9 months post-surgery, glands grew back?!

[lklpp1]

So during the week after my surgery, my chest was completely flat. Then the scar tissue started to accumulate, and I faithfully wore my compression vest and massaged the tissue for two months. Now, eight months out, I either still have scar tissue or whatever remained of the glands from the surgery has grown in size. Two hard-ish lumps that cause no pain and don't itch, but feel mildly sore after I've massaged them.

I went to my surgeon today for the first time in six months, and he couldn't tell if it was scar tissue or glands. He said to wait it out until the summer, and if it's not gone by then, he'll perform "touch-up" surgery 

Should I keep massaging the tissue in hopes that, if it's scar tissue, it will break up and resolve? If it's glandular tissue that regrew, would a SERM like tamoxifen actually work now, because it's much newer tissue?

Thanks so much everyone.

[lklpp1]

Good suggestion. Unless I can get my school's health center to do bloodwork on me, however, I won't be able to see an endocrinologist until the summer. Not sure I can afford one, either...

I'm very curious if this is a situation where letrozole or tamoxifen would actually reverse the growth. I know multiple-year-long pubertal gynecomastia can rarely be reversed, after the drug is stopped, by those compounds, but short-term cases seem to respond.

My surgeon told me that when he made the incision, he removed ALL of the gland. He explained that he felt confident about how it would appear visually after that because of the muscle I had underneath it. So he was surprised by the possibility that there was glandular regrowth.

[lklpp1]

Somebody please throw out some ideas regarding letro/nolva for this kind of situation, it would be greatly appreciated.

[lklpp1]

Appreciate all the help, everybody.  I really don't have anywhere else to go for this type of advice.

[Time_to_fix_it]

Ok, here are my thoughts.

My understanding is that it is virtually impossible to remove all of the gland without performing a full mastectomy.  I understand that there will always be small pieces left.  If your hormones are out of balance in favour of oestradoil then it’s possible that those remaining pieces of gland can re-grow.

It may of course be scar tissue and I can understand your surgeon won’t know until he goes back in there.

If it is gland then I can follow your logic of taking a SERM like Tamoxifen, but frankly I think you would be foolish to self medicate.  If you think it may be glandular re-growth then you need to see an Endocrinologist.  Only an Endo can properly assess your hormone levels and prescribe appropriate medication if required.  If you were to take any medication you could be putting yourself at risk of harming yourself.  If you saw an Endo after taking a SERM it would be difficult for him/her to assess your “natural” levels of oestradiol and testosterone because your blood levels would be distorted by the medication.

In the UK we have a saying about “not putting the cart before the horse”, in this instance it would mean you have to see an Endo BEFORE taking any medication .. and NOT the other way around.

Good luck.

[thatguy]

how long would it take for gland to start re-growing and ho often does that occur

[gynogone]

If you have 90+ % of your gland out, how can the rest just regrow?  It already HAS grown as big as it could get.  I don't think it can just get bigger...something doesn't make sense. 

women still have hormones and when they get their breasts reduced...they don't grow back! 

So I don't get how gland can just 'regrow'.  Especially if it's stable before surgery.  IE hasn't it grown to its full size already? 

[thatguy]

exactly my problem with this ^^^..what do u have to do to get ur hormones checked- get  referral from ur doctor? does insurance pay for ur appointment and blood work?

[Bob1981]

women still have hormones and when they get their breasts reduced...they don't grow back! 

Er, they can do actually.

[inquestion]

If you have 90+ % of your gland out, how can the rest just regrow?  It already HAS grown as big as it could get.  I don't think it can just get bigger...something doesn't make sense. 

women still have hormones and when they get their breasts reduced...they don't grow back! 

So I don't get how gland can just 'regrow'.  Especially if it's stable before surgery.  IE hasn't it grown to its full size already? 

and your sure that your gland was stable pre op and wasnt changing or soar. Are you sure no meds caused it to return or steroids or maybe even pot

I dont quite understand this.
I guess it could grow back, but I dont think it would come back more virulent than before.
The gyne progresses for years at a steady rate, it gets cut out, then in no where near as much time, it comes back to a noticable degree?
weird, my guess is that it wasnt stable before the surgery.