EXTREMELY SENSITIVE NIPPLES AND TICKLING SENSATION

[Flowerlady]

For 6 months, I have been having extreme sensivity in both nipples plus a "tickling" sensation in the left breast shooting towards the left nipple and coming up into it from underneath it. I also have a greenish-black discharge on left side (I was told that this is normal breast "sweat"). I have been to 2 ob/gyns, a breast surgeon, an endochronolgist, an internist and a breast caner specialist. I am post-menopausal, age 56, was on natural progesterone and triestrogen for 4 1/2 years (stopped it right after this sensitivity started) , am taking Eve. Primrose oil & Vit. E., have tried topical anesthetics on the breasts, but have gotten no relief at all. Mammos are all normal except for cysts. I have no diagnosis and am desperate for help. I can not tolerate this sensation much longer since it is affecting my sleep, and I am almost homebound because I can't tolerate the sensation. This is NOT pain but a continuous sensitivity in both nipples and the tickling sensation is just awful, like having the nipples stimulated 24/7. I am wearing hard plastic nipple shields inside my bra since I cannot tolerate ANYTHING coming in contact with my nipples. They only work a little since the entire aerola is also just as sensitive. Plus, they do not help with the "tickling" sensation. Has anyone ever heard of this and, if so, what is it and what can be done to make it go away??? ANY help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Najon]

I have the exact same problem, and it is driving me insane.  Did you ever find out what was causing it?

[ryankristine612]

I am 24 and have the SAME thing it started about 3 1/2 months ago and is worse- last night I kept waking up in such a frenzy from the itch from deep underneath. Which has lead me to look up any info on it. I have no discharge but fear this is not normal. Please write me on any info you find- ***@****   thanks- Krisitne

[Najon]

I spent five months in torture before this stopped.  When I began taking Effexor AGAIN (had stopped cold turkey), it went away in about three weeks.

No doctor would confirm that stopping the antidepressant cold turkey was the problem, but I know in my heart that it was.  

I will check back to see is you get this message.

[katsmeow53]

Hi,
I have had the same thing....It started out as severe itching. I had that and still do for about 5 yrs now.  have been to several Drs but none of them seem to know what it is....My OBGYN gave me a cream..Kenolog  0.1% which helped with the itching somewhat...but now I have extremely sensitive nipples that sound just like what you have.....It is an arousing feeling but also a tingling feeling...any contact at all makes them erect and stimulated....at first I was happy about it...because I have had a little trouble in the arousal department.  But this is ridiculous.  My Dr. did increase my hormones at the same time.he gave me the cream .(because I was suffering from depression)  I feel great in that dept.  so I don't want to go back to that....
When the itching first started I decreased my hormones....and the itching actually got worse......when I last went to the Dr.and he gave me the cream it was because the itching had reached a point of waking me up at night I was taking a brush to them to try to relieve it.....very bad....the cream has helped the itch but now I have this tingling, constant state of arousal feeling going on.....It is driving me crazy, although my husband is loving it...since I am constantly horny.   I am 55 and have been on HRT for 15 yrs....
Don't know that this will help you any,  But thought I would share my story.
Kathy

[cjallen]

Oh my gosh.. I have the same problem!!! I have had it for 2 years. Been to my PCP, Gyn, Endocronologist, Breast specalist.. No one can find anything wrong. Mammo is negative and have some bloodwork pending. Hopefully something will show so they can fix this. I cry about it almost every day, the itching is so bad I have sereously almost cut my nipple off. ( its only on one side for me) If anyone finds a reason for this please post it. It is the worst thing I have ever had.

[yayahh]

i'm completely blown away that so many people are sharing the same problem as i do. i came online to look for answers because i cant get it anywhere else. i'm 23 and it started with a really intense itching feeling. but from the inside. i have no discharge but my nipples are so sensitive and hurt so badly that i'n afraid to take off my bra after having it on for any length of time.my breast have increased in size immensely. and no i'm not pregnant because i'm a lesbian. i've been extremely emotional lately. i catch myself going off the deep end sometimes but i'm still not able to stop myself. i would really love it if someone, anyone had answers that could help me.

