Heavy, swollen, painful breasts, not pms

[mrs canada]

Wow - my first question.
Wondering if anyone has experience with heavy swollen and painful breasts, AFTER your period? My period ended a few days ago yet the pms-type breast symptoms have not gone away (they usually disappear when my period starts). I do not feel any lumps or growths, wondering what this could possibly be? Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks!

[oceans3]

i am sure you are well aware of this but its the only explination i could offer. what about your caffine intake or salty foods. i think spicey foods can do it too.
did you experince this before your period? if not, maybe they are making up for lost time! hormones can fluctuate.

[niel/jayda]

are you pregnent?!?

[mrs canada]

Really?? I've never heard of that before! I do drink quite a bit of coffee. I am just surprised because yes, I had pms tenderness but as I said, it always goes away as soon as my period starts. I am at a complete loss as to what this could be but won't rush to the doctor just yet. Maybe I'll do some googling about the caffeine thing.. thanks.

Niel - no, could not be pregnant as I just had a period :) That's why the tenderness is odd..

[oceans3]

ya know what too...if you are thinking about it/conscious of it they will remain sore. seriously. that happened to me and stressing over it made it worse. once i focused on another ailment...hahaha it all went away. mind over matter! stress and caffine will give you those symptoms.

[mrs canada]

True enough - and I am sure constantly feeling for lumps isn't going to help...lol

thanks!

[oceans3]

http://www.womentowomen.com/breasthealth/breastpain.asp?id=1&campaignno=breastpain&adgroup=adgroup1&keywords=sore+breasts

[mrs canada]

You are a rockstar! Thanks for finding that - this is completely news to me, and a really interesting article (and a relief). Cheers!!

[oceans3]

so glad it was helpful! it was the same article i read when i was all worried with the same thing. i figured if it calmed my fears it could calm anyones! i would bet the feelings in your breasts will now subside.

[mrs canada]

You know something - this is getting WAY worse. I am just about in agony. And I haven't "thought" about the pain at all since I read these posts yesterday. It's just ongoing pain and I can't believe how huge my boobs are. A girlfriend asked me if I had a boob job!

But there is still no lump or bump.. in fact my breast tissue is really smooth. Could I still have fibroid cysts? What did they feel like and how were you diagnosed?

thanks for the words - they are helpful!

[mrs canada]

EEK! Now I'm bad to scared mode. No discharge, no lumps, just extreme pms-boobs. I can't find any knots at all.. so perhaps that's not it (or I just can't feel it)

I wonder if hormones could be the problem. My period was quite a bit lighter than usual as well, tho it lasted the same amount of time.

Anyway thanks for the help.. guess I will just have to take these puppies to the doctor!

[mrs canada]

Nah, I am not one of those people who believe you bleed when you're pregnant. As I say, it was the same length as my period, just lighter and we're not talking spotting.. just less fluid than usual.

Come to think of it, aside from the pain, I really shouldn't be complaining...lol... my husband looked at me this morning and said, "My you have a marvellous rack!" Haha.. not elegant but I'll take what I can get  ;o)

[Cristina110]

So? What was it? :-(( I'm  experiencing the same thing...Now I'm really scared!
Thanks!

[Fabismiles]

OMG so glad I found this thread, although it seems to be old.  =/
Maybe someone can answer me?  Cause I have the same symptons as Mrs Canada.  Felt them before my period, and they remained afterwards.  I don't drink Caffeine though.  
I also had a lighter period this time around, no spotting, and I don't feel any lumps, but yhey feel HUGE each morning, and so sensitive even to a hug.  Help pls...I don't have insurance and do not like running to the doctors for everything even when I DID have it.  (lol).

Thank you

[Sachlaura10]

Hi, I am suffering from the same problem this month.  Period  came on, lasted 4 - 5 days, the painful swollen breasts continued and today they are really hurting (8 days post period).  It would seem to me that this may be related to early ovulation because I am sure that I ovulated yesterday.  Could this be the cause with you.  I have been under a fair amount of stress lately and been on antibiotics so I think this may upset the hormonal balance.  Also, as someone else said, try not to drink too much coffee and pepsi/cola drinks at this time because it will exacerbate the condition.  Hope this helps.

