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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Could This Painful Nipple Growth Be Due To The Bipolar Disorder Drug?

My son age 38 was given this drug for bi-polar. Mania state- results a painful growth about 2 in. from nipple.He has had one sonagram which showed nothing. Yet you can see and feel it with fingers. Its about the size of a nickle. Can this be from that drug? He hated the feeling of wanting to crawl out of his skin when he took this. He is now on lithium. Dose after 2mo. is still only .04 and still manic.
Fri, 7 Nov 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
Hello
Welcome to HCM

A number of drugs are used in bipolar disorder like Mood Stabilisers, Low dose anti-psychotics etc. Low dose antipsychotics like Olanzapine, Risperidone etc act by decreasing hyperdopaminergic neurotransmission. Due to this secretion of certain chemicals increases in brain. Prolactin is the hormone which is involved mainly. This is the reason of breast tenderness and enlargement in some individuals taking the drugs.

Although benign enlargement occurs but it pose significant distress to patients taking the drugs. You have not mentioned the drug he was taking but as per my opinion the enlargement is drug related.

Currently he is on lithium. It is not associated with this side effect. After 2 months his levels are 0.4 so as per my opinion the dose is not adequate because normal therapeutic levels should be in 0.6-1.2 range. Consult his Psychiatrist regarding this problem.

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Could This Painful Nipple Growth Be Due To The Bipolar Disorder Drug?

Hello Welcome to HCM A number of drugs are used in bipolar disorder like Mood Stabilisers, Low dose anti-psychotics etc. Low dose antipsychotics like Olanzapine, Risperidone etc act by decreasing hyperdopaminergic neurotransmission. Due to this secretion of certain chemicals increases in brain. Prolactin is the hormone which is involved mainly. This is the reason of breast tenderness and enlargement in some individuals taking the drugs. Although benign enlargement occurs but it pose significant distress to patients taking the drugs. You have not mentioned the drug he was taking but as per my opinion the enlargement is drug related. Currently he is on lithium. It is not associated with this side effect. After 2 months his levels are 0.4 so as per my opinion the dose is not adequate because normal therapeutic levels should be in 0.6-1.2 range. Consult his Psychiatrist regarding this problem. Thanks