Breast Tenderness?

[queenofhearts]

Have any of you had trouble with increased breast tenderness since going gluten-free? I've always had it in the week before my period, but since going gluten-free about 6 weeks ago, I seem to have a steadily increasing case. It's getting really uncomfortable! I'm hoping it's a temporary thing-- I know that celiac disease can affect hormones-- but ouch! Any thoughts/suggestions?

Leah

[Rikki Tikki]

Leah:

I am so glad you asked this. I have been having this problem for about six months, I mean it is really bad. There are times it feels like behind the nipple area is on fire and to go without a bra is awful. I am not pregnant and don't have those "parts", I have been to the doctor and had both a mammogram and sonogram and everything appears fine. But it is just awful. I really hope someone responds to this even if the cause is not eliac related.

[queenofhearts]

Leah:

I am so glad you asked this. I have been having this problem for about six months, I mean it is really bad. There are times it feels like behind the nipple area is on fire and to go without a bra is awful. I am not pregnant and don't have those "parts", I have been to the doctor and had both a mammogram and sonogram and everything appears fine. But it is just awful. I really hope someone responds to this even if the cause is not eliac related.

Are you recently Gluten-free? I'm just curious if it's a transition thing...

[kbtoyssni]

I don't remember having any breast tenderness, but I did grow a full cup size within a month of going gluten-free. I'm 24 so that was something I was not anticipating!

[queenofhearts]

WHAT!!!??? Really? I think I'm WAY too old for that to be happening (I'm 50) but I do feel that "swollen" feeling... reminds me of when I was pregnant actually, but THAT is NOT a possibility.

Leah

[julified]

I thought it was just me! Since I went gluten free three years ago my breasts have been tender and I also went up a whole cup size.

[queenofhearts]

I thought it was just me! Since I went gluten free three years ago my breasts have been tender and I also went up a whole cup size.

Hmmmm... maybe what I need is a bra fitting! This never occurred to me before, but now that I think of it, when I take off my bra at the end of the day it IS a relief... How bizarre! Did you gain weight? I've gained a couple of pounds, but not enough to have made a difference, I would have thought-- but maybe it's all going to my boobs! (My husband would like that-- if I weren't always saying "Ow, that hurts!)

Leah

[eKatherine]

For me, breast tenderness was always cyclical but based on excessive caffeine intake. If it got annoying, I could cut back and it would be fine in a few days. Since menopause it's still based on caffeine intake but no longer cyclical. Since I no longer do coffee, I only notice during periods of extreme tea drinking.

How's your caffeine intake? Maybe you could cut it back a bit.

[queenofhearts]

I do drink coffee, but always have, so that hasn't changed. I'll try cutting back & see if it helps.

Leah

[Camille'sBigSister]

Good morning, girls!

I don't know if my story will be of any help, but it might give someone an idea for further investigation.

I'm 73, and have been on HRT for a number of years. I take Estradiol, which my gyn orders for me from a compound pharmacy. A couple of years ago I was concerned because my energy level was going downhill, so I started taking a product called PhytoEstrogen by Solaray, thinking I could wean myself from Estradiol. The PhytoEstrogen is made from non-genetically modified soy, and also contains isoflavones, mexiyam, black cohosh, and dong quai. "Natural" is always better, right? Sometimes I do the dumbest things!

A month or so later my breasts got so sore and tender I couldn't stand to wear a bra. (I'm a skinny, scrawny little old woman, and my version of putting on a bra is this: Fasten on padded bra, then pull breasts up from waistline and stuff them into said bra. ) One day, while going through this procedure, I discovered a huge lump in my right breast. Long story short, I went to a surgeon who aspirated it, and it was nothing but a cyst.

I put two and two together, quit taking the PhytoEstrogen, and the whole problem went away. I've never admitted to a doctor what I had been taking! Miss Innocent, that's me!

I'm a total beginner on the gluten-free diet, so I don't have enough experience to find a connection between it and swollen, sore breasts. I do hope my info can point someone in the right direction.

Cissie

[jerseyangel]

Cissie--You are so funny! I'm so glad the lump turned out to be a cyst! Thanks for the heads-up

[queenofhearts]

I don't take any estrogen, & I haven't added a whole lot of soy to my diet, but I suppose I could be getting a little bit more than before. I bake most of my gluten-free stuff from scratch, & haven't used any soy in the recipes I've made, but I'll check crackers & so on to see if there might be some in there.

Leah

[CarlaB]

Mine got tender like they were when I was pregnant and grew. Even my 18 year old daughter who always teased me for being flat-chested noticed a difference (I was not flat-chested before kids). I did not gain weight beyond what I used to weigh (I gained the weight I lost) ... I don't think they're done judging by the way they still feel -- I hope they're not. I'm 43, so I certainly was not expecting a second puberty!!!

I think gluten-free does affect hormones -- my husband likes the other hormonal changes

[queenofhearts]

This gluten-free thing is just one surprise after the other! This is a real doozy!

