A Question For The Ladies

[mmmSmores]

I am newly gluten free, just about 2 months now. I am pretty sure that around the time I went gluten-free, i started experiencing lots and lots of tenderness in my breasts. Anyone else experience this? Its not the normal pre-menstrual symptoms i have had in the past. i am unsure if it is because of my new lifestyle, or if it independent of that and i need to see a doc.

[Lisa]

I am newly gluten free, just about 2 months now. I am pretty sure that around the time I went gluten-free, i started experiencing lots and lots of tenderness in my breasts. Anyone else experience this? Its not the normal premenstrual symptoms i have had in the past. i am unsure if it is because of my new lifestyle, or if it independent of that and i need to see a doc.

I don't know your age, but I started experiencing peri-menopause symptoms, including tender breast, at age 35, several years prior to my diagnosis. It lasted a good ten years.

[JNBunnie1]

I am newly gluten free, just about 2 months now. I am pretty sure that around the time I went gluten-free, i started experiencing lots and lots of tenderness in my breasts. Anyone else experience this? Its not the normal pre-menstrual symptoms i have had in the past. i am unsure if it is because of my new lifestyle, or if it independent of that and i need to see a doc.

It could easily be your body is detoxing and will cause inflammation, and breasts are naturally more reactive to that. But breasts are not something to toy with (pun intended) so I would at least mention it to a doctor, including your newly gluten-free status.

[ShayFL]

I agree. I have had tender breasts for years. But the doc. knows about it and I get checked out every year. Better safe.

[MELINE]

going gluten free causes changes in your hormones. It is a whole revolution for your body. Talk to your doctor, I agree. The only problem I had when I went gluten free was irregular period (which was regular for 14 years in a row). This irregularity lasted about 8 months.

....there is always a chance that this has nothing to do with going gluten free!!

Meline

[Bell]

I've been gluten free for a few months now, and I definitely noticed some tenderness in my breasts. How are your hormone levels? I had hoped that the tenderness was a sign that my system was waking itself up, and hopefully that my periods would return to normal, after vanishing for the last year.

any other pre/post-diagnosis symptoms? I'm really curious, as I've never heard anyone else mention the breast pain!

bell

[mmmSmores]

I've been gluten free for a few months now, and I definitely noticed some tenderness in my breasts. How are your hormone levels? I had hoped that the tenderness was a sign that my system was waking itself up, and hopefully that my periods would return to normal, after vanishing for the last year.

any other pre/post-diagnosis symptoms? I'm really curious, as I've never heard anyone else mention the breast pain!

bell

Bell is my last name! Weird...anyway, I just noticed it in the past few weeks. before they would be sore about the week befor my period. But now, it seems that a few days after it is over, they are sore (like it hurts to run up/down the stairs!) I can't really pinpoint any other symptoms...i can def. tell when i get glutened. its weird to feel bad for so long, that once you feel good, if you get hit with it, its bad! I can say that my menstrual cramp have decreased.

[purple]

My 19 yr old (now 20), didn't have tenderness ...but...she grew a whole cup size in a couple of months and had to get rid of her new bras and buy bigger ones...ha!

[kbtoyssni]

I was also going to suggest maybe they're getting bigger and the tenderness if from that. Some people won't go through puberty completely when eating gluten so going gluten free will cause puberty to finish up. Probably not a bad idea to mention it to your doctor though.

[DarkIvy]

When I went gluten-free, I grew a couple of sizes. Even then I wasn't completely gluten-free (in college, in a sorority house, couldn't cook for myself) and now that I'm totally gluten-free things have gotten a bit bigger again.

The first time around, I noticed a lot of soreness/tenderness. I never mentioned it to my doc, but I have a friend who says that breasts are like one big stress absorber and can start to hurt when you are stressed. I was pretty stressed at the time, but I'm not entirely sure I believe it.

[minton]

I never had breast pain before diagnosis but now it happens alot. Before, after, and during my period. They have also grown and I spoke to two doctors about it. One knows little of celiac but confirmed I'm not pregnant so I talked to the other. He's like a gluten free guru to me and he said it's somewhat common from what he's seen. It's like a second time around for starting puberty!

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

I had breast tenderness too. I'm 48 and according to the doctor, perimenopausal. I am also estrogen dominant so I am on a sublingual progesterone to help even out the estrogen. It has helped me a lot.

[nutrifoodie]

This is so interesting.. When I went gluten free in February.. all my periods after that were weird. I had a few heavy ones and light ones.. and then puttery ones, and then they just went away. I haven't had a normal period since March/April. I had breast tenderness/swelling before (after going gluten-free) and then it stopped, and then my periods stopped...

I also have subclinical hypothyroid that seemingly got worse quickly, and we are still figuring out the correct dosage. But I am starting to feel better. I need to get my periods back though, even though it's been glorious not having any

[Bell]

The stress of celiac disease definitely unbalances your body, hormones included. All I can think is that as long as we are eating the right diet, the hormones should be (gradually) returning to their correct levels, as far as they are able to. But then again, it is possible too that there has been some actual damage in the body's regulating system, and it will take more time and work before things settle back.

it seems strange that for you, nutrifoodie, they seem to have got worse initially. I hope this is only a part of the healing process, and not a longer term problem. It's odd, because I remember reading that absent periods were more likely to be related to hyperthyroidism than hypo.

[nutrifoodie]

The stress of celiac disease definitely unbalances your body, hormones included. All I can think is that as long as we are eating the right diet, the hormones should be (gradually) returning to their correct levels, as far as they are able to. But then again, it is possible too that there has been some actual damage in the body's regulating system, and it will take more time and work before things settle back.

it seems strange that for you, nutrifoodie, they seem to have got worse initially. I hope this is only a part of the healing process, and not a longer term problem. It's odd, because I remember reading that absent periods were more likely to be related to hyperthyroidism than hypo.

I have to say no about the hyperthyroid.

I definitely have HYPOthyroid, that wasn't what I was hinting at.

My point was that after going gluten free my hormones started changing. Amenorhea is connected to hypothyroidism, as well, so that's why I mentioned that.

Sorry if that was confusing, you can message me if you wish to clarify.