Private health

Q: I’m 52 and officially postmenopausal. When my sister went through menopause, her breasts shrunk, so I expected mine would too—but they’ve actually gotten bigger. They’re slightly sore as well. What’s going on?

A: This is nothing to be concerned about. Though some women do experience breast shrinkage or sagging after they transition to menopause, others find that their breasts get larger because of natural hormonal drop-offs that occur during this time. What’s going on: Waning estrogen levels lower your metabolic rate, which can cause weight gain in the breasts and elsewhere. But levels of progesterone—a hormone that has diuretic effects—also decrease in menopause, and that can lead to fluid retention, which triggers the breast swelling and soreness you’re experiencing.

The good news: The water retention should abate on its own within a few months, as your body becomes accustomed to the reduced progesterone levels. In the meantime, I advise limiting caffeine, which has been shown to make breast pain worse, and cutting back on salty foods since high sodium intake can cause the body to hold on to fluids.

I also recommend getting more vitamin B6, which has been shown to reduce fluid retention. I suggest taking a supplement that contains 100 mg of B6 and eating several servings of foods every day that are rich in the vitamin (such as salmon, tuna, poultry, lean pork, chickpeas, avocados and leafy green vegetables).

Finally, research suggests that supplementing with 1,300 mg of evening primrose oil a day (available at Amazon.com and in drugstores) can help rebalance hormones and ease breast tenderness.