Keywords: breast menopause pain tenderness hormone estrogen estradiol oestradiol cancer fibrocystic disease progesterone mammogram complications medications medicines side effects

Breast tenderness is a perfectly normal side effect of estrogen therapy--particularly in post menopausal women who have not been exposed to estrogen for many years. It should settle down within 2-3 months of therapy. Other causes of breast tenderness can include excessive use of caffeine, which is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate; fibrocystic breast disease, which actually tends to get less after menopause; engorgement with milk, which can be seen in post menopausal women with thyroid disease, with the use of tranquilizers and other medications, and with pituitary (brain) tumors; blood clots in the veins of the breast; and breast cancer. Any patient considering estrogen replacement therapy should always have a thorough breast exam and an annual mammogram prior to therapy. If the breasts are sensitive, all caffeine products should be stopped. If the tenderness persists for, you should contact your health care provider. It may be necessary to lower the estrogen dose for several months to allow your body to adjust to these mild side effects. Once the side effects disappear, the dosage should be gradually increased until adequate blood levels exist to achieve maximal therapeutic benefit.

Drs. Caroline Dott and Andrew Dott are professional lecturers and teachers with a special interest in the interactions between the biological and psychological basis of human behavior at midlife.   Among their lecture topics are female and male menopause, the hormonal basis of human behavior, and issues related to depression and anxiety.  They are available to travel and give seminars on the topics covered in this website both nationally and internationally.