Can peri-menopause cause changes?

B3TT3NCOURT

I am 46 years old and had an ablation with Mirena inserted in 2018. I haven't had a period for probably close to a year. I have been having what I believe are hot flashes all spring and summer.

Then, in early-Mid-August, I kind of felt "off" one day and noticed I was spotting. This went on for a few days then stopped. Two weeks later I got an actual period out of the blue. Around this time I felt like my breasts were "puffy." The period ended a few days later and I forgot about it.

About two weeks ago I started noticing discomfort in my right breast, in the right upper quadrant. At first it was just soreness, but then it morphed into more of a thick feeling, and then it got REALLY painful, culminating in sharp stinging/stabbing pains and a general lumpiness and engorgement. I think what made me notice it most was that I was suddenly more aware of it and it felt bigger than normal.

I was quite worried about this but didn't want to be a hypochondriac and gave it a few days and then it settled down. Almost immediately after the breast stopped being so horribly painful, I started another period. So, now the breast is almost back to normal. No longer really sore, but slightly so. But it does have lumpiness/firmness on the outer quadrant. I'm still having this period, but it's more spotting. I don't think the timing is coincidental and assume they are related.

About ten years ago I had a very similar experience where I went to bed thinking I was having hot flashes and woke up with a jagged, hard and horribly painful lump protruding from my left breast which turned out to be a cluster of cysts inside a fibrous area that had ruptured into my milk duct. I developed another painless and enormous cyst two years later in the same breast.

I am hopeful that this new issue with my right breast is a result of fibrous and cystic changes because of a bizarre hormone surge.

Has anyone experienced anything similar around peri-menopause and can ease my mind? I am calling my GP on Monday to see if she can get me in prior to my physical which is scheduled for October 8.

Moderators

Hi B3TT3NCOURT, and welcome.

Hormonal changes certainly influence our breasts. We're glad you are getting a physical though to find out what's going on. Hang in there, and keep us posted.

Beesie

Yes, peri-menopause can affect your breasts. More than 1/2 of all women have fibrocystic breasts but many don't even know until they hit their late 30s to mid 40s, whenever peri-menopause kicks in for them. Our hormones start acting like we are teenagers again!

If the changes seem to fluctuate with your periods, then it's likely hormonal.