QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I (am a man and) recently found a lump on my breast, and the radiologist was not sure if long term consumption of Tegretol would cause lumps or cysts. Do you have any information on this?
ANSWER:
Men occasionally do get breast lumps, and 1/100 cases of breast cancer are in
men. The growth of breast tissue in men, called gynecomastia, can happen from
medications or without medication.
Breast lumps are one of the few potential side effects that hasn't been associated with
Tegretol. That doesn't mean it's not from the Tegretol, just that it hasn't been
reported and is extremely unlikely.