Cold feet?

[st23]

I got a mild case of gyno but it does now make me feel uncomfortable after all of these years. I always thought it was my pec because its hard like muscle. Anyway,I'm over 40 and I wonder if I'm being silly by getting the surgery-not to mention $6K.The money is not a hardship,but lets face it thats a lot of cash. Also,is the post surgery brutal? Any feedback will help,thanks!

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

I understand where you are coming from.  True, gyne is a benign condition -- but it does affect everyone's self esteem, self image, etc.

No one can tell you to have surgery or not -- that is truly your decision.

All I can tell you is that after having taken nearly 2000 men and adolescent boys through this operation, it is quick, straight forward and for most guys, there is a relatively short period of minor discomfort.

If you want to speak to me more in depth about everything, best is with a consultation in my NY office.  Please call 212 570 6080 for an appmt.

Dr Jacobs

[morpheus11]

Do it man. Do it before you get any older.  I had mine done roughly 2 months ago, and in all honesty, the recovery wasn't much at all. I've had colds that took longer to recover from than the surgery.  Also, I don't know what your condition is, and I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, the surgery really was a life changer.  No more having to find the perfect shirt to mask the moobs or worry about how my chest looks at the gym. Matter of fact, it's been a few weeks since I've come on this site because I so rarely think about it anymore. 

Anyhow, good luck with whatever route you go.

[st23]

Thanks for the support. My wife thinks I'm being silly. She says she doesn't notice it at all. I sure as hell feel self conscious about it. Also, In your opinion, would I be able to work 1 week past the surgery? I'm a plumber so I will be working with tools,bending,etc. I could probably limit carrying anything above 20 lb's for a few days. I certainly don't want to jeopardize the surgery but I can only take off so many days. Thanks.

[zm]

Don't wait any longer...i've been contemplating surgery for the last 5 years and not regret now having it done many years ago.  I have now booked my surgery for the 3rd of March. i am 33 now but i know i'll regret later if i dont get it done. 
It is a lot of money, but money comes and goes.....

[morpheus11]

yep, my girlfriend was the exact same way. she kept telling me that it wasn't noticeable and that I was being ridiculous by getting the surgery. she still supported me because she thought that i needed to remove it from my mind more than my body.anyhow, after the surgery, she was shocked.  she thought it wasn't a big deal, and I really didn't have it bad, but even at that, the results were drastic.

in regards to your job, I wouldn't know. I have an office job and went back to work 4 days later.  Also, I didn't have any drains put in, so if you do have drains put it, it may take a bit longer.  the pain did persist for more than a week, but it was more of a nagging tolerable pain..unless of course, I tried to lift something really heavy, then it would hurt.  which i know, because i tried moving some furniture and found out the hard way that it was a bit too soon for that.

plan some time, and get it done. if you have weekends off, and get it done on say a friday or thursday, i would think you would be good to go back to work by the next wed or thur for sure.  just take it easy on the job for another week after that.

good luck 

[greatlakes]

I am 46 and having this done for the second time . The fist time was over 20 years ago, and it was not done very well.  I waited way too long to get this followup surgery done. I am tired of wearing swim shirts at the pool or beach - and having to carefully review every t-shirt I buy for how it highlights (or does not) my condition. Yes the almost 7 grand is a nice chunk of change, but heck I spend 6 grand taking the family on vacation each year. Next vacation - no swim shirt.

My wife is not fully supportive, but fortunately my female therapist is 100% behind me having it, as is a close family member. Happy confident men make for better husbands/boyfriends to our gals. And it is a medical condition.

but I hear you - I still got a bit of cold feet for the surgery which is scheduled at the end of march. My consultation with my doctor helped ease my worries.

[shaknbake]

I'm 38 and had mine done about a month ago.  I always dreamed of what it would be like to live without gyne, and now it's finally a reality!  I'm a happily married man, with a daughter, so this surgery wasn't because I feel too out of sorts to be lucky in love or anything.  As much as I don't want to be selfish, this was all about me, and how it would make me feel afterwards.  We all know how hard this condition can play on your self esteem, so I can personally say that I feel much more confident in myself now that the surgery is done.  The healing process afterwards isn't too bad at all.  I feel pretty good right now.  Not 100% yet, but it will come.  Let's face it, we aren't getting any younger either, so we don't heal as fast as we did when we were 18 - 20 years old!    Don't waste any more time worrying about it, just do it.  You'll be glad you did!

[st23]

I am also getting a little nervous about the pending surgery when I read some of the negative content on this website. I've been reading about people having the surgery and then having swelling 2 months later that was comparable to the gyno or problems with the nipples or hematoma'a or even "succesful" surgery looking not much different than the way it was pre-surgery. I'm a worry wart by nature,I guess I want positive feedback that everything will be ok and I have made the right decision. Thanks guys,this is a wonderful forum.

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

A little nervousness is normal prior to surgery -- but don't let it become overwhelming. Hopefully you have chosen your surgeon carefully and have confidence in him.

Unfortunately, on the internet, the loudest voices are those of people with complaints.  But bear in mind that probably hundreds, if not thousands, of gyne operations are done each day in the US.  And most of them go splendidly well -- the guys just don't talk about their experiences.  It is only the few guys who have problems who talk a lot -- and they can put a scare into anybody.

Dr Jacobs

[masked_1]

Do it man! Im about three weeks post op and i feel great. Never knew what it would be like to not have to worry about my t i t s. Im still swollen but i know it will go down with time and look 100 percent better then before. I spent 6500 but it was worth every penny and im not a rich man either. I work hard everyday for my cash. Do it do it do it! Make yourself happy bro