Nipple discharge in men

Posted by tobyisaacs @tobyisaacs, Apr 16, 2020

I am a 29-year-old dude in good health. I started having nipple discharge when I was 12 and didn't realize at the time that it was abnormal. The discharge is watery/milky in color and smells actually a bit like breast milk. It's always been a bit cyclical but it started to increase recently, so I went to a doctor and got a referral to an endocrinologist. He ordered a pituitary hormone panel and everything was pretty much normal. Testosterone was in the upper half of normal range, estrogen at the very upper end of normal range, prolactin normal, beta-HCG only slightly above normal. The endocrinologist said he didn't have any more ideas on what could be causing it and didn't think it was galactorrhea because of the low prolactin levels.
I want to emphasize that it isn't really a problem (certainly weird though); I'm just addressing it more out of curiosity.
The only medications I take are metoprolol and zolmitriptan, both for migraines.
I know nipple discharge can be a symptom of breast cancer; but considering that I've had this for 17 years, I think I would have died by now if that was the underlying cause. It can also be a sign of infection; but there is no inflammation and a 17-year nipple infection seems really unlikely.
I'm asking on here because I've already run all over the internet trying to find information. Almost all of the information concerns women, and the information on men relates to medication side effects or breast cancer. Could this just be idiopathic nipple discharge that isn't a symptom of a deeper problem? Anyone have advice on the next step to take after the endocrinologist?

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Hello @tobyisaacs and welcome to Connect. I'm glad that you've been starting to look into things. It's good to pay attention to our bodies and better understand them, even if it's just out of curiosity. Is it just one nipple or both? Have you been to any other specialists beyond an endocrinologist?

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Thank you! It's always been both nipples, but there's more flow from the left side. I haven't seen any other specialists. I'm not sure what other specialist I should see. The endocrinologist gave me a referral to a surgeon, but I don't see what expertise a general surgeon would have in this. I'm planning to go once quarantine is over.

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@tobyisaacs

Thank you! It's always been both nipples, but there's more flow from the left side. I haven't seen any other specialists. I'm not sure what other specialist I should see. The endocrinologist gave me a referral to a surgeon, but I don't see what expertise a general surgeon would have in this. I'm planning to go once quarantine is over.

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Definitely keep following the advice of your doctors and continue to keep searching for information like you have been. From looking at nipple discharge info on Mayo Clinic's site (https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/nipple-discharge/basics/causes/sym-20050946), it looks like a laundry list of conditions that can cause it with many of them being from different areas, so it may be hard to narrow things down. Did this coincide with you starting to take your migraine medications?

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Thanks for the link. I looked at all of them and none of them seem applicable, but obviously I can't diagnose myself. The discharge involves multiple ducts (if that's what they are) on both sides, so I think that rules out some of the conditions listed like mammary duct ectasia?
The discharge started around the same time that I started getting migraines, when I was 12. I didn't start taking my migraine medications until 4 years ago.
Is it possible that nothing is wrong and this is just a quirk?

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@tobyisaacs

Thanks for the link. I looked at all of them and none of them seem applicable, but obviously I can't diagnose myself. The discharge involves multiple ducts (if that's what they are) on both sides, so I think that rules out some of the conditions listed like mammary duct ectasia?
The discharge started around the same time that I started getting migraines, when I was 12. I didn't start taking my migraine medications until 4 years ago.
Is it possible that nothing is wrong and this is just a quirk?

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It's definitely tough to self-diagnose. Being able to Google everything can certainly be a blessing and curse as we can get so much information it leaves us reeling and unsure. I think it's something you should definitely follow up with your doctor (when you can) to see where you can go from here. If you do get seen, or you have some updates, next steps or hopefully some relief and answers, it'd be great to hear from you again @tobyisaacs. Your experience would be very helpful to others who may stumble upon this post later to see they're not the only ones and learn from your journey.

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First I want to thank @tobyisaacs for his post and I hope his issue was able to be successfully resolved. I am a 39-year-old guy and just now, I noticed discharge out of my left nipple. For years now I've had a suspicion there was discharge out of my nipples, but now for the first time, I have definitive proof it is happening. Though the discharge is clear and odorless, I'm freaking out because nipple discharge in men isn't normal. I called my usual clinic (I'm kind of a hypochondriac so they're probably tired of me by now, lol) right away and today at 1 pm I'll be speaking with a doctor over the phone. Does anyone have any advice on what I should do in the meantime should they recommend I get tested, assuming that's what they'll do?

Moreover, as if all this wasn't bad enough, I'm dealing with TMJ issues, facial misalignment, and pulsatile tinnitus, the last of which I plan on bringing up when I speak with my doctor (they already know about the previous two). If it helps, I also have diagnosed Asperger's and ADHD. At any rate, thank you all in advance for your help!

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Hey man... I'm now 41, I started having discharges in both breast when I was in my early twenties. I to went to the endocrinologist and a specialist that said I had tumors on my pituitary glands, the treated with some sort of cancer drug even though I didn't have cancer. I should also mention that I had the worst headache that would come and go in a flash and almost drop me to my knees. The drugs cleared the tumors and headaches. But the discharge remains. I to know the frustration of there being no answers for males about this issue. My breast some time are painful and my nipples are always erect for the most part. My discharge comes and goes. I hope this helps.

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See a medical professional soon

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@peavoo42

Hey man... I'm now 41, I started having discharges in both breast when I was in my early twenties. I to went to the endocrinologist and a specialist that said I had tumors on my pituitary glands, the treated with some sort of cancer drug even though I didn't have cancer. I should also mention that I had the worst headache that would come and go in a flash and almost drop me to my knees. The drugs cleared the tumors and headaches. But the discharge remains. I to know the frustration of there being no answers for males about this issue. My breast some time are painful and my nipples are always erect for the most part. My discharge comes and goes. I hope this helps.

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@peavoo42, it sounds like you might need a second opinion.

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I am a male, born a natural male, 64 years old, have had a couple off major injuries in my lifetime so far. Aspinal injury from a safety harness that failed fell approx 32 ft hit sitting and broke my back between T12 and L1 with paralisis years ago, that turned into paraparesis, etc. Recently a whip lash injury in the c4, c5, c6 neck. I exhibiting symptoms of :: a change in a freckle that experienced a 10 fold increase in diameter and itched a little starting 10 years ago (it is perfectly circular, and has actually faded a bit and has a sort of shedding/exfoliating feature when I wash sometimes, not pain, rare itch now). Also, I have sensitive nipples (right more than left), developed shallow small pain free lump in my right pectoral area (outside of the muscle tissue) towards the sternum about 7 years ago. The right nipple seems to be more sensitive and erect a lot... the shape and sensation in and around lump tends to change. It will get hard and soft, it will feel "like it's just there" not pain, but sort of an irritation. Right nipple will itch, get erect, or sensitive. When I do a lot of poking, prodding and when I pinched the nipple to quell the itching I got a minute amount of clear odorless fluid.? Which concerned me. I have had a surgeon and breast specialist examine the lump... he thought it was just a benign fatty tumor or possibly a swollen lymph node. Should I get it removed and sent for testing or biopsy or other testes for cancer. I do not drink, drugs, smoke, I have had my share of dust, and particulates in farm and construction workplaces before my initial spine injury 40 years ago. Have always been a bit of a health nut but costs have hindered me from keeping up with the regimen of greens, organic foods, and etc. over the last 5 years. My mom had cancer at 65 and dad lived till 93 but had small cell adenocarcinoma.

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