Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 About a year ago I discovered a lump in my right breast while taking a shower and totally panicked. Went flying in to see my doctor who felt the lump and wasn't sure exactly what it was-- with lipodystrophy, who can say for sure? He sent me in for a mammogram and I was told that I had gynecomastia developing, more on the right side but also on the left. A year later, the problem persists and has grown slightly. The breast tissue is thick and always slightly uncomfortable. From everything I've read and from what my doctor has told me, it's not uncommon in HIV patients, especially those, like me, who've been on HIV therapy for years and years. Just wondering if anyone on the board has experienced this same thing, and if so, if there's anything, barring surgery, that can be done about it? Is it more associated with one particular drug than another? Any therapies out there anyone's trying to counter the gynecomastia effect? I am assuming as well, that if I switched meds or wasn't taking meds that the problem might go away. However, with my resistance profile, switching meds or going on a drug holiday wouldn't be great ideas. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 28, 2004 Report Share Posted October 28, 2004 Just wondering if anyone on the board has experienced this same thing, and if so, if there's anything, barring surgery, that can be done about it? Is it more associated with one particular drug than another? Any therapies out there anyone's trying to counter the gynecomastia effect? I am assuming as well, that if I switched meds or wasn't taking meds that the problem might go away. However, with my resistance profile, switching meds or going on a drug holiday wouldn't be great ideas.Any thoughts? ********* There are more reports on Sustiva causung this problem that other drugs, but other drugs have also been reported to cause it. You may want to talk to your doctor about measuring your estradiol and testosterone (free and total) levels. You may have high estrogen and low testosterone. Some doctors also rpescribe estrogen blockers liek Arimidex that also increase testosterone and have helped body builders control gyno. Sometimes the problem is so advanced that Arimidex does not help at all and only surgery can remove the gland/fat tissue. VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organization"Only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation"The Course of MiraclesLinks to our web sites:www.nelsonvergel.comwww.powerusa.orgwww.facialwasting.orgwww.salvagetherapies.orgJoin our free listservers by sending a blank email to:pozhealth-subscribe fuzeonsupport-subscribe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 Just a note about the lumps / breasts. My gynecomastia started as a small lump in my right breast, then took a couple years to really develop boobs and the lump went away: Had liposuction after two yrs in '91, will probably have it again next year. <<> About a year ago I discovered a lump in my right breast while > taking a shower and totally panicked...> ...> From > everything I've read and from what my doctor has told me, it's not > uncommon in HIV patients, especially those, like me, who've > been on HIV therapy for years and years. > Lumps are quite common with HIV-lipodystrophy, but they are usually lipomas. I think we need to distinguish between gynecomastia and lipomas. I always thought that gynecomastia was more of general enlargement of the breasts, but when you say "lump" I think of lipomas.>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 29, 2004 Report Share Posted October 29, 2004 maybe also be swollen lymph nodes which can be determined by having a Mamogram and or follow up sonogram .....just a part of living with HIV and may enlarge when you get stressed and then decrease later .... Lj ~DC >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Just a note about the lumps / breasts. My gynecomastia started as a small lump in my right breast, then took a couple years to really develop boobs and the lump went away: Had liposuction after two yrs in '91, will probably have it again next year. <<> About a year ago I discovered a lump in my right breast while > taking a shower and totally panicked...> ...> From > everything I've read and from what my doctor has told me, it's not > uncommon in HIV patients, especially those, like me, who've > been on HIV therapy for years and years. > Lumps are quite common with HIV-lipodystrophy, but they are usually lipomas. I think we need to distinguish between gynecomastia and lipomas. I always thought that gynecomastia was more of general enlargement of the breasts, but when you say "lump" I think of lipomas.>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 I'm not trying to say that HIV drugs will never cause man-boobs. In some cases they probably do. What I am saying is that aging is the most common cause and that in many cases the same condition would have occurred even if you never had HIV.Glenn Glenn The same thing can be said about lipodystrophy. Look at older men and women and you will see that they also have lipodystrophy. The FRAM study found buffalo humps in HIV negative men (although they were smaller than those in poz men). But drugs do have a strong influence and speeding up the aging process in those with genetic and hormonal predisposition. Sustiva and some PI have been shown to increase estradiol levels (female hormone) in men, thus causing growth of breast tissue. Anabolic steroids can also cause this in some men since they aromatize to estrogen, and some men have more aromatase than others (an enzyme required for testosterone to convert into estrogen) VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organization"Only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation"The