[thomas65]

I am 43 and had a hysterectomy about 5 years ago.  They did not remove my ovaries so still get sensitive breasts when it should be my period.  Lately I have had swollen sensitive breasts that just seem to get worse.  My dr said that I should take anti-inflammatory tablets for a few days which I did, I also changed bra's.  Off with the wire support bra's.  It felt so much better.  but when I went off the anti-inflammotaries within days the pain and that is back.  I went onto the internet and found a web page that helped alot.  www.embarrasingproblems.co.uk  Please go onto there an maybe it will help you.  regards thomas65

[bev12345]

i think this is the ONLY info I have found on the web about this.  My boobs became huge and painful about June 1, I was freaking out, then got my period June 17.  I was so relieved, but after my period my boobs never deflated again and they're still SERIOUSLY painful.  I do usually get PMS, but it always disappears after the period- and they have never gotten this large.  I am at a loss... I don't think I can spend another week with my huge, hard, painful breasts. :(   I don't eat a lot of salt -I have an intolerance for it to begin with, i have been drinking less caffeine lately.... i just don't know.

[jeninKY]

Hi....I'm also dealing with painful, much larger breasts.  I have been unable to afford my birth control for about the past three months...but I'm going to a free clinic to help that soon.  Regardless, my fiance and I haven't had sex in almost 2 months, when we did it was protected, because we have low sex drives due to meds for depression....etc.  This change is recent for me.  I can hardly hug fiance w/out pain, bra's hurt me.  B/c of my meds. that make me so drowsy I have to drink some caffeine to function, but I can cut back.  Never been diagnosed for PCOS, but I have insurance so I'm going to go get tested soon.  Lots of doctors appts. right now for me.  I will let everyone know what I find out.  I don't think there is any possibility I'm pregnant, I'm not having periods now, but I usually don't unless I'm on birth control.  So thankful for this forum!  Take care everyone :).

[dlc569]

Have any twenty-something year olds had this problem?  i am 25 and have terrible pain in both my breasts. They are also swollen.  It has gone on for 6 or 7 weeks.  My gyno dismissed me and wanted to link the issue to my diet...but it hasn't changed. no more caffeine now then before. i have sleepless nights and it's affecting me at my job.  a firm handshake can be painful.

[jag]

I am 26 and this is happenig to me too. I had my period two weeks ago, normal there. my breasts started swelling about a week ago. My bras no longer fit, standing or lying on my sids hurt (weight of breasts pull them down). I have pain behind my breasts, my nippls burn and itch. And my sternam (spelling? middle of rib cage) is sore and painful to the touch. I hate coffee and tea, don't drink energy drinks, rarely drink alchol, and have pop mabye once or twice a week at most.
I do have cycst proplems (ovaries) So there is a big chnce that I have a new one or an old one has burst. You should get tested for cycsts if you haven't already.
My room mate is also pregnant (8 weeks and a bit) So her hormones could be effecting me.
If the pain keeps up for another week or gets worse, I am going to my doctors.

[lizzaslizza]

ah!! this is happening to me!! what was the result???????

[Ammeg]

Um.... Niel could have been right you know....


My mum had all her periods and was still pregnant, so even if you do have your period you can still be pregnant

[nikki248]

aww my boobs hurt so bad too. i went to the doctor today and he said my breat are swallon, due to fibroid cyst or something like that! he gave me a perscription for something that will take the pressure off the breast. then friday i have a ultra sound im getting done on my boobs! they been hurting for about 3 or 4 months now! they seem to be very heavy and feel hard! they almost feel like they would when u just have a baby! they hurt all the time!

[bellamona]

I am 54 years old and haven't had a period since July 2008.  My breasts have been swollen and sore periodically for YEARS but now they just stay that way, PLUS the ducts are swollen and wider and the areola is lumpy and raised up..I have had annual mammos for the last 14 years and am not due until June 2009 for the next one but I worry because I feel little lumps in the right nipple, and see two tiny little whitehead things next to the nipple but no leakage or anything.  My breasts are lumpy anyway.  The caffeine connection is new to me so I will try that..but I wonder if this is just part of the menopause process....

[mimsy65]

im 43 going on 44 and my breast have stayed very sore and swollen since my period  over 2 weeks -it usually subsides and goes away by the start or after 1st day of my period-ive also experince aches in my legs and back pain off and on  like i normally  would get prior to my period-i drink 1 cup of coffee a day-no alchol intake -what is wrong with my body?