It is very likely that once a woman reaches menopause, her cysts will shrink or even disappear. Some postmenopausal women may experience fibrocystic breasts as a consequence of hormone replacement therapy if the dosage of estrogen is too high. For most women, the condition means lumps ranging from tiny, BB size to larger, egg size. These lumps recur monthly as estrogen stimulates milk glands in the breasts, causing the glands to accumulate fluid and swell. For other women, it means lasting cysts that result from milk ducts that clog and don t drain.
Some women even experience a little discharge from their nipples.
Though they aren t life-threatening, swollen, fibrocystic breasts can be both physically painful and emotionally stressful. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition, only potential treatments. Because it s hormone-triggered, doctors advise that the best strategy for relieving fibrocystic pain and lumpiness is to decrease the levels of the female hormone estrogen circulating in your blood. Though hormone therapy is one approach, some experts, including Dr. Lark, maintain that nutritional regimens can work just as well without the side effects of hormone therapy. Here s what they recommend.