Unexplained breast pain and lots of hormones

[littlecordelera]

This has been a real saga, but I will try to be brief.

Some months ago I began to have a sharp burning sensation in my left breast. It was moderate pain, nothing severe, but enough to be distracting. I went to the doctor and went through all the standard tests, exams, etc., including a mammogram (which was far more breast pain that I was already dealing with. I swear, I think that bitch was trained by the Nazis.). The blood work came back no good so we did it all again. The second blood work came back just like the first and the doctor said I had high hormone levels. I told him that I already knew that. He sent me to an endocrinologist, anyway.

The endo did his own set of blood work and came back with the same results. Meanwhile, the breast pain disappeared. I spent the next few months with the endo trying to figure out why my hormone levels are high, even though I told him I have already been through all this before (another long story). As it turns out (had my last appointment today), the endo was left scratching his head as to why my hormone levels are high and yet I don't have any symptoms - except for the fact that I don't have a hormonal imbalance. They're all high.

Meanwhile, my regular doctor says that the breast pain I described is common for women with a hormonal imbalance and nothing to be concerned about.

But I don't have a hormonal imbalance. I have a lot of hormones.

My question is this: has anyone else had unexplained breast pain that was no big deal? I'm kind of stuck in the middle here.

 

[simplegirl]

Well, how old are you, and are you on hormone replacement therapy, birth control, Mirena? And which hormones are high? thyroid or FSH/LH?

If all your tests came out normal (mammo, ultrasound) and you don't feel any lumps, I wouldn't worry too much on that score. It sounds like it may be hormones affecting your mammary glands. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

You do eat a lot of soy or soy products? including soya sauce, tofu, soy milk...? Another thought are BPA and phytoestrogens in plastics. Do you store foods in plastics, stick them in the microwave, use a Keurig or Tassimo coffee maker (think little plastic pods), etc.,..? I don't know if there would be dietary link, but I'm just throwing it out there.

I know our bodies are amazing, but they can also do some weird shit. Hope you feel better soon!

edit: and did they do a ct scan of the brain, by any chance?

 

[Cumference]

"Mastalgia" is quite common in women 30-50 years of age, quite often has no clearly identifiable cause and does not seem to be linked to any serious diseases.

..... It is just a pain in the, well, you know where.

 

[littlecordelera]

I'm 37. I don't take hormones, birth control pills, or anything for that matter. I don't even take vitamins.

They did a brain scan years ago to see if I had a pituitary tumor. Did another one this time around. There's nothing there. I did blossom very young. I had real curves by the time I was in middle school (Oh, the torture that was!). And no, I'm not overweight and never have been. I guess that had something to do with my hormone levels.

I'm familiar with mastalgia. The pain I had was sharp, burning, and localized. Like a cigarette lighter was being held under my breast.

 

[simplegirl]

Great! anything nasty was eliminated. It doesn't help the pain, but at least you know it's nothing to be concerned about. I recall a friend took evening primrose oil for mastalgia. I can't recall if it helped or not, but seems to me it did a bit.

 

[sunandshadow]

The only time I had that kind of a sharp burning pain for no apparent reason it was due to a new stretch mark forming.

 

[SweetErika]

Are you willing/able to consult with a licensed Naturopath or other alternative/complementary medicine practitioner? My mom even sees a ND who specializes in endocrinology and women's health. Perhaps a ND, or even acupuncturist/herbalist, will have some other ideas for you to try, in order to relieve the pain and/or resolve the source of the issue?

 

[littlecordelera]

Are you willing/able to consult with a licensed Naturopath or other alternative/complementary medicine practitioner? My mom even sees a ND who specializes in endocrinology and women's health. Perhaps a ND, or even acupuncturist/herbalist, will have some other ideas for you to try, in order to relieve the pain and/or resolve the source of the issue?

But I don't know what it is I would be trying to fix. My breast pain has been gone for months, and I've always had high hormonal levels. The high levels have never caused me a problem. Maybe they are the reason for my high sex drive, but that is the last thing I want to change.

If the pain comes back, sure! I'll try it. I'll stick pins in a doll if I think it will help, but mostly I'm just wondering if other women have had unexplained breast pain that lasted about two weeks, disappeared, and the doctor sort of shrugged off.

 

[SweetErika]

Sorry, LC, somehow I missed that your pain had been gone for months.