Course of MiraclesLinks to our web sites:www.nelsonvergel.comwww.powerusa.orgwww.facialwasting.orgwww.salvagetherapies.orgJoin our free listservers by sending a blank email to:pozhealth-subscribe fuzeonsupport-subscribe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 > > There are more reports on Sustiva causing this problem than other drugs, but > other drugs have also been reported to cause it. You may want to talk to > your doctor about measuring your estradiol and testosterone (free and total) > levels. You may have high estrogen and low testosterone. Some doctors also > prescribe estrogen blockers liek Arimidex that also increase testosterone and have > helped body builders control gyno. Sometimes the problem is so advanced that > Arimidex does not help at all and only surgery can remove the gland/fat > tissue. > I wonder how often the problem is simply because of aging -- yet because someone is on antiviral medications it automatically gets blamed on that? Have you ever sat around the pool of a cruise ship where there are literally hundreds of shirtless men between 45 and 65 years old? I am totally amazed at how many of them have boobs! I'm not talking about Arnold-boobs, I'm talking about girl-boobs (except with hair). I'm not trying to say that HIV drugs will never cause man-boobs. In some cases they probably do. What I am saying is that aging is the most common cause and that in many cases the same condition would have occurred even if you never had HIV. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 Is it actual breast tissue developing in aging men, or just less lean muscle mass and more fat forming in those areas? I was told that my gynecomastia was mostly seen in adolescents, not adults (except some men with HIV). It was a whole different kind of tissue under one nipple, and it felt so foreign that I had it biopsied (having a history of breast cancer in my family). In any event, I had a needle aspiration biopsy rather than remove all the tissue because I didn't want to risk a recessed nipple (they're still one of my better attributes . It was negative, definitely gynecomastia, and the condition cleared up eventually. Maybe Androgel helped. I'm 51 and 19 years positive, so will this be something I'll have to eventually accept? BG Re: Re: Gynecomastia/male breasts I'm not trying to say that HIV drugs will never cause man-boobs. In some cases they probably do. What I am saying is that aging is the most common cause and that in many cases the same condition would have occurred even if you never had HIV.Glenn Glenn The same thing can be said about lipodystrophy. Look at older men and women and you will see that they also have lipodystrophy. The FRAM study found buffalo humps in HIV negative men (although they were smaller than those in poz men). But drugs do have a strong influence and speeding up the aging process in those with genetic and hormonal predisposition. Sustiva and some PI have been shown to increase estradiol levels (female hormone) in men, thus causing growth of breast tissue. Anabolic steroids can also cause this in some men since they aromatize to estrogen, and some men have more aromatase than others (an enzyme required for testosterone to convert into estrogen) VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organization"Only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation"The Course of Miracles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 18, 2004 Report Share Posted November 18, 2004 An added to note to regarding Gynecomastia; marijuana usage will cause this as well. NicoBill Gaul wrote: Is it actual breast tissue developing in aging men, or just less lean muscle mass and more fat forming in those areas? I was told that my gynecomastia was mostly seen in adolescents, not adults (except some men with HIV). It was a whole different kind of tissue under one nipple, and it felt so foreign that I had it biopsied (having a history of breast cancer in my family). In any event, I had a needle aspiration biopsy rather than remove all the tissue because I didn't want to risk a recessed nipple (they're still one of my better attributes . It was negative, definitely gynecomastia, and the condition cleared up eventually. Maybe Androgel helped. I'm 51 and 19 years positive, so will this be something I'll have to eventually accept? BG Re: Re: Gynecomastia/male breasts I'm not trying to say that HIV drugs will never cause man-boobs. In some cases they probably do. What I am saying is that aging is the most common cause and that in many cases the same condition would have occurred even if you never had HIV.Glenn Glenn The same thing can be said about lipodystrophy. Look at older men and women and you will see that they also have lipodystrophy. The FRAM study found buffalo humps in HIV negative men (although they were smaller than those in poz men). But drugs do have a strong influence and speeding up the aging process in those with genetic and hormonal predisposition. Sustiva and some PI have been shown to increase estradiol levels (female hormone) in men, thus causing growth of breast tissue. Anabolic steroids can also cause this in some men since they aromatize to estrogen, and some men have more aromatase than others (an enzyme required for testosterone to convert into estrogen) VergelDirectorProgram for Wellness Restoration, PoWeRA 501 © 3 non profit national organization"Only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation"The Course of MiraclesWelcome to our PozHealth group!If you received this email from someone who forwarded it to you and would like to join this group, send a blank email to PozHealth-subscribe and you will get an email with intructions to follow. You