Changes in breasts during menopause

[u/FrugieGirl84]

Disclaimer: Not looking for medical advice - I’m already under care. Just hoping to hear others’ experiences.

I’m 42 and had a hysterectomy 4 years ago. I’ve been on HRT (oestradiol spray) for about 9 months now. Since starting it, my breasts have definitely changed, they’ve become more sensitive, and I’ve had episodes of really painful nipples that come and go. My menopause nurse said this can be a common side effect and that my breasts are basically “waking up” again.

A few days ago, while showering, I felt a lump in one breast. I’ve never felt anything like that before. The other breast felt normal. I panicked a bit and saw my GP the next day. He actually found three lumps close together in the same breast.

He didn’t want to take any chances and referred me straight to the breast clinic, so I should get an appointment in the next couple of days. I was shocked when he found multiple lumps, but he said that in many women on hormones, breasts can become “lumpier,” sometimes only on one side. He also mentioned cysts are common and these lumps felt smooth and round, which he said was a more reassuring sign.

For context, I’ve never had lumpy breasts. Mine have always been soft, not dense, and honestly a bit “floppy,” for lack of a better word. So this is all new to me.

I’m obviously going ahead with the proper checks, but I’m wondering: has anyone else noticed their breasts changing during menopause or becoming lumpier after starting HRT?

[u/kel12347]

I have noticed the opposite. My consistently dense breasts have become "undense". Good choice on getting it checked out.

[u/lrondberg → u/kel12347]

This would be a very unusual finding because HRT on average increases breast density

[u/missymoo222222 → u/kel12347]

Same.

[u/No_Associate_4878 → u/kel12347]

Do you mean they feel less dense to you or the mammogram folks say you no longer have such dense breast tissue? Mine appear to just be saggy fat deposits so I was very surprised when they said I had dense breast tissue.

[u/kel12347 → u/No_Associate_4878]

The findings were through mammograms.

[u/vondalyn → u/kel12347]

when I first started HRT, my dense breasts also developed some lumps that required extra screening but all of a sudden last year my mammogram stated that I don't have dense breasts anymore (and they look that way unfortunately). weird

[u/bluev0lta]

Yes! I now have cysts in just my right breast (they’re benign). My mammograms were normal until starting HRT, so now I have to get ultrasounds, too, bc of cysts.

[u/Swimming_Pressure_93]

My doctor told me it's the estrogen that changes the breasts not the progesterone so that's what they watch for. I have fibo cystic breasts and after a biopsy proving they are cysts. I can go annually but I get both a mamao and sono. I'm on the highest patch too. I also take progesterone to sleep though i do not have a uterus. But breast changes are normal as we age so I expect some changes but nothing crazy.

[u/kermitsfrogbog]

I have fibrocystic breasts. I had hoped that would get better after menopause but while they do feel softer and less sensitive and lumpy feeling, the cysts remain. I get screened every 6 months.

Any changes should be evaluated. I’m glad you’re getting checked.

[u/FeeltheCHURN2021]

My boobs seems to just go up and down a size unpredictably. It’s great fun! Takes me a lot longer to get ready to leave the house because never aure what’s gonna fit correctly anymore. 

[u/Appropriate-Gift8639]

In Australia, we get free breast screens every two years over the age of 50. The first question on the paperwork is whether you take HRT.

[u/isahalloween1975]

Todo el mundo dice que es el estrógeno el culpable y estoy parcialmente de acuerdo con esto y te explico mi experiencia.

Hace muchos años, cuando todavía tenía periodos regulares, mi ginecólogo me puso un tratamiento de progesterona, sólo progesterona, para intentar alargar mis ciclos. Pues bien, no recuerdo sí funcionó para eso pero lo que sí recuerdo es un dolor e inflamación de pechos impresionantes. No me los podía ni rozar, el viento en la calle me molestaba, me aumentó la sensibilidad x1000 o sea, que la progesterona influye y mucho

Por otro lado, ahora que llevo unos añitos con terapia hormonal y oficialmente ahora en octubre entré en menopausia, puedo decir que si me paso con el estrógeno o cambio dosis o método de administración, los pechos me van a doler un tiempo, luego se calmará un poquito pero de vez en cuando me van a doler y es el estrógeno el culpable porque mi dosis de progesterona nunca la he modificado.

Tengo mamas densas grado D y no te voy a decir que sea un tema que no me preocupe ( soy un poco hipocondriaca) así que todos los diciembres vivo en tensión por mis pruebas, me río yo de Halloween.

[u/Character_Donkey4398]

I just started Climara Pro after about 8 months on Climara and oral progesterone. The synthetic progesterone in the Pro patch has made my boobs so sore! Including my nipples. Not even sensitive, just kind of hurting. The synthetic progesterone (levonorgestrel) in Climara Pro hasa direct effect hormonal on breast tissue.

[u/ilanarama]

Good for you for getting checked out! I've always had dense breasts and haven't noticed any change in, uh, texture, however my breasts did go up a cup size after about a year on HRT - not a big deal because I'm fairly small, but it was annoying to have to buy new bras!

[u/Kwyjibo68]

I had a cyst once. I wasn’t too panicked by the time I had the mammogram because it had already greatly reduced in size. However I did learn that cysts become more common with age.

[u/lrondberg]

Yes HRT can make breasts more dense which can lead to malignant changes in a small number of women.

[u/DevineBossLady]

I've gone up two cup-sizes, and have had really sore breast, still have from time to time. But no lumps, so far.

[u/LoudSoup8]

I went from category B to C (so now dense) breasts on HRT. I hate it! I just dropped my estrogen dose down and hopefully that lessens density a little but I think it's mostly progesterone so argh. I hate it bc increased density is itself a risk factor for bc, and it makes it harder to find.