I think the two of you above have too simplistic an outlook.
You are pigeon holing people and in doing so ignorantly passing judgment.
Some people are more sensitive to gynecomastia than others for a whole variety of reasons and also differing amounts of gynecomastia affect people in different ways.
E.g
Kev
Myself
ruinedlife
Are three people who have been affected from a job point of view, that is three of us in this one thread alone.
Now if you do not suffer in this way good for you, but A) stop passing judgment on people who are affected this way and B) stop trying to relate it to an incorrect diagnosis of BDD and C) maybe think about having a bit more compassion.
Just to really mess up your act of trying to put people in boxes I am going to highlight my case and that of Kevs once again for you two seeing how you don't pay much attention to what we have to say I'll put it in a big heading for you.
FECKING PAY ATTENTION TO THIS PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right I'll start with Kevs case.
From what Kev told me he was very sensitive regarding his gynecomastia and felt he could not get a job as it deeply affected him.
The point is, once he had this physical impediment removed he went out there with much gusto and got a job, got on with his life etc.
He said to me that it felt like being re-born.
Now that to me sounds like a huge psychological weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
This is only a small snippet from Kevs story as I understand it. Kev would need to tell his story in his own words to do justice to his considerable torment and recovery from gyencomastia.
Now my situation (longer story as I know it well
I developed gynecomastia in stages.
I probably had three or four times more gynecomastia than people with what is termed minor gynecomastia from 16years old to 28 years old. Now for me it didn't bother me when it was minor, or at least not enough to cause serious concern (that is just me, other maybe affected in different ways).
At 28 years old my gynecomastia developed in due to a hormone problem and became significant, so much so that it I could no longer wear shirts, let alone T-shirts without it being abundantly obvious.
The only thing that would conceal it were coats, very large shirts of certain materials and to a lesser extent certain fleece tops.
Now I hated/despised the look on peoples faces when they saw/noticed the physical appendage on me that is associated with women, it made me feel terrible.
For this reason I had to hide it in order to not feel terrible. In the summer this meant trying to play tennis in heavy fleece tops in 90% heat and trying to brush away none stop questions as to why I was wearing what I was. Forgetting how horrible it was to play in those conditions, the constant questions made me feel even worse.
So I gave up playing tennis in the summer.
I found it impossible to go out on most hot summer days that were so hot that you had to wear a T-shirt as the looks were too off-putting and upset me too much.
I also left a job prior to the summer because I had too wear a standard thin shirt for work and my gynecomastia was still developing and making me feel terrible. I felt horrendous embarrassment goint to work every single day- it was psychologically very debilitating.
Now I have had the gynecomastia removed I am very happy with myself and my body- the problem is gone.
Just to put this into perspective.
How can I have BDD when- the gynecomastia was removed and now the psychological torment is gone?
How can I have BDD when I have scars from the surgery and the surgery is not perfect but I don't mind?
How can I have BDD when I have large scars from prior surgery from many years yearlier that have never bothered me?
How can I have BDD when I am not remotely vain about my appearance?
How can I have BDD when am not particularly fashion conscious (not too bothered what cloths I am wearing as long as they are not too bad)?
How can I have BDD when I am not bothered about being over weight at the moment and do not go to gyms (though I will be a little happier when back to normal thanks to tennis in the summer)?
Answer I do not have BDD and nor does Kev.
We were psychologically affected by gynecomastia as detailed by the AACE (American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists quotes.
"Many men have psychological problems resulting from gynecomastia. This should be taken seriously and discussed with the patient".
Quote two
"A breast reduction surgical procedure is often required for psychological well-being".
Right having got all that out of the way, I'd like to add something else.
People cope with differing problems in differing ways.
E.g
I had liver cancer at 16 and had two thirds of my liver removed in a 10 and a half hour operation and then had chemotherapy. Only 12% of people survive the cancer I had.
I got over that as soon as I got back to full health and did not require any psychological support, I was happy to be healthy and just got out there and lived my life.
If you two or any one else here went through that can you honestly say you would cope as well?
I then had bladder cancer at 25. One month after the operation to remove it I moved house, moved across the country and started a new high stress job. Again I got on with things being glad to be well.
If you two or any one else here went through that can you honestly say you would cope as well either on its own or in combination with the above?
I have gone onto develop serious osteo problems including osteoporosis in my spine and osteochondritis in my playing arm (it finished a career I had as a tennis coach)- yet I still try to play tennis
despite the arm problem and despite serious back problems.
I also deal with a hormone problem- hypogonadism.
The point I am making here is this.
People cope differently from each other, one person may cope well with one problem and not with another.
I coped with cancer better than gynecomastia.
Now that may seem absurd, but nevertheless it is true.
Of course one could kill me and the other could not, but I was just more able to deal cancer for whatever reason, just as I have been more able to cope with the osteo problems etc.
Now perhaps you two guys who are simplifying life can cope easily with gynecomastia and maybe you would be a psychological human wreck if you had cancer- who knows
Moral of the story- do not be so quick to pass judgment on people!!!
Topic: 28 years old with no life, all thanks to gyno (Read 34879 times)
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