Pain and puffiness in breast area? On finasteride 1mg

xp15

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I visited my doctor today to get a new prescription for finasteride. I mentioned to him that after being on it for two months I haven't really had any major side effects. I did mention that I had reduced libido (I felt maybe 20-30% decline), but that it subsided a few weeks later. He seemed surprised by this and suggested that I strongly consider stopping the finasteride if I get reduced sex drive again.

After that, he asked me if I had experienced any pain in the breast area. This is something I had noticed, but I didn't really think too much into it and didn't associate it with the finasteride. I didn't even think to mention it to him until he asked. He examined my breast area and said that they appear to be kind of puffy. He suggested I monitor them as well to see if there is growth in that area. He said that if there is more growth it can only be repaired by an expensive surgery that won't be covered by insurance.

All I can say is that I'm very sure there is more "puffiness" than there was before I started finasteride. There is also definitely pain around and underneath the nipple area. It's not strong pain, just mildly annoying. I am wondering if anyone here has experienced this. Is it something that I might "ride out" like the reduced libido and hope that it doesn't get worse or subsides?

I could post pictures of this area of my body, but I am not sure if this is allowed on the forum. Let me know and I will post.
 

Raz

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I had this "sensitive nipple" -thing for a few months after starting finasteride. Like, if I would have a T-shirt or something that would get glued on me for some reason, then that friction and other factors would make (in my case) left nipple feel very sensitive and sort of puffy, yeah. (This kind of thing never happened pre-finasteride, with the sensitivity and all).

It subsided completely after like 6-7 months of finasteride use (and even then it was infrequent), but I did monitor whether I would develop some gyno-issues. Been on finasteride for a year now and all seems normal.
 

xp15

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Returning to this thread because this side effect is still occurring, sadly. I've noticed a periodic sensation in the breast area, it's actually quite a painful stinging. There's definitely a puffiness in my breast area that has not improved since last month. And definitely not imagining it, as it was not like this before I started finasteride.

The problem is, I don't think gyno is enough to stop me from taking it. After all, do I choose between larger breasts or no hair? etc. that all depends on whether they get bigger or not, which I guess is impossible for me to tell.

Has anybody tried anything to try and "counter" the gyno side effect on finasteride?
 

Notcoolanymore

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Getting gyno would make me stop taking it.
 

xRedStaRx

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Returning to this thread because this side effect is still occurring, sadly. I've noticed a periodic sensation in the breast area, it's actually quite a painful stinging. There's definitely a puffiness in my breast area that has not improved since last month. And definitely not imagining it, as it was not like this before I started finasteride.

The problem is, I don't think gyno is enough to stop me from taking it. After all, do I choose between larger breasts or no hair? etc. that all depends on whether they get bigger or not, which I guess is impossible for me to tell.

Has anybody tried anything to try and "counter" the gyno side effect on finasteride?

Lose a LOT of weight.

Get to less than 10% bodyfat.
 

smyth01

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For the first 2 weeks of finasteride I did get pain in both nipple areas, plus itching, but it completely disappeared on its own pretty much over night. In this time I also had a raging sex drive. Not sure if they are
both related but whatever happened it all evened out pretty quickly.

By the way, depending where you live, and if you are prepared to travel, gyno surgery can be pretty damn cheap. Some Turkish doctors offer it for 1200 euros inc a stay. Remember you can use nolvadex aswell. From
what I have research, a single 10mg dose can have effects for upto 2 weeks.
 

Notcoolanymore

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Look at this way. If you had a shaved head and also had gynecomastia and went running around a lake in public with your shirt off what are you going to be more self conscious about? The bald head or the man boobs? To me the choice is painfully obvious.

I told the dude if he had gyno to stop taking finasteride and you gave me negative rep. I am pretty much agreeing with you???
 
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my left nipple got swollen real hard for few days
 

xp15

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Look at this way. If you had a shaved head and also had gynecomastia and went running around a lake in public with your shirt off what are you going to be more self conscious about? The bald head or the man boobs? To me the choice is painfully obvious.

Yeah I get that. But does that apply if I almost never take my shirt off? The head is ALWAYS visible unless you wear a hat all day. Gyno will be covered by a shirt when I go to class, work, etc.. anywhere. Well, it depends on how big it gets I suppose. There's a little bit there now and you can't tell the difference before and after if I keep a shirt on. I don't think stopping finasteride is gonna make that go away according to what I've read, it's a sunk cost. If it were to stop growing where it is right now I wouldn't mind. But again I have no way of knowing what will happen. The fact that I'm getting a stinging sensation tells me it could still be growing.

To all the people who say to lose weight. I already weigh only 115 pounds at 5'6''. Not much more I can lose.

And to those suggesting tamoxifen, do people really use that WHILE staying on finasteride? The idea of treating a side effect of one drug with another drug seems like it could go on forever until I'm taking 5 things.... but I'll look into it.
 

smyth01

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Yeah I get that. But does that apply if I almost never take my shirt off? The head is ALWAYS visible unless you wear a hat all day. Gyno will be covered by a shirt when I go to class, work, etc.. anywhere. Well, it depends on how big it gets I suppose. There's a little bit there now and you can't tell the difference before and after if I keep a shirt on. I don't think stopping finasteride is gonna make that go away according to what I've read, it's a sunk cost. If it were to stop growing where it is right now I wouldn't mind. But again I have no way of knowing what will happen. The fact that I'm getting a stinging sensation tells me it could still be growing.

To all the people who say to lose weight. I already weigh only 115 pounds at 5'6''. Not much more I can lose.

And to those suggesting tamoxifen, do people really use that WHILE staying on finasteride? The idea of treating a side effect of one drug with another drug seems like it could go on forever until I'm taking 5 things.... but I'll look into it.


One short tamoxifen cycle per year might b enough to prevent gyno.

The scary thing is people claiming they are developing gyno in weeks! That must be down to some serious estrogen problems.
 

hellouser

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Wanna have hair? Turn into the sex that rarely suffers from hair loss.

Great solution, Merck. :jackit:
 

Wolf Pack

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I would stop OP in your position. Fact is you are getting issues with your breast, possibly gynae and long term there has been reports of breast cancer cases. Clearly the medication is not suited for you so why keep taking it.
 
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