Is Viloxazine safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Viloxazine. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
The amounts of viloxazine and its active metabolite in milk appear to be low. If viloxazine is required by the mother of an older infant, it is not a reason to discontinue breastfeeding, but until more infant outcome data become available, an alternate drug may be preferred, especially while nursing a newborn or preterm infant.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. The manufacturer reports a study in 15 lactating women took viloxazine 600 mg daily for 3 days. The mean total amounts of viloxazine and its metabolite, 5-HVLX-gluc excreted in 24 hours at steady-state were 0.511 mg and 0.0357 mg, or 0.085 mg/kg and 0.00595 mg/kg, respectively in a 6 kg infant. These amounts were estimated to result in a relative infant dose of 1% and 0.07%, respectively.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Alternatives LactMed lists
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Viloxazine is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Viloxazine” (viloxazine). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.