can tell them you're confused and you're sorry, but you need help - that's what they're there for, and you would only be the latest in a zillion women who have questions. Don't be embarrassed or reluctant - ask for what you need!

5 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

You just gave birth a few weeks ago.
It took me a good 6 to 8 weeks to feel like I was pulling together again and the sleep deprivation didn't make me feel/recover any better.
I was holding a lot of water towards the end of my pregnancy.
When our son was born I dropped 20 lbs.
The following 2 weeks I sweated, had hot flashes (was like a precursor to menopause), was getting the hang of breast feeding, the hemorrhoids were awful (I needed to do more frequent sitz bathes), I was peeing a whole lot and I dropped another 20 lbs - at least swelling in my feet and legs was going away.
So really in the course of 2 weeks between birth and the aftermath I dropped 40 lbs and while it was a relief my system was still messed up for another month.

It sounds like your doctor thinks you have an infection somewhere - that's what the antibiotic is for.
As for yeast, well you can't take a bath yet but maybe adding a little plain yogurt to your sitz bath might help - ask your doctor first before trying it.
The hemorrhoids will shrink as you drop some weight and try to stay active.
Taking the baby for stroller walks can help with this.
You'll adjust eventually but I really think you're pushing yourself if you think you should feel all hunky dory just a few weeks after giving birth.
It takes time - go easy on yourself!

5 moms found this helpful
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G.♣.

answers from Springfield on

Amoxicillin will not treat a yeast infection. It will only make it worse. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic, but a yeast infection is what occurs when the bodies natural floral is out of balance and the body has too much fungus and not enough bacterial.

You need to call your doctor. Confirm whether or not you have a yeast infection. A yeast infection does have a stinky smell, discharge, horrible itching, sometimes pain and general discomfort. But you need to find out, because no doctor will give you Amoxicillin for yeast infection.

4 moms found this helpful
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M.G.

answers from Portland on

If it were me, I'd call back to the dr's office and ask to go over your test results again, just to make sure you understood it correctly, and ask a question about the medication. Next time, stop the doctor and ask before you leave. What I do - I repeat back to them what they've said so we're on the same page. You can't blame the dr for not asking the right questions.

Anyhow - a call is all that's needed. People do it all the time :)

4 moms found this helpful
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M.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Amox is generally safe while breastfeeding. But your question doesn't make sense and I encourage you to call your doctor and insist on more details. Because if you actually do have a yeast infection, taking amox could make it worse. However, if the follow up exam showed that you actually do have a UTI, then the amox makes sense. Talk to your doctor. And, as a suggestion, your OB is probably a better source of information about what is safe to take while breastfeeding than your primary care doc. I would follow up with the OB about this since it's all childbirth related.

3 moms found this helpful

M.D.

answers from Washington DC on

Thank's for the question M..

Just as a reminder per Mamapedia Guidelines:

Medical questions may be asked, HOWEVER, please know that the first and best source for the answers to all such questions will alway be an appropriate certified professional. Please always consult such a professional in these matters first and foremost. Simply put, Mamapedia does not offer medical advice to our members. Any medical advice you receive on the site is taken at your own risk.

-Moderator

2 moms found this helpful

T.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

So here's the answer to your direct question, according to MicroMedex, UpToDate and Drugs.com, professional resources for health care providers:

Amoxicillin can be expressed in the breastmilk, but at very small amounts. A woman taking 500mg three times per day would express less than 1% of an infant-sized dose. As a result, using amoxicillin when breastfeeding is considered compatible (OK) by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

As a pharmacy intern (student in training), my recommendation to you if you need to take this medication is to breastfeed first, and then take the pill immediately after. This limits the amount of medication that gets into the breastmilk by the next time the baby is ready to nurse.

At this time, I would recommend you follow up with the ER nurse (the doctor probably won't be available, but the nurse can check your medical chart & explain things to you). Find out why the antibiotic was prescribed, make sure the doctor was aware that you are breastfeeding at this time, verify that this is still the correct drug for your diagnosed problem, and that it is OK to take the drug while breastfeeding. I say that last part, because you want to make sure that the doctor isn't assuming that you would switch to formula while on the medication.

Good luck. T.

2 moms found this helpful
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N.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Talk to the pharmacist. They are the med experts.

1 mom found this helpful

T.D.

answers from Springfield on

get a second opinion before taking it. check out kellymom .com for breastfeeding information.

1 mom found this helpful
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E.T.

answers from Rochester on

Call a pharmacy. They have the most up to date info on what is safe to take while breast feeding. My husband is a pharmacist and when he worked retail he often got calls from nursing moms.

1 mom found this helpful

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

Do you have a phone? Do you know how to use it? If yes simply call the doctor and ask. That's all there is to it!

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