Horrible feeling in breasts

Raspberry_Queen

For the past 12 days have been having a horrible sensation in my breasts. It feels like tightness, compression, depression and unpleasant tingling in the top half. My breasts are very round, and my mother said hers very also very round but lost their oomph when she was 30. She said they didn't sag but lost volume in the top part. I will be 30 in July and I am so depressed thinking that this might be happening to me. I'm not attractive, and my breasts are one of my few conventionally nice features. I am also disabled and have never had a partner, and feel like my chances will be even lower if one of my few attractive features disappear. I'm aging prematurely in general and have endometriosis, and wonder if this is a hormonal thing. A decline in oestrogen causes the breast tissue to dehydrate, and I can imagine the feeling in my breasts being due to dehydration in the tissue. 

Please don't consider this frivolous, I am so depressed about this, and wonder if there is anything I can do to save them? I have terrible sleep, and wonder if fixing this would help? Also trying cold showers?

I'm not on the pill, and don't wear a bra (and don't want to have to start). 

Raspberry_Queen

Other info (clutching at straws trying to find an answer and solution):

• Despite having endometriosis, I don't have oestrogen dominance. 
• I'm not on the pill or anything similar.
• I eat enough magnesium.
• I have a good plant based diet. 
• I also take many supplements (multi vitamin/mineral and herbal) and am well nourished. 
• I don't often eat soya, although I eat other beans almost every day (they all contain phytooestrogens).
• I try to avoid chemicals, although I do eat stuff from tins and this might expose me to xenooestrogens like BPA.
• I have never worn a bra because of my mother's theory that they cause breasts to sag. Some research recently gave credence to this, and the theory is that bras make the ligaments lax. 
• I do wear a halterneck bikini when riding my bike (under my clothes), and this provides comfortable support without strangling them. 
• I have a terrible sleep pattern and am very nocturnal. I know that light effects melatonin, which in turn affects hormones. 
• I hate the cold which is why I haven't tried the cold shower thing.
• I have bad posture and am a bit hunched over.

The horrible sensations mentioned are intermittent, but every day for several hours a day. It's happening right now. Even if I wasn't scared of deflation I would hate the awful feeling. 

Floss

Personally I have never found bras have affected my breasts, with me it was having children & breast feeding.

Perhaps you could try wearing a soft bralet to give some support - most supermarkets have them - and see how you feel after a few weeks of that?

littlegreenparrot

If you have an ongoing unpleasant sensation you should go and discuss that with your Dr. 

At the moment you don't know what's going on, it may have nothing to do with them potentially losing volume but could be a symptom of something else.  

Aside from seeing the Dr you can do some things that may help you feel better. 

Improving posture will help, standing straight with shoulders back helps everything stay in the right place.

Things like Yoga and pilates can help with that, as well as having other benefits that might help you feel better in general. 
Do you swim? The movement required for breaststroke or crawl uses those muscles across the chest and can also help. 

Raspberry_Queen

Thank you both for your replies. I will look into getting a bralet - one problem is a have one C cup and one B cup and when I have previously tried to buy a normal bra it has been difficult. 

I will go to the doctor, I have googled tingling breasts and it is worth an appointment. It's like tinnitus of the breasts. 

I can swim but I can't float! I will give it a go I've I can find a decent floatation aid that helps you swim properly rather than getting in the way. 

Floss

Please don't worry about having breasts of different sizes - the human body is not perfectly symmetrical and a lot of woman have different sized boobs.

I would try a few different ones, I think the crop-top type would be best for you.

Emmia

If you're worried, please go and talk to your doctor.

A crop top bralet, non wired should be fine with your differently sized boobs - they're mostly stretchy and a bit one size fits all - but as there are no cups as such you wont have a full one, and a less full one so obviously.

Some also have the option of removable pads so you could pop one in if you felt a bit unbalanced (or not).

Light support
https://www.marksandspencer.com/lace-trim-non-wired-bralette/p/clp60450781

Medium support
https://www.marksandspencer.com/medium-impact-crop-sports-bra/p/clp60212296

Sweaty Betty also have a good range of options, but they're more spendy - I have several of the stamina bras 

https://www.sweatybetty.com/shop/underwear/sports-bras/stamina-sports-bras

M&S also do vests with a built in crop top if you'd prefer that.

Raspberry_Queen

Thank you both for the advice and suggestions. I will buy a bralette. 

The good news is that I have started eating soya every day, and after 1 day the feeling reduced by about 90%, and after 2 days it was totally gone! So probably no need for a doctor now. I have also ordered broad beans as they are much higher in phytoestrogens than soya beans. 

Raspberry_Queen

Aaaaaand I've jinxed myself. The feeling is returning. Thought you'd all like to know! /s

littlegreenparrot

To be honest I kind of thought you should go to the Dr anyway, for peace of mind if nothing else. 

The guidance is always to go and get checked if something looks/feels weird or different. It might be nothing, but it might not be and they absolutely will not mind. It is always easier to deal with issues if they are caught early.