# Venlafaxine and breast feeding (and quetiapine?)



## country girl (Jun 18, 2004)

I have postnatal depression and unfortunately had an anaphylactic reaction to sertraline (very rare I know - everyone keeps telling me). My GP referred me to the local perinatal outreach team and they want me to take venlafaxine SR and also mentioned quetiapine as a possibility to add in. I am keen to continue breast feeding as at the moment I feel it is the only thing I can do right for my baby. I know sertraline is the best for breast feeding, do you know anything about the other drugs and breast feeding? Thanks.


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

So sorry you are suffering post natal depression. It must be very hard  

This is what the summary of product characteristics says for Effexor (venlafaxine) ....

''*Lactation*Venlafaxine and its active metabolite, O-desmethylvenlafaxine, are excreted in breast milk. There have been post-marketing reports of breast-fed infants who experienced crying, irritability, and abnormal sleep patterns. Symptoms consistent with venlafaxine drug discontinuation have also been reported after stopping breast-feeding. A risk to the suckling child cannot be excluded. Therefore, a decision to continue/discontinue breast-feeding or to continue/discontinue therapy with Efexor XL should be made, taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding to the child and the benefit of Efexor XL therapy to the woman.''

This is what the SPC says for Seroquel (Quetiapine).......
'' The degree to which quetiapine is excreted into human milk is unknown. Women who are breast feeding should therefore be advised to avoid breast feeding while taking SEROQUEL''

You can have a more detailed search done via the medicines information department of your local hospital, who in turn can also consult with the national medicines information centre for drugs in breast milk, who may have more up to date information from any studies that have recently been done perhaps.

They can give you advice on how best to manage treatment if you wish to continue feeding. It might be that you are advised to avoid feeding from the breast (expressing and discarding instead) when there are peak levels of the drugs in your blood stream, or alternative medicines suggested that are safer.

I hope this helps and you can get some good advice and a suitable treatment plan to suit you very soon.


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