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Breat developing.....depressed?

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User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 17:01

can anyone give  a little advice on this subject area please? My husband has statrted to develop breasts on hormone treatment after radiotherapy and is finding it very hard to cope. He says he wants to stop the hormone treatment and cannot cope with more body problems after the exhaustion, incontinence and weight gain. Are the changes irreversible? Is there a support group locally? I don't know if he will join but think he needs help ...thoughts? Experiences? Please and thanks folks

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 20:49

I can't help on breast growth sorry but by replying it will go from the bottom of the Recent Posts list which means it will go off the page next to the top and perhaps get a reply.  Regards

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 17:01

can anyone give  a little advice on this subject area please? My husband has statrted to develop breasts on hormone treatment after radiotherapy and is finding it very hard to cope. He says he wants to stop the hormone treatment and cannot cope with more body problems after the exhaustion, incontinence and weight gain. Are the changes irreversible? Is there a support group locally? I don't know if he will join but think he needs help ...thoughts? Experiences? Please and thanks folks

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 21:09
Ah, I’d missed that he was 11 months into HT. He should really have been offered tamoxifen at the start. It seems to be a bit of a lottery whether you are or not, unfortunately.

Chris

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 22:59

I developed breast enlargement after RT and while on HT - Prostap in my case - and my nipples became very tender.   Even clothing rubbing against them made them sore.  Mentioned this to consultant who offered Tamoxifen but I am not good with pill type medication.  She agreed to give a RT zap to each breast bud and in reality it made little difference.  This was 15 months after RT had finished (I can remember this as I had recently moved house).

I'm on a hormone holiday (intermittent treatment) and the breast enlargement has receded back to normal with no nipple pain or tenderness.  That took around 6-9 months after stopping hormones.

Agree with the above, he should not stop his treatment but maybe ask if he can have intermittent hormone treatment like myself.  If you are worried about the outcome, don't be, the results for intermittent treatment effectiveness are the same as permanent treatment.  Or, maybe ask if he can try a different HT brand.

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 23:02
He is on curative RT/HT so hopefully, when he stops, he stops and won’t ever need to go back on them.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

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User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 20:49

I can't help on breast growth sorry but by replying it will go from the bottom of the Recent Posts list which means it will go off the page next to the top and perhaps get a reply.  Regards

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 20:54
Had your husband been given any treatment to prevent breast growth? The normal thing is to either have a blast of radiation to the breast-buds, or (more commonly) to be prescribed a low dose of a drug called tamoxifen. If he’s not on tamoxifen (a 10mg or 20mg tablet once a week is the normal dose) I’d really suggest getting in touch with his oncologist urgently to get it prescribed.

All the best,

Chris

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 20:58
Hi, if he started hormone treatment in January then it is too late for him to try RT to the breast buds, the only treatment that can sometimes prevent breasts from growing. However, he could ask his oncologist, specialist nurse or GP whether they are prepared to give him a prescription for tamoxifen which may slow down the breast growth now.

Stopping HT now might be unpopular with his specialist as the accepted thinking is that the longer he is on HT the more likely the RT is to work, and his PSA was so high at diagnosis that you probably shouldn't take any risks. There has been some new research though to suggest that HT makes no difference to the outcome in some cases so it is worth a conversation with the medics.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 21:09
Ah, I’d missed that he was 11 months into HT. He should really have been offered tamoxifen at the start. It seems to be a bit of a lottery whether you are or not, unfortunately.

Chris

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 22:59

I developed breast enlargement after RT and while on HT - Prostap in my case - and my nipples became very tender.   Even clothing rubbing against them made them sore.  Mentioned this to consultant who offered Tamoxifen but I am not good with pill type medication.  She agreed to give a RT zap to each breast bud and in reality it made little difference.  This was 15 months after RT had finished (I can remember this as I had recently moved house).

I'm on a hormone holiday (intermittent treatment) and the breast enlargement has receded back to normal with no nipple pain or tenderness.  That took around 6-9 months after stopping hormones.

Agree with the above, he should not stop his treatment but maybe ask if he can have intermittent hormone treatment like myself.  If you are worried about the outcome, don't be, the results for intermittent treatment effectiveness are the same as permanent treatment.  Or, maybe ask if he can try a different HT brand.

User
Posted 28 Nov 2018 at 23:02
He is on curative RT/HT so hopefully, when he stops, he stops and won’t ever need to go back on them.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 02 Dec 2018 at 09:00
Hi all, thanks for all your replies, my hubby has now joined this amazing site and is finding it really helpful.
User
Posted 14 Jan 2019 at 18:43

Can I just say that when my husband was told he had pca He was put straight onto hormone tablets & now on monthly injections.
We were told if it did affect his breasts that they could inject both sides to stop it happening . I have not seen anyone else refer to this ?

 

Edited by member 14 Jan 2019 at 18:45  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 14 Jan 2019 at 19:05
I have never heard of an injectable treatment for men on HT. Men with breasts as a result of oestrogen imbalance may have testosterone injections but that is obviously not going to apply to our men.

The only known treatments for HT related male breasts are tamoxifen or radiotherapy. The RT must be done before the HT starts and tamoxifen can't prevent breasts but can limit the amount they grow and reduce the pain.

In some areas, the CCG refuses to fund either option.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 14 Jan 2019 at 19:07
I know. But he said they inject at the side of each breast where the nerve is
 
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