question

[bioa2153]

ok so  what i hear right now is gyne is caused from an imbalance of hormones and too much estrogen is being made      if thats so is there drugs that can break down the estrogen or something   im going for my yearly doctor visit next week and i dont know what to bring up but i want to get rid of this fast and last year he told me it would prolly be gone in a few months but i still have it   what should i say and do? by the way im 15..

[mumoft]

Some gyne is caused by an imbalance of hormones during puberty.  You should share your concerns with your doctor and tell him you've heard that there are blood tests that can measure the level of estrogen and testosterone in your blood.  Because you are only 15, it is difficult. You fall into a category where boys are still considered in the early stages of puberty.  When my son was 15 and we started to share our concerns, we kept being told, don't worry.  So I understand that you are frustrated. Has your voice changed? Have you gotten tall? Do you have facial hair? If you don't, those are things that may hint at an imbalance.  If you have gone through what are called the secondary sex characteristic changes and you have gyne, your doctor will more than likely tell you to wait awhile to see what happens.  There is no good way to bring it up.  He already knows you've had it a year, now you're just going to say something like "You know, you told me this would probably be gone in a few months, but I still have it..."

Good luck.

This link might give you some more information.

http://health.yahoo.com/topic/hormone/overview/article/mayoclinic/E97FDCB5-E617-4C36-859B911C1A0E9257

[Paa_Paw]

Very good answer, I have nothing to add.

[bioa2153]

Thanks for responding.  But if it is an imbalance of hormones does this mean i wont ever get a growth spirt or anything that normally occurs during puberty. so far ive noticed ive gotton hair on my legs and stuff but my voice hasnt changed much, and i have started to shave above my lips. And my mom heard my doctor talking about this but che hasnt brought it up since that day so i dont know how to bring it up to her. Im overweight for my age too and i heard that can be another reason for gyne  can i do something personally to get rid of it?     ive visited some sites already and they say if u take zinc and do push ups  it may go away    does anyone know if this is true or not?

[mumoft]

First, these are all good and important questions that you and your parents should be asking your doctor. I am a mom, and I can give you information based on what happened with my son, and it sounds similar. I don't know if you are still seeing a pediatrician, but if you are, you might talk with your parents, because we found that our son's pediatrician kept telling us to wait.  

We found a really good male family practice doctor who did blood tests on our son and found low testosterone and higher estrogen.  This can be very normal in certain parts of puberty, but in order for your voice to change the testosterone has to kick in.  He immediately put our son on testosterone shots for 6 months, and patches for about a year.  He grew from 5'10" and 230 to 6'5" and 195.  This was his predicted height, so it's not like it turned him into a giant.  

The gyne is a symptom of the higher estrogen.  The weight is probably part of your puberty.  Sometimes it will all go away with the testosterone.

If you found the link I attached earlier gave you good information, then maybe you could show it to your mom, or dad, or both, and tell them you think this is what is happening to you.

Our son was too shy to say anything, and we finally set up an appointment with the doctor and told him what we thought was going on and we would help him.  It would have been a big relief to us if he had initiated the conversation because we didn't know if we were intruding on his privacy.  But, all his friends had grown, and their voices had changed, and his hadn't, and we were worried.  I'm sure your parents are too and are waiting to help you.

The testosterone made a huge difference for my son's life.  He had to live with the gyne a little longer, but that's been taken care of this summer.

One step at time.

[Grandpa Bambu]

Our son was too shy to say anything.

More like.....  'too embarrassed' to say anything.

John.

[mumoft]

Yes, embarrassed is a much better word. The shyness came as a result of the gyne and the delayed puberty. He was never shy before.  

I have a feeling these parents may be much like we were--waiting and wanting to help, but not knowing exactly what to do.  The medical community doesn't advocate for patients like this young man. It's easy to keep brushing it aside when this is the exact time when testosterone treatments can be the most effective. Patients, and parents of patients, have to be informed so they know what to ask for and make sure they are getting all their questions answered to their satisfaction.