Breast pain: feels like it's bruised

Hello
I wondered if any of you lovely ladies had any ideas for me please.
I had TAH/BSO in Nov 2008 for ovarian cancer (Stage 1A). Since then I have a lot of pain in my left breast. It feels like it is bruised whenever I apply pressure to it. I have also had some ongoing pain in my left armpit. Because of this pain I have had 3 mammmograms and ultrasounds in the past 15 months - all of them have turned up negative for lumps or anything else.

I wondered if the pain is possibly related to hormones (or lack thereof?). I have never taken HRT and am just riding out the menopause naturally.

I know that sometimes breast pain can be related to caffeine. I only ever drink decaf coffee but I do eat dark chocolate every day. Maybe I should cut the chocolate out?

I take calcium, vitamin D and fish oil every day. Is there some other supplement that I can take for breast pain or should I be worried that my breast pain could be caused by something sinister that is not showing up on mammograms and ultrasounds?

Thanks for your help.

CathyJane

Hi (((CathyJane))) Sounds like perhaps you may have fibrocystic breasts. They're really common in women who are perimenopausal or menopausal and they're aggravated by estrogen dominance. Even though you're not on HRT, your body makes a weak estrogen called estrone and stores it in abdominal fat cells. Since the removal of your ovaries, all your hormone levels dropped drastically, but the estrogen (estrone) a little less so, leaving it slightly out of balance relative to the other hormones.

One way many of us deal with discomfort from fibrocystic breasts is using a little OTC progesterone cream (ask your DR first, of course, since it is a hormone). Other things some women have had success with include EPO (Evening Primrose Oil), Vitamin E and kelp (which contains Iodine). I'd try any or all of those things before cutting out the , which does have health benefits (not to mention it tastes great and makes us feel happy!).

I hope this helps.

s,
-Linda

Thanks so much for the great advice Surferbabe. I will give the vit E and evening primrose a go, especially as I am loathe to give up my choc - it's my one big treat! I have a check up with my gyn/onc in two weeks so will ask him about the progesterone.

Thanks

CathyJane