[lizziep]

So I've been told I have fibrocystic breasts by my doctor, and had an ultrasound to confirm this. I have been looking online at treatments and I'm not seeing much consistency... anything from taking Vitamin E to stop wearing a bra (NOT an option with DDD's!)
Wondering if anyone has had any success with any treatments at all?? This is a major obstacle for me because sometimes they hurt so much I don't want to exercise and jostle them!

ugh... my boobs are broken.

[Tai]

I too have fibrocystic breasts. Years ago my doctor told me to eliminate all caffeine from my diet to reduce pain and it has really helped. I'm not a coffee drinker, but I do drink a ton of tea so I switched over to decaf. Another good reason to give up chocolate as well!

[lauralyn]

I have this problem and have had surgery twice 20 and 19 years ago to remove the lumps.

The last one I had that I could really feel ( I supposedly have one now) my dr told me to use vitamin E and it worked...maybe it was a fluke but the lump went away.

My mother has breast cancer right now and I am 39 and at my pap and physical last month the dr said she felt another lump...right where all the others have developed so I am not too worried but I will be going for a mamo in April to make sure it is ok.

I was told when I was 19/20 to eliminate caffiene and to stay off of hormonal bc....I still drink coffee but I stayed away from any hormonal bc and for years I had no problems until I was around 30 and that is the lump my dr told me to use the vitamin e on. *shrugs* it can't hurt for you to try it.

[bronzeager]

Argh, the server just ate my reply. Let me try again.

Fibrocystic breasts aren't really a disease but a variation of normal. So they don't really need "treatment" unless they are uncomfortable. Good support is very helpful, especially when you are exercising. Not the Lycra stretchy bras, but the industrial strength ones that prevent any bounce. Enell makes some, Title 9 has a variety on their web page. I just found out they make special no-bounce bras for equestrians, which sounds promising.

I had a breast reduction about 5 years ago, not because they were fibrocystic -- that was when I first found out actually -- but because they were very large and heavy and saggy, and had been since before I was 30 years old. The reduction in weight helped enormously, and they are much closer to my chest which makes everything more comfortable also. (Still DDD in width but not in length anymore, ha ha. OK, that's probably TMI.) With the armor bras, I can run and even do jumping jacks if I grit my teeth (Jillian Michaels really has no clue when she says everyone can do jumping jacks.) That's not a treatment for fibrous breasts, of course, but if you are very large the weight can increase the discomfort.

When my doctor first told me I found a lot of helpful information on the Mayo Clinic web page: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fib...reasts/DS01070
They also mention eliminating caffeine, which I've never tried because I like my coffee too much.

[Aclai4067]

I never really thought about looking for treatment for it. When my doctor mentioned it, she mentioned it as if it were (as the above post mentions) just a variation of normal. I've never had too much pain with mine though. More like mild to moderate tenderness. It does make breast exams difficult though. They're so lumpy, how am I supposed to notice a new lump? Would a cancer lump feel different?

[lauralyn]

Yanno, I actually have fibroadenomas I believe they are called so it may be a bit different.

[jessicado22]

My mom had fibrocystic breasts about 7 years ago. They wanted to do surgery and put her on those hormone pills. She researched and started using progesterone cream. It is pretty spendy (About $20 a bottle), but you just use a little bit in the morning and at night and rub it onto your breasts. Her lumps started disappearing and eventually they were gone completely. I started to get lumps a few years ago, and started the same procedure and had the same results. There are many scam progesterone creams on the market online, so make sure you get the good stuff. Your local health store should be able to tell you more info.

From what I understand, our bodies are subjected to mass amounts of estrogen from all the plastic surrounding us. Estrogen is found in petroleum products, including lotions, etc. and in the plastics our water and food come in. While estrogen is great in normal doses, the extreme high amounts women are being subjected to is one of the major leading contributors to cancers and other issues like fibrocystic breasts. The progesterone helps to combat this and balance your bodies hormones out. I would also suggest that if you are not already, you might want to start avoiding any lotions that contain parabens or things like vaseline or mineral oil. Don't microwave your food in plastic containers, and try to avoid drinking or eating out of plastic that has been heated in any way as that is what causes stuff to leech out. Our whole family has switched to glass tupperware, stainless steel water bottles, and there has been no lumps that have reappeared.

[lizziep]

if it was just lumpiness and worrying about cancer - well that's one thing. it's the aching horrid pain that is borthering me. last night it was so bad, i took some pain reliever in the hopes that it would help some.
i think given your feed back i'm going to try to no caffeine and taking vitamin E, if it doesn't help i will do some more searching on the progesterone cream.

i never thought about estrogen in plastics, and i certainly do my fair share of reheating things in plastic tupperware and i never go anywhere without my Nalgene bottle in hand. unfortunately i can't stop taking my birth control pills because they regular the horrid pain and bleeding i have from my other cyst problems.

thanks again for all the feed back. i'm glad i'm not alone. off to find an "industrial" bra to try to hold 'em up and in place!

[YouWhoLouWho]

I have had problems with cysts for many years, but it has become worse as I near premenopause. I just had one become so painful that I had to wear bras to sleep. Exercise was out! I had to have needle aspirations done to resolve it. I now know that I never want breast implants!
Not sure if you have thickening of the tissue or fluid filled cysts, but my doctor suggested reducing caffeine intake and taking evening primrose oil for cysts.