Tablets And Drugs To Stop Lactation

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Tablets and drugs to stop lactation

From the very first days of life, the main source of nutrition for an infant is breast milk. For a baby, mother's milk is the most valuable source of substances necessary for life and development.

Most women these days realize the value of breast milk and consciously try to continue breastfeeding as long as possible.

But health problems, lack of time, and other life circumstances can make breastfeeding simply impossible. In this case, the question arises of stopping breastfeeding. So, for example, women suffering from benign neoplasms of the pituitary gland (adenomas) during pregnancy should undergo regular examination by an endocrinologist, since both during gestation and during lactation there is a high risk of developing breast neoplasms.

Of course, physiological natural breastfeeding is ideal for both the health of the child and the mother's body. During lactation, the hormonal background of a woman is normalized.

In some cases, women from the very first day after giving birth do not feed the baby with breast milk, but it is produced, since this is a natural physiological process.

"Stagnation" of milk in the mammary glands can be dangerous, moreover, it delivers a lot of unpleasant, painful sensations to the mother. Therefore, with the actual cessation of breastfeeding, the process of milk production should be interrupted as soon as possible.

There are a number of ways to stop lactation. One of the most effective is taking specialized medications.

Content:

• Medicines to stop lactation
• Other medicines to stop lactation
• Why can't you take the drugs yourself?
• Recommendations for taking pills to stop lactation

Medicines to stop lactation

The need to suppress "mature" lactation may arise for one reason or another: lack of time, health conditions, etc. Under natural conditions, lactation stops on its own after a certain period. This does not require any special tools or activities. Therefore, medical interruption of breast milk production is practiced in an extremely limited number of cases.

Many drugs work drastically, interrupting breast milk production at once. This does not in the best way affect both the mother's body and the child's body (if he was breastfed for some time). The best thing is to stop the process gradually.

Drugs are the last resort. The reason for this is the presence of a large number of contraindications and side effects from their use. In addition, the mother should not expect that the production of breast milk will stop overnight. Thus, a rather unpleasant situation arises: stagnation of milk is harmful and brings a lot of painful sensations, but at the same time the active substances of the drugs are concentrated in breast milk, therefore, it is impossible to apply the baby to the breast from the moment of the first intake of the medicine in any case.

In general, this kind of drugs are used only in exceptional cases:

• Termination of pregnancy at a later date.
• Severe mastitis (purulent) with a confirmed tendency to generalize.
• The presence of serious diseases and pathologies in the mother: HIV, tuberculosis, malignant neoplasms.
• Diseases in a child: phenylketonuria, etc.

In all other cases, doctors do not recommend the use of specialized medicines, and if interruption of lactation is still necessary, approach the selection of funds only under the supervision of a specialist.

The most aggressive products contain hormonal substances. Such drugs "shatter" the hormonal background and can cause the development of secondary pathologies.

One of these drugs is levodopa. It has become, in a way, a classic in the cessation of lactation and has been used for a long time. The drug actively inhibits the circulation of dopamine in the body and reduces the production of the hormone serotonin (i.e. the drug has a pronounced dopaminergic effect).

Levodopa has a lot of severe side effects, so it is practically not used at the moment. Previously, the drug was prescribed according to the following scheme: 1/2 gram, 2 times a day. The course of admission is 10 days. But, as already mentioned, the drug was tolerated by patients very hard, since there were multiple side effects: tachycardia, bradycardia, headache and dizziness, loss of consciousness, nausea, etc. Levodopa significantly increases blood pressure, therefore it is contraindicated for hypertensive patients. Also, the drug had a pronounced hepatotoxic effect and inhibited renal function. Obviously, the cost of taking such a drug could be high.

At the moment, preference is given to drugs based on specific female hormones (gestagens and estrogens), in some cases in combination with male sex hormones and drugs that inhibit the production of prolactin.

Hormonal drugs to stop lactation

Despite the fact that hormonal drugs are relatively safe, the number of side effects and contraindications to their use is no less. taking hormonal drugs is always a hard blow to the body. Therefore, before taking them, it is necessary to consult with several specialized specialists: an endocrinologist and a gynecologist.

Preparations based on female sex hormones are contraindicated in:

• Degenerative and hyperplastic processes in the mammary gland.
• Menstrual irregularities (now or in the past).
• Male-type hair growth.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
• Phlebological diseases.
• Renal, liver failure.
• Diabetes mellitus of both types.

Preparations based on male hormones (androgens) are not used on their own, this can be fraught with sexual dysfunction and a lot of endocrinological problems. They are used only in combination with female sex hormones. The main medication is testosterone propinate solution.

In other cases, doctors prescribe progestogen-based medications. Gestagens are specific active substances (hormones) that are produced during the second phase of the menstrual cycle and not throughout pregnancy. Progestogens, like estrogens, are contraindicated in these cases. But at the same time, the side effects of gestagens are much less, so in modern medical practice they are used more often.

