Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Bandango42]

Hi all

I wondered if anyone had any tips on how to cope with extremely sore breasts? I'm 43, peri and have been on evorel patches & utrogestan 200mg for 12 days per month for the last 14 months. Started on 25 patch for 3 mths, then 50 for 2 mths, went up to 75 in Nov 22 which I've stayed on. Never really felt better mood wise until April 23 when I noticed I felt better than I had since I started my HRT journey. Everything is much better... mood, anxiety, joint pain etc. However, at the same time I started to feel great, my boobs started to hurt. There's no let up, they kill day & night. They are also much bigger (which I'm not complaining about, always wanted bigger boobs 😂).

I'm loathe to change my dosage as apart from this I feel like my old self again and don't want to upset the apple cart.

I'm guessing my own oestrogen has increased somewhat which is why it's happening but it's a little tiring dealing with the soreness all day, every day.

Does anyone have any advice on how to cope with this? Can't really rely on painkillers every day. Any natural supplements that would help? I might get a bra fitting to see if that helps.

Any advice gratefully received, thanks.

[Flossieteacake]

I think getting a bra fitting is a very good idea. You may also find it helps to change the style of bra. Comfort bras, light support sports bras or non wired may be an option. I have found a website called boob or bust have a fantastic calculator if you wanted to try and measure yourself. They use a different way of measuring to the standard one.

As for natural supplements you could try starflower capsules or evening primrose capsules. 

[Bandango42]

Thank you flossie, that's really helpful x

[Donna-paul]

A breast Dr told me evening primrose oil capsules worth a try

[Kathleen]

Hello Bandango42

Sore and swollen breasts have been a sign of high Oestrogen for me and as I am post meno this has always been due to HRT. On each occasion I have reduced my Oestrogen and the pain and swelling has resolved. As you say, being peri means it is more likely that your own Oestrogen is contributing.

I never used any natural remedies but I wish I had as I think they are a good idea and definitely worth a try.

Take care.

K.

[SarahT]

I always had extremely sore boobs that were cyclical. Like you mine have increased in size ( a happy bonus) and some times when I increased the patch they were sore almost 24 hours a day.
I would wear a soft sorts bra in bed on worse days. Much of my menstrual life I used evening primrose oil, with a great result. Most natural remedies take a while to feel full benefits, a  high strength vegan one I get from Boots works well for me. I stopped for a while once starting hrt, but have begun again mostly as a sore Boob preventative measure but also in th hope it helps joint stiffness and low moods too

[Bandango42]

Thank you all for replying, I'll definitely give evening primrose oil a try. Like I said I really don't want to reduce my estrogen because apart from the boobs issue I feel great and don't want to go back to how I was feeling.

Never did I think I'd be complaining about big, swollen boobs. I've waited my whole life to have boobs this big 🤣

[Elizabethlovejoy]

I am 68 and have been on HRt for last ten years. 4 pumps oestrogel ,  utrogestan and androfemme via Newson health
I developed sore breasts this summer which were very uncomfortable .
I had a phone appointment with Newson health . I confirmed both breasts were equally sore. She said possibly in the recent heat I was absorbing more oestrogel as some women do absorb better with heat but to try 2 capsules starflower a day. That was a month ago and the starflower oil has certainly worked for me.

[Bandango42]

Thank you Elizabeth, I will also look at trying starflower capsules. That's interesting about the heat as looking back, my feeling better and the sore boobs coincided with a trip to Cape Verde and also when the UK weather started to heat up. Maybe there's some truth in that.

I have also noticed that when I take my patch off, it stuck hard & quite painful to remove. I sometimes get bruising where the patch has been, almost like a love bite. Not sure if because it's attached to my skin so well, I absorb more? Who knows!

[DottyD68]

Really interesting post Elizabeth. Thank you.

I've been on Oestrogel and Utrogestan sequi for nearly 2 years. I was in France for a month in May and the weather was in the 30s most days. By the end of May my boobs were so swollen and sore - the worst they have ever been. So uncomfortable and quite distressing. I was hoping that on my 2 weeks off utrogestan they would reduce (as they usually do) but I arrived back to the heatwave and suffered with them throughout June. It's only in this last week or so they have reduced in size and are not at all tender anymore, thank goodness. My hands are less swollen too. I wonder now if this is because the weather and my own body temperature has reduced to more normal temperatures affecting the Oestrogel absorption rate?

I have been taking evening primrose for years but last week started a combination of evening primrose and starfower oil from Holland and Barrett to address the tenderness. The Starflower oil may also have helped.