Leah

[taz sharratt]

Have any of you had trouble with increased breast tenderness since going gluten-free? I've always had it in the week before my period, but since going gluten-free about 6 weeks ago, I seem to have a steadily increasing case. It's getting really uncomfortable! I'm hoping it's a temporary thing-- I know that celiac disease can affect hormones-- but ouch! Any thoughts/suggestions?

Leah

hi leah, ive been gluten-free since may this year and ive noticed my boobs being a lot more tender, its almost like when youve stopped breastfeeding and you boobs havent fed for a while and you feel all full, my youngest was 4 in november and even now i can still get milk ( colostrum) from my nipples from about 2 weeks due my period. i havent noticed a change in size just the uncomfortable feeling of it all. by the way im 33

[penguin]

I had that happen for several weeks after first being gluten-free, and it really wigged me out. See, I've been on the pill since I was 15 (thank god it cures acne) and I skipped a month of it at the same time as going gluten-free. My boobs got really sore and my period was 11 days late, I think I caused record profits for the pregnancy testing industry that month! I even ran out of my office in the middle of the afternoon for a blood test! It's funny now, but not so much at the time.

Anyway, the soreness continued for several more weeks, and I think it stopped 2 and a half months into being gluten-free. I don't know what that's about.

[queenofhearts]

Yes, that is exactly the feeling-- the full-up sensation! (No milk, but my kids are 19!)

I've just decided to go braless today (I work at home so this is an option) & see if any of the discomfort was from compression... so far it does feel a little better. Hmmm.

Leah

[CarlaB]

Yes, that is exactly the feeling-- the full-up sensation! (No milk, but my kids are 19!)

I've just decided to go braless today (I work at home so this is an option) & see if any of the discomfort was from compression... so far it does feel a little better. Hmmm.

Leah

Thank goodness for cami's. I've been wearing them instead of bras lately ... just the plain ones from Old Navy. They work under almost anything.

[queenofhearts]

I had that happen for several weeks after first being gluten-free, and it really wigged me out. See, I've been on the pill since I was 15 (thank god it cures acne) and I skipped a month of it at the same time as going gluten-free. My boobs got really sore and my period was 11 days late, I think I caused record profits for the pregnancy testing industry that month! I even ran out of my office in the middle of the afternoon for a blood test! It's funny now, but not so much at the time.

Anyway, the soreness continued for several more weeks, and I think it stopped 2 and a half months into being gluten-free. I don't know what that's about.

I'm glad my dh got that worry taken care of when he had his hernia operation! (Doc, while you're in there....)

Otherwise I would be freaking out, believe me! I can't afford 2 kids in college, gluten-free flour, new pots & pans AND a baby!!!

Leah

[kbtoyssni]

Hmmmm... maybe what I need is a bra fitting! This never occurred to me before, but now that I think of it, when I take off my bra at the end of the day it IS a relief... How bizarre! Did you gain weight? I've gained a couple of pounds, but not enough to have made a difference, I would have thought-- but maybe it's all going to my boobs! (My husband would like that-- if I weren't always saying "Ow, that hurts!)

Leah

I didn't gain or lose weight after going gluten-free which is why I found the whole situation so strange. I didn't make the connection to gluten until several months after. I was also one of those people who never got a period until I stopped eating gluten, so I think the hormones in my body finally evened out and I "finished" puberty.

[queenofhearts]

Curiouser & curiouser!

Folks, I think this is the explanation. I've been braless since this morning, & look ma, no pain! Why I didn't try this before, I don't know-- I guess it just didn't occur to me that such a thing was possible. Especially at my age! I mean, I've had pretty regular periods-- heck, I've had twins! & I'm not missing periods for menopause yet, so I thought I was pretty stable hormonally. Go figure!

Leah

[Guhlia]

I also went up like a cup size and a half when I went gluten-free. Well, mostly in the last year. I did gain some weight, but I've dropped most of it and my chest is still larger than ever before. Interesting... Now, my breasts get SUPER sore before my period, to the point where I often question whether or not I could be pregnant. I thought I was the only one. It only started happening after I went gluten free.

[CarlaB]

If we advertised this, almost every woman on the planet would go gluten-free!!

[marciab]

If we advertised this, almost every woman on the planet would go gluten-free!!

I've been watching this to see how it turns out. I have noticed changes here too. I'm 50 and flashing (hot) like a neon sign. So, I figured it was related to peri menopause.

[Rikki Tikki]

My, it was good to come home after a long day at work and laugh at the responses. I have also gone up a size, so I really don't know.

The only other thing is that leaving a bra off seems to make it worse and it only really feels better when I lay down.

I don't know what is up, just one more thing to drive me a little nuttier!

The only thing I can think of to do is have a little less caffine, I do drink diet pepsi and hate the thought of giving that up too. I haven't gained that much weight and even had someone ask me last week if I was pregnant, and that's not a possibility.