Suprastin during breastfeeding for mother's allergies

Pregnancy and breastfeeding take a very long time. Naturally, during this period a woman may develop various diseases that require medication. For example, for allergies, many people take Suprastin, a remedy that allows them to quickly get rid of unpleasant symptoms and return to a normal lifestyle. However, is it possible to drink suprastin while breastfeeding? Will this effective and inexpensive drug cause irreparable harm to the child’s health? You will find answers to these questions in this article.

Suprastin is a popular allergy medicine

Allergies in medicine mean a systemic disease that develops due to functional disorders of the immune system. The patient’s body perceives substances common to other people as foreign (allergens) that are dangerous. As a result, excessive production of antibodies (immunoglobulins IgE) occurs, which cause inflammation in organs and tissues. An allergic reaction most often manifests itself in the form of the following symptoms:

• systemic rhinitis;
• redness and burning in the area of ​​the connective membrane of the eyes;
• regular sneezing;
• swelling of the airways, causing bronchospasm and shortness of breath;
• various skin rashes.

Recently, there has been an expansion of the list of possible allergens, but the following are considered the most common:

• plant pollen during flowering (seasonal hay fever);
• molds and their spores;
• house dust, bed mites, animal hair and epidermis;
• food products and additives (flavors, dyes, preservatives);
• drug components.

According to WHO estimates, new allergens based on genetically modified products will come to the fore in the next decade.

Suprastin is indicated for seasonal allergic rhinitis, which is one of the common manifestations of hay fever

Some of the most widely used anti-allergy medications are antihistamines. Their action is based on suppressing the production of special substances contained in organs and tissues. These substances are in a neutral state in mast cells and are released under the influence of allergens, causing inflammatory processes. Histamine has the greatest effect among inflammatory mediators. Therefore, the task of drugs is, firstly, to reduce the process of release of this substance, and, secondly, to neutralize the histamine that has already been released.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of Suprastin in Russia and abroad

Suprastin is a first generation antihistamine. Its characteristics have been well studied. The therapeutic effectiveness of Suprastin has been proven by years of practice and scientific research. It is not for nothing that this drug is annually included in the list of vital medicines, which is approved at the level of the Government of the Russian Federation. Suprastin is there in the group of systemic antihistamines along with Diphenhydramine, Loratadine and Cetirizine. Also, Chloropyramine in the form of a solution for intravenous and intramuscular administration should be in a medical kit for ambulances. This drug is so popular in Russia among doctors and patients that it has been recognized several times as the product of the year in the group of anti-allergy drugs.

Suprastin in the form of an injection solution is included in the medications for the ambulance crew

But this popularity is limited only to the CIS countries and Eastern Europe. Chloropyramine has not yet been approved by the FDA in the United States. In other Western countries, in most cases, Suprastin is either sold only by prescription or is generally prohibited for use.

Action and indications for use

Suprastin eliminates the peripheral effects of histamine in tissues most involved in allergic processes. This drug has not only an antihistamine, but also a sedative, antiemetic and antispastic effect. Chloropyramine is almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract after administration. The drug is prescribed for the following systemic manifestations of allergies:

• runny nose;
• severe conjunctivitis;
• skin pathologies: urticaria, dermatitis, eczema, itching.

Suprastin is also recommended for use in acute allergic reactions to food, insect bites, and medications. This is due to the rapid therapeutic effect, which begins to be felt within 15–20 minutes after taking the drug. The maximum effect occurs after about an hour and lasts for at least three hours.

What are the indications for taking the drug?

Suprastin is a well-known antihistamine that also has anticholinergic, antispasmodic and antiemetic effects.

Indications for use include such classic manifestations of allergies as urticaria and allergic rhinitis, atopic and contact dermatitis, Quincke's edema, manifestations of eczema, conjunctivitis, as well as reactions to food and medications.

Asthma attacks, periods of lactation and pregnancy, as well as infancy are arguments against the use of suprastin.

Is it possible to breastfeed Suprastin, the effect on the child

As mentioned above, the opinions of doctors regarding the effectiveness and safety of Suprastin are directly opposite. The same applies to the use of this antihistamine in the treatment of allergies in a nursing mother. For example, the well-known European electronic directory of drug compatibility during breastfeeding indicates the low safety of Chloropyramine for both mother and baby and recommends replacing it with other drugs. It is reported that Suprastin can lead to decreased lactation. There is also no data on the amount of the active substance that passes into breast milk and its effect on the child.