can chose to receive single emails or a daily digest (collection of emails). You can post pictures, images, attach files and search by keyword old postings in the group.For those of you who are members already and want to switch from single emails to digest or viceversa, visit www.yahoogroups.com, click on PozHealth, then on "edit my membership" and go down to your selection. The list administrator does not process any requests, so this is a do-it-yourself easy process ! :)Thanks for joining. You will learn and share a lot in this group!NOTE: I moderate, approve or disapprove emails before they are posted. Please follow the guidelines shown in the homepage. I will not allow rudeness, sexually explicit material, attacks, and anyone who does not follow the rules. If you are not OK with this, please do not join the group. Forward this email to anyone who may benefit from this information! Thanks!In Health, Vergel (powertx@...)List Founder and Moderator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 I'm curious about the ANDROGEL. There was a British study that used something similar-- a testosterone gel directly on the breasts-- and the gynecomastia went away. How did you use the ANDROGEL? > Is it actual breast tissue developing in aging men, or just less lean muscle mass and more fat forming in those areas? I was told that my gynecomastia was mostly seen in adolescents, not adults (except some men with HIV). It was a whole different kind of tissue under one nipple, and it felt so foreign that I had it biopsied (having a history of breast cancer in my family). > > In any event, I had a needle aspiration biopsy rather than remove all the tissue because I didn't want to risk a recessed nipple (they're still one of my better attributes . It was negative, definitely gynecomastia, and the condition cleared up eventually. Maybe Androgel helped. > > I'm 51 and 19 years positive, so will this be something I'll have to eventually accept? > > BG > Re: Re: Gynecomastia/male breasts > > > In a message dated 11/18/2004 6:47:50 AM Central Standard Time, GetWell@a... writes: > I'm not trying to say that HIV drugs will never cause man-boobs. In > some cases they probably do. What I am saying is that aging is the > most common cause and that in many cases the same condition would > have occurred even if you never had HIV. > > Glenn > > > Glenn > > The same thing can be said about lipodystrophy. Look at older men and women and you will see that they also have lipodystrophy. The FRAM study found buffalo humps in HIV negative men (although they were smaller than those in poz men). But drugs do have a strong influence and speeding up the aging process in those with genetic and hormonal predisposition. Sustiva and some PI have been shown to increase estradiol levels (female hormone) in men, thus causing growth of breast tissue. > > Anabolic steroids can also cause this in some men since they aromatize to estrogen, and some men have more aromatase than others (an enzyme required for testosterone to convert into estrogen) > > Vergel > Director > Program for Wellness Restoration, PoWeR > A 501 © 3 non profit national organization > > " Only what we are not giving can be lacking in any situation " > The Course of Miracles > > > > > > Welcome to our PozHealth group! > If you received this email from someone who forwarded it to you and would like to join this group, send a blank email to PozHealth-subscribe and you will get an email with intructions to follow. You can chose to receive single emails or a daily digest (collection of emails). You can post pictures, images, attach files and search by keyword old postings in the group. > > For those of you who are members already and want to switch from single emails to digest or viceversa, visit www.yahoogroups.com, click on PozHealth, then on " edit my membership " and go down to your selection. The list administrator does not process any requests, so this is a do-it-yourself easy process ! > Thanks for joining. You will learn and share a lot in this group! > > NOTE: I moderate, approve or disapprove emails before they are posted. Please follow the guidelines shown in the homepage. I will not allow rudeness, sexually explicit material, attacks, and anyone who does not follow the rules. If you are not OK with this, please do not join the group. > > Forward this email to anyone who may benefit from this information! Thanks! > In Health, > > Vergel (powertx@a...) > List Founder and Moderator > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 19, 2004 Report Share Posted November 19, 2004 Actually - the prescribed use is to rub the gel into your skin on your shoulders, upper arms and belly. I hadn't heard of using it directly on breast tissue, since it goes into your system through your skin and works that way - replacing lacking testosterone. The only reason I can think of the areas they specify is that the skin is easy to reach and less hairy (usually). I have read about some people also trying applying it directly to lipodystrophy related fat accumulations. I don't know if there's any info about results or not. I think restoring the hormonal balance is really the key. I'd say it's been very helpful to me personally, and at every other day rather than daily dosing - since I tend to get acne and thinning hair when I use it every day. I'd be interested in hearing about Androgel's use to treat gynecomastia (or anything else) specifically. BG Re: Gynecomastia/male breasts I'm curious about the ANDROGEL. There was a British study that used something similar-- a testosterone gel directly on the breasts-- and the gynecomastia went away. How did you use the ANDROGEL? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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