Anyone with methadone gyno [gynecomastia]?

[Trapped_under_ice]

It's apparently common among methadone users, especially high dose users.

[I can only assume this post is asking about methadone gynecomastia: correct me if I'm wrong - Dickon]

My apologies, it's just that everybody seems to use term the gyno on the net. Maybe because they can't spell LOL

PS: Why don't you just PM and explain what I have done wrong, instead of giving me anonymous bad reps? I would be happy to change it right away if there is a problem.

There are 946.000 hits on Google for gynecomastia and 1.830.000 hits for gyno. I just meant I used the correct word. I'm not an english speaker either.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Please be more clear when you post and not use slang/abbreviations without explaining them first.
	thanks for bringing up this sensitive issue on the forum

[livleaux]

i was very familiar with methadone a few years ago, but i have never heard of a "methadone gyno" Are u referring to a methadone gynecologist??? I know we have to be "creative" on this forum, but this one's over my head i guess. I would love to help if i could figure out what u mean......

[Trapped_under_ice]

It's male breast development(it looks as bad as it sounds). The exact mechanism behind it is unknown but may be related to reduced testosterone/dihydrotestosterone production and increased aromatase in males. It's well documented among methadone users, both gyno and the reduced production of androgens.

There are many grades of it, some severe, some hardly noticeable.

Methadone is particularly harsh on on male androgens, many methadone users are hypogonadal without knowing it. SWIMs total testosterone was around 100 ng/dl while on methadone(normal range 400 - 1200 ng/dl for this lab). However it seems to be regressing rapidly now.

[Helene]

For information of the effect long term methadone use has on female hormone production, have a look at this post here -

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/sho...37&postcount=9

H

[kailey_elise]

I'm very close to a male someone who is taking both atypical antipsychotic medications & methadone, both of which fuck with your hormone levels. He doesn't have full-on gyno, but a bit of extra 'pudge' at the pectoral area, & had NO sex drive & if he could actually get off (a feat in itself), he produced no ejaculate.

His methadone doctor offered to prescribe him something, but he ultimately got a prescription for

bromocriptine 2.5mg

from his psych doctor.

He had hot flashes for about 2 weeks, progressively getting better, he now gets spontanteous erections again, he's thinking about sex like any 30-something male should, and his penis is again sensitive, not numb, and he's producing ejaculate.

This medication, in 3 weeks, has been a godsend to him, and he's really pissed that no one's thought to try it before on him, since he's complained of this shit since he was just on SSRIs (about 10 years now). He's still taking SSRIs, and has a sex drive again - how's that for effective?

It's often used in Parkinson's patients for side effects of their regular meds, or for anyone who's prolactin levels are off due to medication. Apparently, the fucked up hormone shit gave him higher prolactin levels (which are what help you make breast milk, so ties into the gyno).

Definitely look into this, as it's been phenomenal for my male friend.

~Kailey

pa. somehow, his testosterone was within 'normal' levels, and he still had all those issues.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Great info for the OP with personal experience A+

[Trapped_under_ice]

Thanks for the kind advice.... SWIM will definately look further into this.

It's a really humiliating thing, especially if you're a boy/man who have a girlfriend or plan to or just want to to the beach. When SWIM was on methadone(anywhere from 150 to 200 mg/day), any antipsychotics would instantly aggravate it because they make prolactin skyrocket. SSRI's are almost as bad. Estrogen and progresterone preparations were bad too, they would almost make things worse overnight.

The problem with bromocriptine and cabergolin(the latter which SWIM used) is that they seem to work fantastically in the start but after some months, they're lose effect to almost nothing. They inhibit dopamine release in the brain because the bind to autoreceptors.

SWIM has used cabergoline 0.5 mg twice a week, 20 mg nolvadex daily, 1 mg Arimidex and occasional formestane/exemestane. He also tried testosterone gel with no success although it gives lots of acne and body odour.

Everybody says the real way to get of it is to remove the cause, which can be both opiates, antipsychotics or simply anabolic steroids. Then lose some non-lean bodyweight to get rid of aromatase rich fat tissue.

SWIM is off methadone now and doesn't even have to take cabergolin anymore. However he still takes the arimidex until used because it was so expensive. They'are about 8 USD per pill. He will probably keep the tamoxifen too since it's so cheap and bumped up this testosterone from 100 ng/dl to 400, plus doing wonders for his manhood. No, not sex, or dirty thinking just the ability to fall seriously in love again. In fact, SWIM has found tamoxifen pills to have the strange side effect of make a man fall in love a few days after taking it, even after knowing the person for years. SWIM has heard some strange stories about it. Pretty strange. Reminds me of the love potions witches made when wanted to seduce men in back in medieval times LOL LOL LOL

SWIM currently uses mesterolone and DHT cream to rid him of the last tissue. It seems to be working good, although the mesterone seem to do much better. What makes a man is not testosterone but rather dihydrotestosterone. Testosterone just makes gyno worse and gets converted in the skin creating acne and hair loss.

To SWIM, it's really just about feeling normal. That's all. We men are really some very fragile beings compared to women. Sort of like a motorcycle that has been tuned way too much, but falls apart when you reach top speed.

PS: Please give me some more bad reps. I'm beginning to like them, like a sort of badge of honor.