The best option for stopping lactation is, without a doubt, a gradual reduction in the number of lactations. This is important primarily for the mother's breast. But if you had to interrupt breastfeeding abruptly, you have to use means to reduce the production of human milk. One of them is bromocriptine.
What is it?
It is a drug that can suppress the production of human milk. Bromocriptine affects hormonal levels, so it should not be used without a doctor's prescription. This drug is based on ergot alkaloids.
Mode of action
The main effect of the drug is aimed at inhibiting the production of prolactin - a hormone that is responsible for the formation of milk in the mammary glands.
Pros
- Bromocriptine effectively suppresses lactation by affecting milk production.
- The drug can be used to temporarily suppress lactation, for example, in acute illness in a mother. After its cancellation, breastfeeding can be returned within 1-4 weeks.
- The remedy helps women who have finished breastfeeding a long time ago, but complain about the release of milk from the breast.
Minuses
The drug has a number of side effects, so if you have a choice, you should prefer the physiological route or the use of medicinal herbs, for example, sage to stop lactation.
Contraindications
This remedy is not prescribed for:
- Severe pathologies of the cardiovascular system;
- Increased sensitivity to ergot alkaloids;
- Toxicosis during pregnancy;
- Tremor.
Side effects
Bromocriptine often has side effects such as dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and headache after starting use. They do not prevent you from continuing to take the medicine. If nausea or dizziness is severe, a woman is advised to take antiemetic medications an hour before taking bromocriptine.
If you drink a high dose of bromocriptine, you may experience constipation, dry mouth, leg cramps, vision problems, hallucinations, and psychosis. These phenomena are eliminated by reducing the dosage. Also, an allergic reaction in the form of a skin rash can develop to the drug.
Rarely, a woman can develop serious side effects such as stroke, encephalopathy, myocardial infarction, and other dangerous conditions. Therefore, if at least one side effect occurs, it is important to consult a doctor.
How to use?
The agent is prescribed twice a day, one tablet. They should be drunk with meals. The drug is taken for two weeks, but if after 14 days milk is still released, the intake is extended for another week. If the medicine was prescribed after an abortion or after a premature birth, you can drink the first bromocriptine tablet after four hours.
Reviews
According to many women, bromocriptine was well tolerated, causing only a slight dizziness in the first days. They often complain of nausea and a drop in blood pressure. There are also women who do not feel the negative effects of the drug at all during the entire course, but after taking the last pills, they have painful lumps in their breasts.
Many nursing mothers also talk about the appearance of various side effects of the drug, among which the most common are loss of appetite, vomiting, the appearance of fears, loss of consciousness, tachycardia, increased sweating.
In the reviews, you can see a warning not to combine these pills with alcohol (women note that it can become bad even after one bottle of beer), as well as not plan to leave the house for the first time (you can lose consciousness on the street).