The most common drug is Norkolut (norethisterone). Take it as follows: 20 mg per day for the first three days, then the dose is reduced to 15 mg and the drug is taken in this dosage for the next 4 days. The next 2 days, the drug is taken in a dosage of 5 mg less than the previous one (10 mg). Thus, the general course of treatment is 10 days.

In some cases, other drugs are recommended (Duphaston and some others).

Prolactin inhibitor drugs

Of all the drugs for stopping lactation, the safest are those that inhibit the production of the hormone prolactin. Prolactin is synthesized in the pituitary gland (this is a pituitary hormone) and stimulates the active production of breast milk in a woman.

To inhibit the synthesis of prolactin in medical practice, two hormones are used: bromocriptine (trade name - Parlodel) and cabergoline (trade name - Dostinex). Parlodel has an intense effect due to interaction with receptors of the endocrine system organs. How to use it: 1 tablet 2 times a day (dosage - 2.5 mg per tablet). Bromocriptine should be taken within 14 days.

Of course, side effects are indispensable. Parlodel causes headache, dizziness, nausea, drop in blood pressure when changing body position. Despite this, the incidence of unwanted effects is relatively low.

The drug also has a number of contraindications:

• Heart damage (heart attack, heart failure, etc.).
• Hypertensive disease of 2-3 stages.

During treatment, even healthy people are advised to constantly monitor their blood pressure levels. Also, in no case should you take the drug at the same time as other medicines based on ergot alkaloids.

Another option is to take Dostinex. Unlike all the previously listed drugs, it has a rapid and intense effect, which manifests itself almost from the first hours after the first use.

After only 2-3 hours from the moment of administration, the concentration of the hormone prolactin changes in the blood. Its synthesis is rapidly decreasing. In addition, the drug has a prolonged effect: a certain effect even after a single dose lasts about a month.

To suppress lactation, one tablet is prescribed. The course of treatment is 2 days. The tablet must be divided into two parts and taken in half every 12 hours.

In some cases, it is necessary to prevent lactation without waiting for it to start. Then the drug is prescribed in a dosage of 1 mg (whole tablet) for 2 days.

In addition to the contraindications that exist for Parlodel, Dostinex has several more:

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, bleeding of the stomach or intestines, liver failure, hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, stomach ulcer.
• Mental illness.

The presence of at least one of the diseases is an absolute contraindication. Therefore, before taking Dostinex, it is important to undergo a full examination by specialized specialists.

Side effects when taking the drug are extremely rare, but they still exist.

• Disturbances from the nervous system (autonomic disorders): dizziness, headache, interruptions in the work of the heart, nausea, etc.
• Disturbances from the gastrointestinal tract: exacerbations of gastritis, heaviness and pain in the stomach, dyspeptic manifestations.
• Depression.
• Disturbances from the cardiovascular system: arrhythmia, decrease or increase in blood pressure.

With individual drug intolerance or overdose, mental disorders may develop: psychosis, hallucinations.

Before starting to take special drugs to suppress lactation, it is recommended to exclude the presence of a pregnancy condition. In some cases, women deliberately interrupt lactation in order to become pregnant while they are already pregnant. During pregnancy, the use of Dostinex or any other drugs is strictly prohibited.

All lactation suppressants are very serious and can cause irreparable harm to health. Therefore, of course, you should not prescribe therapy yourself. This is fraught with serious consequences for the mother's body and for the baby himself. Consultation with a specialist is required.

The strategy of suppressing lactation is selected individually by gynecologists and endocrinologists. At the moment, prolactin inhibitors are most widely used, as the safest of the entire group of drugs for suppressing breast milk production. In practice, cabergoline is most commonly used because it is more easily tolerated by patients than bromocriptine. However, if there is an intolerance or if the patient has contraindications for taking the drug, other medications are prescribed. In this case, sex hormones and their derivatives are prescribed.

Specific names are selected by the doctor, based on the results of ultrasound and face-to-face examination data. Less preferred than inhibitors, but still less dangerous than other drugs, are gestagens. Male sex hormones are rarely used and only in combination with estrogens in order to reduce their concentration, and hence the likelihood of adverse reactions.

Other medicines to stop lactation

There are other drugs to stop breast milk production:

• Acetomepregenol
• Turinal
• Organometrile
• Primolut - nor
• Utrozhestan
• Bromcamphor

Why can't you take the drugs yourself?

As mentioned above, all of these drugs are hormonal in nature, or have a depressing function on hormones. The endocrine system is a clear and well-coordinated mechanism that ensures stable normal functioning of the whole organism. The slightest failure provokes a huge number of dire consequences.

In addition, a person does not always know what diseases he has, and therefore is not able to take into account all the recommendations for taking medications.

Thus, there are two reasons for the ban on self-administration of drugs:

1. The severity of drugs and a high degree of interference with the endocrine system.
2. A huge number of contraindications and side effects.

