Hello my fellow gynecomastia sufferers! I recently have been experiencing a little bit of success in my strive to erradicate my gynecomastia, and I just wanted to share with you guys, and keep a journal so that others might benifit as well. Let me explain my situation/backround:
I'm 24, and I contracted (for lack of a better term) gyno last year, after being prescribed several ant-psychotic and anti-depressant psych medications, used for the treatment of my depressive illness. I have long since discontinued them, due primarilly to the negative side-effects I've experienced, specifically gynecomastia. BTW, I'm in good health, and have had several full-panel blood tests done, all confirming that I have normal hormone levels, etc. I NEVER experienced pubertal gyno or any gyno before taking the psych meds. After I discontinued their use, the gyno resolved by about 40%, but never completely. It's been one year since the gyno initially reared it's ugly head. The endocrinologist told me that the gyno was most likely from (A) taking the meds, which raised my serum prolactin to abnormal levels; and/or (B) Smoking marijuana, which has been known to mimic estridol (sp?) in the body. Since I smoked pot for 3 years prior to taking the meds without any sign of gyno, I tend to think it was more a result of taking the meds. The gyno gland under my right nipple is barely noticeable, while the left one is more prominent, about 3cm X 5cm X 1cm, although this has shrunken somewhat recently.
Okay, so basically, I've been doing A LOT of research on the whole thing. Lately my gyno has improved somewhat, and I credit a general change in my lifestyle. BTW, I'm naturally thin and have never been overweight.
Two weeks ago, I got back into weightlifting, eating 6 very healthy meals a day, and lifting 3-4 times a week. I had quit smoking pot and drinking two weeks prior to this as well, although I was (and still do) smoke about 5-10 cigarettes a day. I supplemented my diet with Zinc, in the form of ZMA, Curcumin, in the form of pills (1250 mg altogether), ground flax seed meal, about 3 TBSP a day, and 4 grams of fish oil a day, as well as a multivitamin. Zinc, Curcumin, and Flax have all been known to help with gynecomastia, and that's why I've included them. I discovered this information by scouring the internet and digging up many, many articles.
Since this lifestyle change I can honestly say that my gyno has reduced by roughly 20%. I know this isn't some placebo affect, because I've actually gained weight, in the form of muscle and fat, and if the gyno hadn't improved, than it would've felt worse, since I tend to store fat on my stomach and chest, and the extra fat would have pushed the glands out further.
Unfortunately, I "fell off the wagon," so-to-speak, and stopped working out and eating right and taking my supps everyday... plus i started smoking pot and drinking again... so my positive results have been at a standstill. This binge has lasted about 5 days, and tomorrow I'm gonna start doing the right stuff again (hey, it's hard to change your life suddenly when you're fighting mental illness on your own!). I'm gonna add flax seed oil, and possibly soy protein to my arsenal. Also, I'm gonna add more curcumin the form of fresh turmeric root, which I plan on grating up and adding to my salads. This stuff is hard to find, so I'm gonna call several of the asian/indian food markets tomorrow morning to see who stocks it. I am so excited, this is awesome! I don't want to get my hopes up too high, 'cause who knows if it will improve much more than it has already. I've got about 5-6 weeks before hitting the beach, and I'm hoping my gyno will be 90% resolved by then. I'm gonna keep trying to stay on track with my new lifestyle, and track my progress on here for you all to see. Also, I plan on ordering the Andractim gel and possibly Rebound XT in a few weeks if the other measures don't do enough for my liking. I really hope I can erradicate this without any surgery. I know most of you say it's unlikley/impossible, especially after having it for a year, but I swear that something good is happening already.
On a side note, does anyone know if the Preperation H found in U.S. pharmacies is beneficial in "tighting up" the nipple area? I read somewhere that there is a key ingredient that isn't found in that product in the States. Does this mean it's totally useless as a temporary fix, in situations where one's shirt may come off? Thanks guys, and wish me luck!