The official instructions state that if it is necessary for a nursing mother to use Chloropyramine, breastfeeding should be suspended, since appropriate safety studies have not been conducted. But the same instructions recommend prescribing this antihistamine to children over one month of age in reduced doses. Most Russian doctors still believe that short-term treatment with Suprastin during lactation is possible if the expected benefit is higher than the potential risk. The fact is that practice shows: in some cases, safer means are not effective enough.
Long-term treatment with them may cause more harm than short-term use of Chloropyramine.

Rules of admission, instructions for use

Suprastin is available in the form of tablets and solution for injection. The solution acts faster and causes fewer adverse reactions from the gastrointestinal tract. Tablets are much more convenient to use. Suprastin should be used during breastfeeding in exceptional cases with the permission of doctors, when second-generation antihistamines are ineffective. You should also follow the rules of administration and not exceed the standard dosage. Chloropyramine should be taken at a time when there will be no activity requiring alertness and concentration in the coming hours. Some doctors even prescribe Suprastin as a sedative for insomnia. It is recommended to use it with caution in combination with other sedatives, analgesics and antispasmodics.

Suprastin in tablet form is most convenient for use at home

Dosage

The standard dosage for systemic allergies in adults is three to four doses per day, one tablet (25 mg). The maximum permissible daily dose of the drug is 2 mg/kg of body weight. The treatment course should not last longer than seven days. Otherwise, an allergic reaction to Suprastin itself may develop.

A nursing mother who does not want to interrupt breastfeeding is advised to reduce the standard dosage. Thus, the drug can be used once or twice a day, and the duration of administration can be reduced to three to five days. In this case, the risk of adverse reactions will be significantly reduced.

For severe allergies, it is most effective to start treatment with an infusion solution. In this case, it is enough to use one or two ampoules once a day. Then, as the condition improves, it is recommended to switch to taking Suprastin in tablet form. Such therapy should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.

If there is no therapeutic effect from using the drug for two days, then the medicine must be replaced. Also, if the mother continues to breastfeed, she should carefully monitor the baby's reaction. If a skin rash, colic, abnormal stool, pain, or fever appears in the baby, Suprastin should be stopped.

To avoid negative reactions from the gastrointestinal tract, tablets should be taken during meals with plenty of liquid. If you take the drug immediately after feeding, then by the next feeding the amount of the drug in breast milk will be minimal.

It should be noted that first-generation antihistamines are characterized by short-term effects, incl. and side effects, which, with a relatively rapid onset of clinical effect, allows you to choose the optimal dosage regimen during the day.

K.S. Petrova, G.A. Petrova

"Chloropyramine (Suprastin) - modern aspects of use in the treatment of allergic dermatoses"

Use for allergies in children

As noted earlier, according to official instructions, Suprastin is allowed to be used for allergies in children from one month of age. But before giving your child any medicine, you should definitely consult a doctor. In most cases, it is possible to get rid of painful symptoms using non-drug methods. Thus, the famous pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky points out that the main cause of skin rashes in infants is the child eating significantly more food than he can digest. This happens more often with artificial feeding. In other cases, allergies may result from a reaction to certain foods in the mother's diet. For example, citrus fruits, strawberries, honey, and chocolate are highly allergenic foods.

If the doctor still prescribes Suprastin, then it can be given to children ¼ tablet. The latter is first ground to a powder and dissolved in milk or mixture. The number of doses should be from two to three per day. Suprastin, as a first-generation antihistamine, dries out the mucous membranes. Therefore, the use of Chloropyramine is effective for dermatitis caused by excessive sweating.

It should be noted that if Chloropyramine, according to the instructions, is approved for use in the treatment of infants, then it would seem that more modern and safe second-generation antihistamines are recommended for use only from two or three years of age.

Suprastin is almost the only drug for allergies that can be given to a child from one month of age

Contraindications and side effects when breastfeeding

Despite its effectiveness, Suprastin has a number of limitations in use and causes many adverse reactions. The main contraindications are related to the mother’s existing liver and kidney dysfunctions. Suprastin should not be taken or should be used with caution in the following cases:

• angle-closure glaucoma;
• impaired urine output;
• cardiovascular pathologies;
• liver and kidney failure;
• lactase deficiency and lactose hypersensitivity.

