Do I have Gynecomastia? If you're asking this question, read this thread.
Introduction
So you're worried about getting gynecomastia. You're posting thread after thread until someone on the internet diagnoses you. Sound silly? It should. No one on the internet can positively diagnose you. Nothing wrong with getting opinions, but there's no need to keep posting threads about it or keep that one thread alive forever. Hopefully this article can shed some light into the signs and symptoms that everyone seems to complain of. So let's get started...
What exactly is gynecomastia?
Gynecomastia is the enlargement of male breasts by increase in breast tissue development. Not to be confused with fat. This is actual breast tissue. In cases of steroid users, this is due to developing female characteristics from excess estrogen in the body. This can also occur in infants and adolescents due to hormonal imbalances. In some cases, old gynecomastia from a young age may go away on its own. But some folks retain it throughout their lifetime unless treatment is implemented.
There are several types of gynecomastia:
1. Gynecomastia: Enlargement of adult male breast tissue.
2. Pubertal Gynecomastia: Same as above, but develops during puberty.
3. Pseudogynecomastia: This is fatty tissue, not breast tissue.
It's entirely important to identify what you have. There's no reason to attempt treating pseudogynecomastia with SERMs, it will do nothing and could possibly do harm. You just need to lose weight, period. Nothing else to it. The leaner you become, the more it will dissipate.
Common concerns from members:
1. My nipples are puffy:
While puffy nipples may be a sign of beginning stages of gynecomastia development, it most certainly is not a diagnosis. Further testing would be needed to confirm this. However, in most cases, puffy nipples are merely due to a hormonal imbalance (even if estrogen is in range) and in most cases, goes away with time. It could be water retention, fat increase or simply a reaction to the drugs you're taking.
Furthermore; it could be due to your tissue surrounding the nipple lacking fat. Yes, low fat can cause a puffy nipple, too. It causes the gland to protrude more, giving the effect of a puffy nipple. So you see, there are plenty of reasons why your nipples could get puffy. Surely there's more than the mentioned, so don't panic just yet and post a million threads about it. I get puffy nipples every single time I cycle and it goes away, every time.
2. My nipples are sensitive:
This would be an endless topic, frankly, I'm not going to delve into every cause of sensitive nipples because it would be a never ending post. The fact is, we tend to panic when we have sensitive nipples on cycle because we are super extra concerned about gynecomastia development, so we are looking for any and every possible sign. You probably had sensitive nipples off cycle at one point, but didn't give it much thought because you're not on cycle and the chances of it being gynecomastia are slim to none.
Sensitive nipples can be caused by running, from different types of shirt materials used that you're sensitive to as well. Could be a cyst that has developed from an infection. Heck, even fluctuation in body temperature could cause nipples to become slightly sensitive. Now, the panel that most people fail to get is a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP), which would indicate any concerns that deserve investigating the liver. Liver diseases such as cirrhosis can cause breast tenderness and sensitivity as well. Again, this could be a sign, not a diagnosis so further testing is required.
3. My nipples are leaking:
Well, if you're lactating then your prolactin levels are high. This is generally observed in the presence of progestins such as nandrolone and trenbolone. High prolactin levels will lead to lactating males. Again, do not squeeze your nipples to reproduce the issue, ever. You're making things worse. There is no such thing as prolactin-gynecomastia. So while you're lactating, it does not mean your breast tissue has developed and growing. It merely means that you're lactating. That's your condition: Male Lactation. Not gynecomastia. Similar to folks who suffer Hyperprolactinaemia.
Now, it's important to note that you'll need to have both your progesterone and prolactin tested to see where you're at. High progesterone can certainly aggravate the issue and result in gynecomastia. This is generally in the presence of excess estrogen.
So there you have it. There's a million and one reasons why your nipples may be puffy and sensitive. Sure, it's a good chance that the cause is your steroid use, but the chances of those signs being diagnosed as gynecomastia is slim when compared to developing an actual lump.
