high level of estrogen and gynecomastia

[usb85]

Hi frnds I am 25 yrs old guy from India suffring from gynecomastia...not only gynecomastia but also with my love handeles n belly fat...I have been dignosed wid high leavel of estrogen 47.8..normal value is maximum 42...by doc gave me tamoxifen citrete dose..what should i do..should i go 4 surgery or countinue wid medicine plz help me

[DrBermant]

Hi frnds I am 25 yrs old guy from India suffring from gynecomastia...not only gynecomastia but also with my love handeles n belly fat...I have been dignosed wid high leavel of estrogen 47.8..normal value is maximum 42...by doc gave me tamoxifen citrete dose..what should i do..should i go 4 surgery or countinue wid medicine plz help me

Underlying problems should be stabilized before considering surgery. Medical management is best done by an experienced Endocrinologist who should be determining if antiestrogens should be used.

Weight loss is the first place to start for making oneself feel better about one's body. Weight loss is a coarse tool, you cannot pick where the fat goes on, nor where it comes off. Male Body Fat Distribution tends to put fat on first on the belly and chest bands and takes it off those regions last. Early surgery is a bad gamble before weight loss. If you have early surgery, and then lose weight, and if the weight comes off in a male pattern, it may look like the gynecomastia has recurred. That is why as a surgical sculptor I prefer to use a coarse tool first and reserve the plastic surgery for refinement. Early "jump start" surgery followed by weight loss frequently results in the need for a revision operation, an additional expense. Such compromise surgery can never make an obese person not look obese. They are still cursed with global fat and breasts, just breasts of a smaller size.

For my patients I recommend that they get to a weight / body fat that they are comfortable with, let the skin compensate as much as it can, then consider surgery. During this weight loss No Surgery Body Shaping Garments are a fantastic tool as a temporizing contour measure that many of patients, even those living in hot environments, use to put off the stress of body contour issues while they stabilize a problem or lose weight.

There is no magic trick to get the weight off. It is usually a combination of dieting, exercise, and hard work. But being patient can produce a better final result.

Hope this helps,

Michael Bermant, MD
Learn More About Gynecomastia

[Raider Fan]

Tamoxifen is usually only given short term (2 to 3 months) to stop gyne that has only recently started.  If caught early enough, it can even reduce or eliminate the gyne.  It is also given for the pain associated with gynecomastia in the early stages.

Are you taking the Tamoxifen?  What is your doctor hoping to achieve with the drug?   Is he thinking it will completely correct your gynecomastia or just help it?  Does he think it could come back after you stop taking the Tamoxifen?

If you are taking it, have you noticed any improvement?  How long do you have to take it?  Are you having any side effects from taking it?

You didn't mention your other hormone levels.  Did the doctor check your testosterone levels?  If so, were they low or okay?  Gynecomastia is usually related to having low testosterone levels and estrogen levels that are too high.  The imbalance brings on the gyne. 

Losing weight should be your first goal, as that alone will help to increase your testosterone level while reducing your estrogen level.  This will help your hormones to balance out naturally, which could help your gynecomastia, too. 

If your gyne only recently began, it is important to make sure all growth has stopped before considering surgery.  If you don't eliminate the cause of the growing breast tissue, it can continue to grow even AFTER surgery.