Treatment with Chloropyramine may be accompanied by the following negative reactions from the body of a nursing mother:

• drowsiness, decreased concentration, tremor;
• dizziness and headache;
• gastrointestinal disorders;
• skin rash, itching;
• rarely - decreased blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia.

Instead of a sedative effect, children may experience causeless anxiety, irritability, and insomnia.

Other contraindications and side effects

Suprastin is contraindicated not only for nursing mothers; the drug in tablets should not be given to children under three years of age. In addition, the medication is not recommended for those who have liver disease, kidney disease, or lactose intolerance. If you decide to take this medication, you should be aware of its side effects:

• changes in the blood count are possible - the analysis may show hemolytic anemia, leukopenia or agranulocytosis;
• sometimes there is increased fatigue, drowsiness, nervous agitation, headache, tremor, convulsions;
• the drug may increase intraocular pressure, which creates conditions for the development of glaucoma;
• Possible pain in the upper abdomen or discomfort, increased or decreased appetite, diarrhea and vomiting.

When breastfeeding, Suprastin can be replaced with another suitable drug, for this you need to consult a doctor

How can Suprastin be replaced for allergies during lactation?

Today, doctors are increasingly recommending that nursing mothers use more modern anti-allergy medications that do not have side effects that affect the central nervous system. Second generation antihistamines do not cause lethargy and drowsiness, and do not dry out the mucous membranes.

To treat allergies in women during lactation, medications such as Loratadine (Claritin) and Cetirizine are recommended. According to the instructions, they should not be taken while breastfeeding. But the same European electronic directory (https://www.e-lactancia.org/) contains information about their full compatibility with breastfeeding. Thus, Loratadine passes into breast milk in small quantities and is approved for use during lactation by the British Society of Immunologists and Allergists and the American Academy of Pediatricians. According to research results, no problems were observed in children in the first month of life whose mothers took Cetirizine. Leading experts in England also consider this drug safe for lactation. The advantage of the two medications under consideration is that it is enough to take them once a day, since the therapeutic effect lasts for a long time.

Researchers pay special attention to Cetirizine. It is most often prescribed in the absence of a therapeutic effect from other antiallergic drugs. Developed back in the late 80s of the last century, Cetirizine still acts as a reference drug in the development of new antihistamines. So the attending physician of a nursing woman has a sufficient choice of medications that are effective and fairly safe in the fight against allergies.

Table: Suprastin and second generation antihistamines for allergies in a nursing mother

Photo gallery: second generation antihistamines for allergies in mothers during lactation

Loratadine is recognized as compatible with breastfeeding by the American Academy of Pediatricians Claritin is the most well-known complete analogue of Loratadine Cetirizn, according to its characteristics, is a reference drug in the development of new antihistamines Zirtec is a complete structural analogue of Cetirizine

Suprastin in the complex treatment of allergies in a nursing mother

Of course, when choosing a treatment method for a mother during lactation, you should remember that the main way to get rid of an allergic reaction is to create external conditions that will help avoid contact with potential allergens. If you have a food allergy, it is enough to reconsider your diet. For hay fever, the best way is to temporarily change your region of residence. My wife has a chronic allergy to ragweed. Therefore, in August - September we try to go to the sea. This is much more difficult to do with a small child. Therefore, after the birth of children, our family stayed at home, and my wife had to be treated with both general and medication.

The first included: using an air purifier, daily wet cleaning of the apartment, and regular rinsing of the nose and throat. As a second, I first tried to take Loratadine. The effect was insufficient. A distant relative, who is a qualified doctor of the highest category, advised me to try Suprastin. To our question about the safety of this medicine during lactation, the answer was given that a little bit is possible. My wife took half a tablet of Suprastin at night during periods of exacerbation in order to fall asleep. For nighttime bronchospasms, I had to use Intal aerosol several times. No negative reactions were observed from the baby.

How to escape?

The same applies to cosmetics - you need to change your usual mascara to a hypoallergenic one. It is more difficult to stop allergy manifestations to plant pollen or the ubiquitous house dust. In this case, medications - antihistamines - can save the day.

Allergies can be caused by flowers or even dust. In any case, the woman urgently needs to get rid of these manifestations

A popular and inexpensive drug is Suprastin. These universal tablets save you from various allergy symptoms, and they begin to act within 15 minutes after taking them. Can a nursing woman take Suprastin, and what effect can this medication have on the child? This issue is worth looking into in more detail.