Some Feedback Needed Please

[drug-induced-gyno]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. Anyway, I NEVER would have though that I would be seeking advice regarding gynecomastia until this past year. Allow me to explain...

I'm 24 now, good health and all. I'm 6 feet tall, 180 lbs, low bodyfat %. I never had pubertal-gyno or anything when I was younger... No Klinefelter's or anything of the sort... My gyno is actually drug-induced. You see, I've been battling depression/anxiety for nearly 5 years. I've fought it on my own for the most part, usually without the aide of anti-depressants and other psych meds, although I have seen several therapists. I usually took myself off of the meds because of the negative side-effects, which typically outweighed the benefits, in my case.

Last year I finally gave in to the doctors' wishes, and decided to let them put me on Effexor (anti-depressant) and Resperidone (anti-psychotic), which helped somewhat. I was on them for about 4 months, until I realized that I was developing swollen breasts (unusual for me). I told my doctor, but he brushed me off. I decided to stop taking the meds. I went through hell for two months before being hospitalized, and then was put on Zyprexa and Paxil for four more months. My gyno flared up again worse than before. I was also smoking marijuana at the time. I told my doctor about the gyno, and he said it was the marijuana. Well I quit that, but the gyno kept getting worse. "Screw this!," I said, and once again stopped the meds. My doctor said it would resolve itself in time. Well, I started smoking pot again to deal with my stress. The gyno reduced slightly, but here I am, six months later, and it is still here. I have since quit the pot. I have done a lot of research on gyno and discovered that every psych med prescribed to me can cause it, as well as marijuana (although this isn't as well established. I've had extensive blood-work done since then, and everything has come back normal. The meds are known to raise prolactin levels, and the marijuana is known to mimic estridol (sp?) in the body.

I am just dealing with the depression on my own now, without the aide of anything other than a few cigarettes a day, along with a proper diet, excercise, and good sleep. I want my gyno to go away SO badly! Unfortunately I can't afford surgery, but I'm planning on trying a non-surgical solution first. I'm gonna start taking some supplements known to reduce/eliminate gyno, so hopefully they will help. They include:

- Curcumin (pill form) and Raw Turmeric Root

- Zinc (in the form of ZMA)

- Flax Seed Oil and Flax Meal

- Rebound XT (1,4-androstadiene - 3,6,17-dione) - a bodybuilding supplement used to supress estrogen after a steroid cycle. I'm a little wary of this one, because I've read that it can cause a 'rebound' affect that makes gyno worse.

- Andractim Gel (DHT) I hope this one isn't a waste of money, since I haven't heard much in the way of success with treatin gyno

Anyway, sorry for the long post. I just wanted to give my story, and get some feedback as to which of those supplements I should use (and how much of each), and which ones I should lose. Also, any suggestions on what I should add to my arsenal would be appreciated. I asked my endocrinologist about tamoxifen and arimadex, and she turned me down flat. That was six months ago, and I've had this for a year. I hope it isn't to late to remedy without expensive suregery. Thanks for reading guys.

[Worrier]

I can relate to your post.... I too have up until a year ago been suffering from anxiety ,depression, BDD etc. My psychiatrist put me on an antipsychotic (quetiapine) and an antidepressant (remeron) three years ago. They did jack for my problems except give me gyno and very bad weight gain. I also lost hair.....

How is that supposed to help someone who has BDD? when you aready imagine problems... yep give you real problems... that will cure you.

Were you angry when the drugs did this? I was . In the end I came off them. My psychiatrist actually insisted I came off them becuse my ankles were swelling up and my body was seriously fecking up. I wanted to sue the drugs company so they could pay for surgery and all the needless tests I needed doing . Though I would get nowhere as it is on the side effects leaflets now.

Well I have been off them a year now and my gyno reduced I would say ninety percent. Most it was fat to be honest which i lost. I can't give you much advice on supplements. I tried zinc but it gave me bad acne on my back so I had to stop it. What I have done each eat plenty of red meat to boost test lvls and also broccli and lots of it. I also exercised very hard .Training so I could get in the army helped to as I had to get very lean and mean

Testament to my efforts was when I went back to the same NHS ps a year later. When she first saw me while on drugs surgery without question, she said no amount of exercise would help. She even  mentioned skin reduction it was that bad.

I went back to see her two months ago and she said I didn't need it, DR'S I sh(t em . Although I have been to another PS who said I just needed a small amount of lipo on one side and it was borderline. My plan is to do a year in the army and if I am still bothered about my chest get it done privately. As I will actually have some money then....

On a side note my endo refused to give me any drugs as he said mine was drug induced and I did not have an underlying hormone problem. So again same boat as you. To be honest I am very wary of drugs now so I probably wouldn't have taken then anyways.

I wish you luck in trying to get rid yourself. It might work out it might not. I got rid of almost the whole problem and I have to bear in mind I have BDD so it probably looks worse to me than others. I just got so angry that I would need to go under the knife due to someone elses feck up that I was so determined to get rid myself I got so fit I ended up joining the army . Not saying you need to go nuts like me though ;DBut if you are really determined you will be surpised what you can do.  

I'm not going to give you false hope everyones body /situation is different and you might not get the same results I did and surgery may be the only answer.But if you do want any info and what fitness I did pm me.Bear in mind I have BDD so the gym is like a second home  .

[drug-induced-gyno]

Wow, it's great to get a reply like the one you just gave; just knowing that I'm not the only one who's experienced this. BTW, I too was in the military (I won't say which branch 'cause I'm paranoid someone might read this and know who I am! - paranoia is another result of my condition). Luckily I never had to pay for the meds or hospitalization or blood work, 'cause it was done at the VA hospital.

You're DAMN RIGHT I was angry about the gyno from the meds! I too wanted to sue that pants off of the drug companies and/or the VA. The psychological damage from the gyno has been more devestating than the original depression, in some ways. And what really gets me is that these bastard doctors are still trying to get me on lithium or depikote! They blamed marijuana because they didn't want to admit it was their fault. The doctor that prescribed the Effexor and Resperidone was some 27 yr old resident/intern b*tch psychiatrist. I've never hit a woman before, but if I ever see her again I might be tempted to; in the very least I will give her a real ear full.

Luckily I didn't have as bad a time as you from the meds I was on. My gyno has improved a lot, but I still want it gone completely. My dad says it isn't even noticeable. I had a mammogram done (talk about embarassing!), and the x-rays showed that my gyno is bilateral (both sides), although it seems like it's only on the left side. Dimensionally, the gland is about 3mm high by 5 mm wide, and maybe 1 mm deep. When it's cold it's not really noticeable. This whole experience has made my sort of misogynistic in a way; the other doctor who prescribed the zyprexa/paxil combo was an arrogant fat b*tch. These people have absolutely NO REGARD for what these medicines do to people physiologically. They think that because they took Psych Meds I & II in college, that they are friggen chemical engineers!

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Yeah, it makes me angry. But I guess in a way it was a blessing in disguise; the gyno was a sign that I needed to stop putting that garbage into my body. If I hadn't gotten the gyno I might still be on the stuff and who knows what kind of physical damage I'd be facing down the road (the long term affects of most of these newer meds are unknown). You should look at your situation the same way. Anyways, thanks for sharing and responding. Good luck to you in the army!