Enlargement of breast tissue is very unnatural in men and you'll likely develop a lump, or a hardened spot behind or immediately around your nipple area. This hard spot tends to get bigger if it remains untreated. This is the biggest sign you need to be looking for. You can feel a lump with the slightest touch. There is never a need to "squeeze" your nipples. Do not ever do this as it will cause more damage.
LUMP = GYNECOMASTIA! Remember that. Nothing else is really an indicator, only signs that may lead to gynecomastia. CHECK YOUR BLOOD WORK AT THIS STAGE!
Stop playing the guessing game:
I get it, you want someone on an internet forum to tell you that what you have is not a case of gynecomastia. You and I both know that you're being ridiculous. You're going to keep asking and keep posting until that one person gives you some peace of mind. Forget about it, you're wasting your time. There isn't anyone on earth, not even the best doctors in the world that can positively identify and diagnose gynecomastia over the internet. Not going to happen.... EVER.
You need to legitimately find out what you have. The only way to do this is to see a doctor. Some of you folks are spending ridiculous amounts of money on gear, food, gym memberships, etc... but you won't give the time to see a doctor. This is just mind boggling to me. I don't really care if you don't have insurance. I don't care if you're broke. I've mentioned in many threads the importance of blood work pre, mid and post cycle. This should be part of your cycle budget and is the ONLY way to prevent these issues. If you failed to manage your estrogen and you're too broke to see a doc because you've spent all your money on gear, tough shit. You should have never cycled, because surely... you did your research and understood the risks.
Don't cycle at high body fat:
Just because your internet tells you that your 20% body fat is normal for a male your age, does not mean it's safe to cycle. Forget those ratings. Anything above 15 or 16% is TOO OVERWEIGHT to cycle. There are general health ratings, and then there are steroid-user ratings. I'm telling you, that if you're above 16%, you're carrying too many aromatase enzymes. This will lead to higher testosterone-to-estrogen conversion and will make it very difficult to manage. It's no surprise that most of the folks posting gynecomastia threads are overweight for steroid use.
Furthermore; you better not be bulking at 15 or 16% BF either. Bulking should never be done, in my opinion, until you're at 13% or less. You can get there with diet alone, and if you can't, you shouldn't be considering steroids.
How do I reverse gynecomastia?
Surgery is one way. But instead of diving into non-surgical procedures, let me just give you some links to follow, as this has been posted a million times before.
1. http://forums.steroid.com/anabolic-s...etro-gyno.html
2. http://forums.steroid.com/pct-post-c...erms-only.html
3. http://forums.steroid.com/anabolic-s...-reversal.html
If you're too lazy to follow the links and read... Raloxifene is the superior compound today for reversing gynecomastia. It can be dosed on or off cycle at 60mg daily up to 80mg daily until your gynecomastia is reversed. I will not be answering any questions that have already been answered in this thread, or in the threads linked above.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Can I use Letrozole to reverse gynecomastia?
--- No. This is a very old school method and should never be attempted. We've advanced and we know better today.
2. What should I use to reverse gynecomastia?
--- See the links above. Raloxifene or Tamoxifen are the 2 proven SERMs to work.
3. Can I develop gynecomastia even if I've had the surgery in the past?
--- Yes, you most certainly can. Having surgery is not a reason to ignore signs and estrogen management.
4. How is gynecomastia diagnosed?
--- Physical examination, blood tests, mammograms, chest x-rays, CT scans, MRI, biopsy, etc...
5. Can I get gynecomastia even if estrogen is in check?
--- Not likely, but again, hormonal imbalances and ratios that are way off can cause issues. Get diagnosed.
6. Can gynecomastia develop on one side only?
--- Not likely, it's probably already in both, but only one side is affected worse, so you get signs from that one side.
7. Why are Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERM) better than Aromatase inhibitors (AI)?
--- Both have been studied and SERMs are proven effective. AI's are proven ineffective. SERMs bind to E receptors at breast tissue strongly, unlike AI's.
8. Can SERMs reverse pubertal gynecomastia?
--- Pubertal gynecomastia has been studies as well, and SERMs have been proven effective.
Have a powerful day,
~ Austinite
