First Post - Questions....

[soonerspace]

I've lurked this board for several months, and finally decided to post.  I'm 30 and have had gyne since I was about 12.  I thought it would have gone away......but here I am still battling this embarrasing condition.

I'm sick and tired of making excuses every spring/summer when we go to the lake, the beach or the pool.  I am missing out on some great time with my two little boys (6 and 10) .  

I never considered surgery for the gyne, because I never truly tried to make my chest better (through weight loss and chest excercises).   I'm 6-1 and weigh 200 lbs.  I was at about 235, but have worked out religously (cardio and weights) for the last year.  The gyne has not gotten any better.  

I am getting a blood test tomorrow for testosterone levels to be checked.  My doc then has a mammogram scheduled for the following week.  I've got just a few questions I would appreciate if any of you could help on.

1.  Any of you had a mammogram (I'm dreading this....how embarassing :-/).

2.  Any of you know if insurance will cover a surgery? I'm with United Health Care.  What criteria would an insurance company use to say, yay or nay?

3.  Would everyone recommend visiting an Endo doc before considering surgury?  

Looking forward to posting in this community now.  Thanks in advance for any feedback on my questions.

SS

[Time_to_fix_it]

Welcome to the boards.  Most of us find that discussing things on here can help greatly.  Shared experiences and shared information can be the key to us getting this problem fixed.

In answer to your points:

1.      Yes, I and many other sufferers have had a mammogram.  I was a little nervous as this was the first real examination I had undergone, but the operator of the machine was fine.  I was just another patient to her, I just happened to be a man and men get breast cancer too (it is very rare though).

2.      Sorry can’t help you on this one.  I live in the UK and we have the NHS who, although a bit of a slow, lumbering, giant do get there in the end.  We don’t pay for treatment or investigations.  Hopefully someone else will be able to answer your question.

3.      Yes.  This is a bit of a pet subject of mine and rather than repeat myself and bore everyone else on here rigid, may I suggest you read the current thread started by brama entitled “More Endocrinologist Questions” on July 31st 2005.  I cannot say for sure, but because your gyne appeared around puberty and if it hasn’t gotten worse since then, then there is a very strong likelihood that you do not have a current underlying hormonal problem.  You doc is probably playing safe by getting these checks done on you.  I think it is better to be safe than sorry later.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[ItsOK]

2.  Any of you know if insurance will cover a surgery? I'm with United Health Care.  What criteria would an insurance company use to say, yay or nay?

If you read the material here, you'll see that some do and some don't.  Medical insurance is all over the board on what they cover, and not just related to gyne surgery.  The only way you'll know is by talking with your insurance company.

When I spoke with my insurance company about coverage [not for gyne surgery, but for a diagnostic test], they wanted a procedure code and a diagnostic code.  These are apparently numbers that they plug into a computer screen that then says what's covered.  I would suggest that you speak with the insurance people and find out what specific information they need, then speak with the doctor's office and see if you can get that information.  In my case, I found that I was in a Catch-22 . . . the codes depended on what the test discovered.  So there was no way that I could know for sure whether the test would be covered until after the test was done.  With luck, you won't have this problem.

[soonerspace]

Thanks for the support guys.  I will need to do more research on the insurance, and I will start by searching through this forum.

I did get blood work done today for test and prolactin levels, but I think surgery is going to be my only way out of this (Pics are now posted on the photo board).