[sarahm]

So, you know (women) the breast pain that accompanies the time before/during the menstrual cycle!?

The past 4-5 months, my boobs have hurt from between 2-3 weeks prior to AF (they used to hurt a week or less), and the pain has increased to almost unbearable. My mom always things I'm pregnant, but still, AF comes... Does anyone have any ideas as to why the increase in pain and length of pain?? Any experiences?

Everything I read online says to cut out caffeine. Funnily enough, I stopped drinking caffeine in April (6 months ago, and prior to the increase in pain) as I am semi-trying for, or at least not preventing pregnancy.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Sarah

[ShayFL]

Chocolate and tea have caffeine also...enough to cause this. Google Evening Primrose Oil. It really got rid of my breast pain (years ago). I still take it.

[Mother of Jibril]

Hi Sarah,

How regular are your periods? Maybe this is totally out in left field, but what if you've been pregnant once or twice and had an early miscarriage?

My breasts were really sore the first time I got pregnant... I could hardly stand to take a shower and the water pressure wasn't even that high. I didn't take a pregnancy test until AF was more than a week overdue... my cycles were always kind of irregular and AF was very heavy (ugh).

My husband and I also went through several months of "not preventing" before our three-year-old daughter was conceived If you want to be more aware of your cycles, a book that I can recommend is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. It teaches you how to figure out if/when you're ovulating... if you go eighteen days past ovulation without seeing AF you can assume you're pregnant.

Early miscarriages are very common (as much as 50% within the first week), but sadly I've become aware that gluten intolerance and autoimmune disorders increase your risk of pregnancy loss.

[sarahm]

MOJ -

My periods have always been irregular, and always very heavy (birth control does NOT agree with me and makes it worse). Since I have been gluten-free, my periods have run 35-45 days and I no longer skip months like I used to - which is great!! As far as miscarriages, it is possible for sure, but it seems like too many months in a row to miscarry each month, if that makes sense. But with Celiac, it is so hard to know anything and predict what other aspects of my health it is affecting!! I am going to continue to keep an eye on my ovulation (I keep track of CM) and breast pain, and try to cut out chocolate, caffeinated tea, AND try to find the Primrose oil. At least this is a start and I can see what happens next month!! Oh, and go to the doctor too Thanks for your help and suggestions ladies!
Sarah

[MyMississippi]

Fibrocystic breasts ????? underwire bras????? Hormone problems ????

I've had boob pain all my adult life------ going caffeine free helped a lot----- but nothing got rid of it til menapause----

[ksymonds84]

MyMississippi, on Oct 9 2008, 11:02 PM, said:

Fibrocystic breasts ????? underwire bras????? Hormone problems ????

I've had boob pain all my adult life------ going caffeine free helped a lot----- but nothing got rid of it til menapause----

I too was going to mention the underwire bra. If one of mine gets the slightest out of shape I start to hurt. Olga has come out with some nice wireless bra's that still has a nice lift. Hope you find the cause.

[JNBunnie1]

I've had more tender breats since going gluten-free, but I think it's because they've gotten larger from the wieght gain, and so when they swell up on my period they're bloody huge and hurt like heck and sitck straight out, then after my period they relax again. Have you experienced a change in size?

[sarahm]

I have two sets of bras - one for the three weeks they hurt and our huge (relatively speaking) and the other for the other 2-3 weeks prior to ovulation!! I spent about $100 on pregnancy tests in the last few months, but no more (looked up a million stories about bleeding during pregnancy too!) because I couldn't explain the dramatic increase in size and pain vs. what I was used to the first 17 years of menstruation!

[JNBunnie1]

sarahm, on Oct 10 2008, 04:40 PM, said:

I have two sets of bras - one for the three weeks they hurt and our huge (relatively speaking) and the other for the other 2-3 weeks prior to ovulation!! I spent about $100 on pregnancy tests in the last few months, but no more (looked up a million stories about bleeding during pregnancy too!) because I couldn't explain the dramatic increase in size and pain vs. what I was used to the first 17 years of menstruation!

Huh. I dunno! Mine had to do with weight gain. I need stretchy bras, but not separate ones. They just bulge over the top a bit.... oh well. I'd ask your girly doctor if they think this is normal.

[lpellegr]

My first month gluten-free I gained a whole painful cup size, maybe because I was starting to absorb nutrients that affected my hormones. I think occasionally when I get glutened it affects the timing of my cycle and whether or not I get breast pain.

[purple]

lpellegr, on Oct 10 2008, 04:03 PM, said:

My first month gluten-free I gained a whole painful cup size, maybe because I was starting to absorb nutrients that affected my hormones. I think occasionally when I get glutened it affects the timing of my cycle and whether or not I get breast pain.

My 19 year old grew a whole cup size in a few short months but never complains about pain.

[JNBunnie1]

purple, on Oct 11 2008, 12:32 AM, said:

My 19 year old grew a whole cup size in a few short months but never complains about pain.

Was that when she went gluten free?

[knowurgluten]

You might have fibrocystic breast disease. I have this and my breasts get very painful and as I approach pre menopause, I am getting lumps that are concerning.