[Rosanna7]

This just started happening to me just the other day after I had sex, it was a great feeling then, but the next day at work, I had extreme sensitivity in my left nipple to the point I was having small orgasms sitting in the seat!  I can feel this tickling sensation not only in my left nipple, but also in my genital area, especially my clitoris.  I was afraid to discuss this with anyone, because I thought they would think I was crazy, but now the sensation is becoming worse, and it is scaring me!  I don't want to take medication, I am not menopausal yet, but at 44, I'm sure it is coming.  Please advise!  Thanks, Rosanna

[mikaela1979]

i currently have that problem you're experiencing right now after i have had surgery with my left breast.i had mass removal from both breasts,but a nerve was probably affected when the surgeon was suturing the excision.now,i don't know if this would help,but the doctor told me to take vitamin B complex.i can't feel the relief yet,but i'm hopeful.

[Najon]

I made posts in 07 about my problem with the sensitivity. As I said, the problem stopped after going back on Effexor.

Now I have it again (switched from 40mg of Celexa to 20mg Prozac).  Three weeks into prozac, I have the exact same symptoms.  I don't believe the prozac was strong enough for the crossover to a different antidepressant.  Needless to say, the prozac is gone and I'm going back on Celexa until my doctor appointment next month.

The nipple sensitivity (no itching) is in both breasts, but worse in the right one.  It is not a pleasant sensation for me.  I'm like cjallen and feel like I could cut the damn thing off.

I know my problem is due to those antidepressants in some way.  Any medication that affects your brain that strongly can also affect your hormones.  The Celexa has not kicked in yet (been on it for five days).  I will keep this forum posted.  

[Najon]

I forgot to mention that if you take a piece of soft cotton, flatten it into a circle and tape over your nipple, it helps you to wear a bra or nightgown without so much stimulation.

[Najon]

After being back on Celexa for 12 days, the sensitivity has disappeared.

[Dragongyrl]

I thought I was crazy with this extreme nipple sensitivity thing!! I am 57,  had a hysterectomy 7 years ago.  I am reduced to wearing nursing pads or ANYTHING that keeps contact away from them!
It stumped by OB/GYN (a woman!), and she prescribed a low dose of testosterone.  It didn't work.
  I never knew about trying an antidepressant, seems kind of extreme, just thought maybe it was some kind of condition that goes with having big breasts or something.  Myalgia maybe?  This condition is almost debilitating to me, I sure hope the medical community addresses it soon, as I am not able to afford any more doctor bills on this "non-existent" condition.  I am interested in what this thread has to say.

[Najon]

Antidepressants did not help my problem.  You misunderstood.  It's when I stopped taking them that the sensitivity started.  Along with bad headaches, brain zaps, sensitivity to loud sounds.  Then the nipple sensitivity started.  When I went back on the Effexor (which I had quit cold turkey) five months later, all symptoms stopped in three weeks.

My previous post about the Celexa meant that I stopped it, took Prozac, and after three weeks, everything started again.  I stopped Prozac, went back on Celexa, and now I'm okay again after about two weeks..  As you can tell, I'm having a hard time finding the right antidepressant.

I have been to two obgyns, had a mammogram, sonogram, and all the doctors said it could not be due to the antidepressants.  They couldn't tell me what it was, either.

Use a large cotton ball, flattened into a circle, place on nipple, and two strips of tape.  It worked wonderfully for me.

If you want to click on my name and leave me a note or message with your phone number, I would be more than happy to call and talk with you.

Nancy in Indiana

[polkadot33]

Wow!  I am so glad I found this thread...I have thought I was crazy for the last 2 years!!!!  I have the same sensitivity problem...no pain or discharge...just sensitivity.  It began after breast feeding my 3rd child and has gotten worse every cycle since.  It is so difficult to even get dressed in the morning because I am so uncomfortable.  It is having a negative effect in almost every area of my life.  I just want a solution...and FAST!!!

[birdiegal]

I was releived to find this forum.  My left nipple has been itching for almost a year - driving me crazy.  Then I decided to stop taking Effexor (37.5mg/daily) cold turkey.  Within two day both of my nipples were so painfully stimulated!  Over the counter pain medication didn't even help.  I began researching only to learn that Effexor is one of the most diffiuclt meds to stop!  Even when you are taking the lowest XR dose posibble.  When I realized it was stopping the effexor that caused the nipple stimulation pain I went back on it and within three days the discomfort was manageable and resolved within about eight days.  I then started opening the XR capsules and discarding half of the "micro capsules" inside and continued that for three weeks to wean myself off.  The left side is still itching but the hyper-stimulated nipples have resolved.  No answer for the itching.

[WendyJo42Q]

I had the same thing years ago - I thought the sensitivity was from nursing my kids.

It turned out to be the chemicals in my laundry routine -

I went to dye/perfume free laundry soap and dryer sheets, and no more tingly nipples or genital area.

Hope this helps

Wendy Jo