Hi - an introduction from a new guy around here.
I'm 71 living in the UK.
I was diagnosed with BPH earlier this year and was given Tamsulosin initially which made matters worse, so the GP changed me onto Finesteride 5mg / day - which should be renamed Devils Teardrops!
After 10 weeks my prostate symptoms were only slightly better, but my wife had noticed my mood going downhill, so I stopped taking them on the following Friday when I was genuinely starting to feel depressed (Ive had depression previously). I went to my GP on the following Monday and he agreed stopping Finesteride had been the right thing.
Later that same day two things happened - I noticed my arthritis was a LOT better, and my wife said "OMG have you seen your chest?!¿¡" - yes I had breasts!
I went back the next week and saw a different doctor who confirmed it was gynaecomastia and it was almost certainly due to the Finesteride. She said that there "was a lot of growth for a man" and that it was surprisingly quick. I was advised to support my breasts; I was examined for lumps, shown how to examine myself and sent on my way.
I've been back to the doctor this week with sleep disturbances , very tender breasts, shooting pains in my nipples but the doctor just told me to get more sleep!
My breasts aren't huge - just 40B pancakes - but they move a LOT and get very sore if I'm not wearing a bra. Also I've got prominent nipples most of the time which are both obvious and sore. Hence my choice of a padded bra most of the time.
I'm having online counseling sessions because I'm struggling to come to terms with both having breasts, and needing to wear a bra 24/7 - even if they aren't •that• big!
It's a journey I'm starting on, but I definitely don't want surgery to get rid of them, I'd much rather try learn to embrace the change