hrt and no breast tenderness

[ifonlyican14]

Please help
I have been on hrt for nearly a year, in minmal doses, iam one finasteride and estrogen, I had breast tenderness and itching a few times over the last three months, why can't I feel the symptoms of breasts growth l, is it an indication about bad body responces or insufficient doses.
Please help

[bethany]

Talk to your doctor about it is the best advice I can give you.

[Vicky]

Most definitely time to see a doctor and ask serious questions.

I am on a dose of E that my endo thinks is right for me, but most of my friends think is too small to be effective.  In three and three quarter years on the E, I have nice B's, but the did not show up until darn near two years.  A mammogram may beg to differ that there is not growth, and my first mammogram ended up with a biopsy being done on some suspicious tissue I was not even aware of.  No cancer, but not ideal tissue either.   Sigh.

[Theo]

I had nothing initially, only a slight tingly sensation, but no real growth (the tissue became a bit firmer, but that's about it). After 6 weeks we took another blood sample, and then added a low dose anti-androgen, as my T levels were still in the normal male range (I started high, but my E was fine). Only after a few weeks of anti-androgens did I start getting the classic chest pain. Again no great growth after 3 months, but I definitely feel that something is happening (also been on finasteride for a year now, due to male pattern baldness).

Genetics of course play the main role, but similarly to what the others said, I would go see your endo and maybe get the T level checked. If it's too high, that may be enough to counteract the workings of E in the chest area.

[Joanna Dark]

Please help
I have been on hrt for nearly a year, in minmal doses, iam one finasteride and estrogen, I had breast tenderness and itching a few times over the last three months, why can't I feel the symptoms of breasts growth l, is it an indication about bad body responces or insufficient doses.
Please help

Do you have breast budding? It would most likely hurt so you would prob know. It's pretty simple to find out: just pinch lightly with two fingers one on each side of the nipple and, if you duct work commencing (God that sounds clinical), you will feel a breast bud that kinda feels like silly puddy. Kinda. Some people have a pea or marble size lump others much bigger. The size of it prob determines how big you will get but I just made that up at least five seconds ago, but it seems like it correlates.

I have been pretty lucky in this department and feel that the HRT is working because of it so I feel pretty bad you have been unlucky. I don't know what your doctor can do. Some girls just don't get breast growth, sadly. You may have to think about BA. Have you feminized in other ways, i.e. face, butt, skin? If you have, BA is prob in your future. We can't discuss does but if your dose is too low you will not feminize.

[amrisa loftus]

How much caffeine do you drink on a normal day. From friends who have started HRT and stop drinking caffeine during that time. They've notice a big change. I've also heard (don't quote me on this that caffeine henders estrogen adsorption in the body.)

[Beth Andrea]

My endo went rather quickly on the dose of E...I had low T to begin with, so the initial dose of spiro was quite good enough to kill the rest of it off...E was doubled after 3 months, increased to 3x the original dose after 6 months (my urging, bloodwork ok), then max dose after 9 months. I'm now at a small B after one year + 3 months.

One reason he increased it so fast was because we talked about when I was planning to get SRS (about 2 years from now)...he wanted me to have as much HRT changes as possible before SRS.

Don't let the docs drag their feet, unless there is an actively contraindicating condition. There are endos out there who will start people on full dose HRT from the word go, and there are no hard-and-fast rules on how much/when as far as doses go...it's all up to the discretion of the doc.


Now having said that...don't go against dr's orders. If you want more (i.e., better results) and your current doc won't approve....find a new one.

eta: fwiw, I also cut out 90% of the caffeine I had been drinking....from 4 cans/day of full-strength Coke to maybe one 20 oz/week.

[Joanna Dark]

How much caffeine do you drink on a normal day. From friends who have started HRT and stop drinking caffeine during that time. They've notice a big change. I've also heard (don't quote me on this that caffeine henders estrogen adsorption in the body.)

Actually that is a myth. Caffeine consumption raises estradiol levels, and HRT slows the metabolism of caffeine. So, it is probably good to keep it to a minimum but it won't effect HRT that much.

[ifonlyican14]

thanks for the reply

please be noted that iam on self medication due to the conditions of the country iam living in, i know i cant talk about doses off what iam taking, but i dont think it is that low, iam feeling slight grow in my breasts by there is no tenderness or pain as i said.

about caffeine, i love coffee, and two cups per day is a must.

thanks again