Hopefully you'll stay pain-free! Maybe it'd be helpful to keep a journal of what you're doing now WRT diet, exercise and lifestyle factors, while you're pain free for a month or so, then doing the same if the pain ever returns.

 

[Corbal]

I have also had inexplicable pain, at times in my left breast. I tried to keep a diary of when I felt the pain and the issues surrounding such. I kept track of my diet, how long the pains lasted, pain scales between 1 and 10, and if I had exercised that day. I took all of this information to my OBGYN. After a thorough examination, she explained that the breast is full of nerves and at times these nerves react for several reasons and cause pain. At times, it began under my armpit and radiated to the tip of my nipple. She assured me it was not abnormal. I am 33, have a had a partial hysterectomy and do not take any type of hormones. I have had extremely high estrogen counts and very low progesterone counts. These pains have been present since having children. I'm not implying there may not be something wrong, but at times, things are painful for no apparent reason.

 

[TheSilverLining]

The was you described it as a sharp burning, stinging pain made me think thrush.

But I'm not even sure if you can develop thrush in non-lactating (I assume) breasts..... (sorry, just thinking aloud).

Hope you stay pain-free.

 

[littlecordelera]

Thank you all for your responses. At least I know someone else has had inexplicable pain.

I never would have considered thrush, since I'm not lactating, but I decided it was worth looking up to see if it can happen in non-lactating breasts. That got very interesting...

Thrush is caused by a combination of a bacteria that is always on the skin and the warm, moist environment of the baby's mouth. A warm, moist environment.

I do Crossfit, and since I work from home, oftentimes I return from the gym and get right back to work still wearing my sweaty bra - a warm, moist environment. Can you imagine if that's all it was? I went through all this shit because I've been leaving my sweaty bra on?

I don't know if that is what caused it, but from now on, I think I'll refrain from sitting around in a wet bra.

 

[quietlylooking]

High estrogen levels can cause breast swelling and pain, and I have had some issues with that at times. Estrogen levels vary during the normal menstrual cycle, and also can get quite erratic and spike at time during perimenopause, but you are a bit young for that.

 

[warrior queen]

Something a little left-of-centre to think about.....
I get shingles. The lesion itself is only 2cm diameter, but if it flares up I also get several areas of burning/stabbing pain on other areas of my skin, with no physical signs.
They are.so painful I can't even wear loose silk clothing on them!
Sometimes I get these even when my shingles isn't active.
Apparently quite.common to have disociative nerve pain.
The areas affected are halfway down my left thigh, the top of my right ear, and the underside.of my right breast - sometimes all at once.and.sometimes just one of them (randomly).
Could be something to.check out?

 

[littlecordelera]

I knew that high estrogen levels can cause breast pain; however, if I understood the endo correctly, it's not the level itself, but its ratio with respect to other hormones. As you so often hear, problems arise if there is a hormonal imbalance. My estrogen is high, but it is not out of proportion to my progesterone, testosterone, etc.

I never would have thought of shingles, but shingles always have some sort of skin rash or lesion or something, right? I never had any noticeable skin irritation with the pain, and the pain seemed to be inside my breast, not on the skin. I only suspect thrush because I was reading that it can move up the breast duct and infect the plumbing inside.

I'm just glad to hear that someone else has had unexplained breast pain. I was beginning to get a little concerned since none of my friends have had any.

 

[warrior queen]

I knew that high estrogen levels can cause breast pain; however, if I understood the endo correctly, it's not the level itself, but its ratio with respect to other hormones. As you so often hear, problems arise if there is a hormonal imbalance. My estrogen is high, but it is not out of proportion to my progesterone, testosterone, etc.

I never would have thought of shingles, but shingles always have some sort of skin rash or lesion or something, right? I never had any noticeable skin irritation with the pain, and the pain seemed to be inside my breast, not on the skin. I only suspect thrush because I was reading that it can move up the breast duct and infect the plumbing inside.

I'm just glad to hear that someone else has had unexplained breast pain. I was beginning to get a little concerned since none of my friends have had any.

Shingles.does not always have lesions - I frequently get the skin pain/burning with no lesion or other sighs. Always in those same three spots.
The virus lives at the ends of nerves so it makes sense that when it activates, the nerves are infinitely more sensitive.

Like I said, it may not be shingles for you, but it's worth checking perhaps.

 

[littlecordelera]

I didn't know that shingles could have no visible signs. I also didn't know it could reoccur. I thought once you went though shingles it was done and over with. I'll look it up. Thank you!