Medicines for suppressing lactation when taken uncontrolled can lead to a number of serious complications:

• Degenerative and hyperplastic processes in the mammary gland. During the period of breastfeeding (immediately after pregnancy), the mammary glands work extremely actively, at the limit of their capabilities. With uncontrolled drug intake, the effect may be the opposite, and the mammary gland will receive an incentive to more active milk production. Failing to cope, the gland will begin to build up tissue (diffuse disorders will occur). As a result, benign or malignant degeneration of breast tissue is possible.
• Menstrual irregularities. The female body reacts especially sharply even to natural changes in hormonal levels. Needless to say, artificial intervention will lead to a serious failure in the process of normal ovogenesis?
• Male pattern hair growth. An excess of hormones (especially male ones, which women actively use, sometimes even on their own, without taking female hormones) contributes to the development of phenomena uncharacteristic for female physiology, one of which is increased hair growth.
• High blood pressure (hypertension). All medications for stopping lactation have a hypertensive effect. Sometimes very tangible. Even in a healthy person, jumps in blood pressure numbers can be observed. If we talk about hypertensive patients, the result of such self-medication can become very deplorable.
• Vein problems: Hormonal drugs increase the permeability of large and small vessels, which can lead to bleeding and bruising. In addition, the elasticity of the vessel walls decreases, as a result of which they can rupture.
• Mental disorders. If synthetic drugs are used incorrectly to inhibit prolactin synthesis, hallucinations and psychosis can occur. A person with a confirmed diagnosis has exacerbations (schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, etc.).
• Changes in the gastrointestinal tract. These drugs are also dangerous for the gastrointestinal tract. They cause liver failure, toxic hepatitis, ulcers and gastritis of various forms. Can cause bleeding and death.
• Often, with careless intake of drugs, kidney damage is observed: nephritis, pyelonephritis. Both diseases can be a source of high blood pressure. In severe cases, acute renal failure develops, fraught with death.

All this testifies to the enormous danger of self-prescribing and taking medications aimed at stopping milk production.

It is important to keep three points in mind:

1. All drugs, especially those so dangerous, should be prescribed only by a specialist.
2. The specialist should prescribe medications only after a thorough examination of the patient, taking anamnesis and conducting appropriate instrumental and laboratory studies.
3. You should not resort to taking medications unless there is a compelling, real reason.

In addition, do not forget that after the first intake of the medicine, in no case should you feed your baby with breast milk.

On the subject: Ending lactation with folk remedies

Recommendations for taking pills to stop lactation

The most important recommendation is to use hormone-based drugs or hormonal synthesis inhibitors only when indicated. However, if you cannot refuse taking medications, it is important to adhere to a number of simple recommendations. They will help maintain health for yourself, your child, and also minimize harm from the course of therapy.

• All drugs based on a specific female hormone - estrogen - cause severe side effects: vomiting, dizziness, nausea. Moreover, the frequency of manifestation of these phenomena is high and amounts to tens of percent. They are strictly contraindicated in diseases of the liver, kidneys and cardiovascular pathologies (hypertension, etc.). Gestagens do not have such pronounced negative effects, therefore, in medical practice, they are more preferable, since they are considered safer.
• In no case should one engage in self-medication. Absolutely all drugs intended for the indicated purposes are potentially dangerous and it is impossible to predict how they will work in this or that case. Before taking them, a consultation of specialists is mandatory: a gynecologist, mammologist, endocrinologist and, possibly, a pediatrician.
• Be sure to comply with the dosage of the drug. The dosage and dosage regimen is selected by a specialist. The annotations indicate only general recommendations for admission, so they should not be considered "the ultimate truth". Instructions are developed for specialists.
• You need to be mentally prepared for the unpleasant consequences of taking medications. No matter how safe they are, a number of side effects will still arise. Most often, we are talking about simple malaise and headache, as well as possible weakness. If severe events occur, you should immediately consult a doctor to adjust the therapy.
• Milk does not disappear at once. The process can last from 1 day to 14 days. Therefore, to avoid stagnation, you should express breast milk from time to time.
• It is unacceptable to exert constant pressure on the mammary gland. Therefore, during the period of therapy, the bra should be soft, underwired, capable of stretching.
• You should forget about the “old grandfather's way”, the essence of which was to tighten the chest with an elastic bandage. Contrary to popular belief, this not only does not help, but also contributes to the development of severe pathologies: lactostasis and mastitis.
• In some cases, lactation may resume after a while after stopping the course of treatment. Then you need to consult with a specialist again and take another course.
• From the moment of the first intake of the drug, the child should not be applied to the breast.
• If, for one reason or another, it becomes necessary to continue lactation, it is necessary to wait until the taken drug is excreted from the body (as a rule, we are talking about 1-3 days, but when taking some drugs, for example, based on cabergoline, you need to wait 2 -4 weeks), then express milk and only then start breastfeeding.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.