[Vana_B]

I have just started experimenting with various herbs used for NBE.   I picked up some liquid fenugeek extract from Walgreens last week and decided to try adding a couple drops to lotion and use on my chest when I pump/cup.   The first time (last Thursday),  I felt very lightheaded for about an hour after application.   I checked and my blood pressure took a dive, but nothing dangerous.  I repeated this for 3 days during my 30 min pumping sessions. 

When I woke up Sunday morning,  I had a large a lump under my right nipple, quite bit of pain and significant swelling of my right breast, upper right arm and even into my neck.   My testicles were also quite swollen and painful and I felt very ill, with a slight fever.    I'm feeling a bit better today, but my right breast is still quite swollen and sore with the lump under the nipple.  Left breast is completely normal.

Is it possible that I overdosed just from a couple of drops in lotion applied to my chest?  Just wondering if other have applied fenugeek topically and had this sudden and strong of reaction?  Would it be better to take orally vs directly on the chest?

[thegirl1951]

I bought fenugreek from Amazon and have used it off and on for several weeks.  I am now using it once a day with 8 drops on my chest.  I mix the oil with olive oil at a mixing ration of about 1:3 (FG to olive oil).  Last year I was applying it directly to my chest without dilution with no side effects. The BP drop is mentioned in some of the websites as a side effect of FG. Good thing you checked your BP!  Also, WebMD has noted that it can lower your blood sugar.  The lump is a mystery to me from what I have read.  Maybe someone else on this site can make a comment to that issue? Could the lump be the result of the pumping?  Try googling for that possibility?  FG has been pretty safe for most people and WebMD also states that its pretty safe (please read the WebMD info yourself). You may have an unrelated, mild illness?

I have just started experimenting with various herbs used for NBE.   I picked up some liquid fenugeek extract from Walgreens last week and decided to try adding a couple drops to lotion and use on my chest when I pump/cup.   The first time (last Thursday),  I felt very lightheaded for about an hour after application.   I checked and my blood pressure took a dive, but nothing dangerous.  I repeated this for 3 days during my 30 min pumping sessions. 

When I woke up Sunday morning,  I had a large a lump under my right nipple, quite bit of pain and significant swelling of my right breast, upper right arm and even into my neck.   My testicles were also quite swollen and painful and I felt very ill, with a slight fever.    I'm feeling a bit better today, but my right breast is still quite swollen and sore with the lump under the nipple.  Left breast is completely normal.

Is it possible that I overdosed just from a couple of drops in lotion applied to my chest?  Just wondering if other have applied fenugeek topically and had this sudden and strong of reaction?  Would it be better to take orally vs directly on the chest?

[Vana_B]

Maybe someone else on this site can make a comment to that issue? Could the lump be the result of the pumping?  Try googling for that possibility?  FG has been pretty safe for most people and WebMD also states that its pretty safe (please read the WebMD info yourself). You may have an unrelated, mild illness?

I doubt it is a result of pumping, as I go low pressure for about 30 minutes at a time and I have been doing this for quite a while.   I may just be hyper sensitive to FG.   With Saw Palmetto,  I had to slowly work up 600mg a day over several weeks or it would spike my blood pressure and give my terrible headaches.  

I'm thinking wait a few days and start again FG with just one drop in lotion (every other day) and avoid putting it directly on my nipples.

[thegirl1951]

good idea.  You may want to mix it with a carrier oil so that it can be spread out over a larger surface area for better absorption.  Maybe 10:1 mixing ratio? 

Maybe someone else on this site can make a comment to that issue? Could the lump be the result of the pumping?  Try googling for that possibility?  FG has been pretty safe for most people and WebMD also states that its pretty safe (please read the WebMD info yourself). You may have an unrelated, mild illness?

I doubt it is a result of pumping, as I go low pressure for about 30 minutes at a time and I have been doing this for quite a while.   I may just be hyper sensitive to FG.   With Saw Palmetto,  I had to slowly work up 600mg a day over several weeks or it would spike my blood pressure and give my terrible headaches.  

I'm thinking wait a few days and start again FG with just one drop in lotion (every other day) and avoid putting it directly on my nipples.

[Vana_B]

Just as an update, it's been over a week the overall swelling in my right breast has gone down but the nipple remains very firm, sore and itchy, with a slight lump directly under it.   The areola has white dots that look almost like pimples. 

It has been itching so much that I pinched the nipple a bit to get it to stop, and white liquid squirts out which seemed reduce the itching.    Left nipple is also bit itchy, but not nearly as bad as the right.  The only thing I am taking now is SP and some fennel seeds and feel stuff is definitely still happening. 

Perhaps I'm just super sensitive to this stuff as I have already had some growth from low dosages of just SP and fennel.   It seems strange that just a couple applications of fenugreek over a week ago directly on the nipple seems to have caused some sort of lactation effect even a week later.  I'm a bit reluctant to try fenugreek at all again.

[thegirl1951]

I also have 2 white dots that look almost like pimples on one of my areolas.

[Vana_B]

I also have 2 white dots that look almost like pimples on one of my areolas.

Been searching on google and I believe they are called Montgomery glands which are swollen and usually caused by being pregnant ( or hormone imbalance ).  I never would have thought a few drops of fenugreek extract on my nipples would trick my body into thinking I'm pregnant.  Could also explain the white milky discharge from the nipple.