Please Help

[heyooo]

I was diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder about 2 years ago (its like anorexia, but you think youre ugly)
basically i have a really weak chin and jawline xD which made me look silly (like MR Bean) So i just grew a beard

long story short, they shoved me on an antipsychotic Invega, which increased prolactin and GAVE ME BREASTS! So basically I got fat and gained boobs. yay! what a help to my problem! thanks USA healthcare system and drug companies!

So i stopped taking Invega, but I have gynecomastia tissue. AND IVE BEEN to about 6 surgeons who refuse to operate because of my record with BDD, which is gone.

Most doctors state that "ill mess it up" when i just want the tissue gone. I dont care what it looks like or scars. The tissue is painful!

Some flat out refuse to operate, and today, one even said "I dont see a problem" when there is clearly a quarter sized lump under my left nipple which hurts like hell, puffy nipples on both sides. I dont want to have to wear a compression shirt for the rest of my life. Somebody please help me!

If this persists....I dont know what Ill do. Im quite scared for my future actually.

Here are my pictures.

[hammer]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but your future is still in your control and is what you make of it! I know that surgery would help you feel better about yourself, but as of now you have hit a brick wall, so in other words life is giving you lemons!

When life hands you lemons, you make lemon aid!

Now it is time to focus on things other then your breast and things that will help you over come the down falls of life without worrying about those bumps on your chest. After all, there only excess breast tissue, fat and skin! Are you going to let them control you? Or are you going to control them?

We need to work on your self conference and self esteem! I believe that will help you when you have trouble dealing this as well as other things, and what has helped me with having a strong self esteem and self conference is having a very strong faith!

I have been through many things in my life that I feel make having breast no more then having a hang nail, and I still have them now size double Ds. I'm still very happily married to the best gal I've ever known, fathered 5, and grandfather of 3. Owed My own Construction company until I became disabled 15 years ago. I've had gynecomastia all my life and at 55 we didn't have surgery options years ago, but I didn't think about the boobs much anyway.

Each morning is the first day of the rest of your life! Now it is up to you what you can do with it!

What do you want to do with it?


I pray that God will bless each one of them days!

Bob

[heyooo]

I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but your future is still in your control and is what you make of it! I know that surgery would help you feel better about yourself, but as of now you have hit a brick wall, so in other words life is giving you lemons!

When life hands you lemons, you make lemon aid!

Now it is time to focus on things other then your breast and things that will help you over come the down falls of life without worrying about those bumps on your chest. After all, there only excess breast tissue, fat and skin! Are you going to let them control you? Or are you going to control them?

We need to work on your self conference and self esteem! I believe that will help you when you have trouble dealing this as well as other things, and what has helped me with having a strong self esteem and self conference is having a very strong faith!

I have been through many things in my life that I feel make having breast no more then having a hang nail, and I still have them now size double Ds. I'm still very happily married to the best gal I've ever known, fathered 5, and grandfather of 3. Owed My own Construction company until I became disabled 15 years ago. I've had gynecomastia all my life and at 55 we didn't have surgery options years ago, but I didn't think about the boobs much anyway.

Each morning is the first day of the rest of your life! Now it is up to you what you can do with it!

What do you want to do with it?


I pray that God will bless each one of them days!

Bob

Oh my god! thats absolutely horrific! That did not help me at all! I guess you forgot what It was like to be 20 then? Good lord.

[hammer]

Sorry! I was just trying to help, and yes I do remember when I was 20! It was 1978 then and I joined the Navy! I had too many girl friends that wanted it to be more then just friends and I didn't know what to do, so I joined the Navy to not only get away from it all, but to see the world, and oh ya guess what? I also had boobs bigger then you have!

So as I said, it's up to you!

[heyooo]

Sorry! I was just trying to help, and yes I do remember when I was 20! It was 1978 then and I joined the Navy! I had too many girl friends that wanted it to be more then just friends and I didn't know what to do, so I joined the Navy to not only get away from it all, but to see the world, and oh ya guess what? I also had boobs bigger then you have!

So as I said, it's up to you!

I urge you to stop posting with that attitude. I suspect you spread the same "deal with it" attitude to others members on here, offering them the same advice. My plan is to actually solve the problem, and have the tissue removed. Not to let it develop into D sized breasts.
Lets be proactive here....not passive.

[Cpnh78]

I have to say, Hammer has had many posts on this site.  While I may not agree with what he says, his overall message is live your life to the fullest.  He doesn't tell people to get or not get surgery, nor does he judge them either way.  I think he is trying to make you realize it could always be worse.

That being said, I do feel that you are bringing the attitude to the Posts. He is no more or less of a man or more or less affected by this issue because he chooses not to get surgery.  You seem to be a bit demeaning in your last post with that comment of not letting our chest get to size D.  We are not here to trash, insult or demean anyone, we are here for support, sharing and encouragement.  Perhaps you should consider that before you post again.

[hammer]

I have to say, Hammer has had many posts on this site.  While I may not agree with what he says, his overall message is live your life to the fullest.  He doesn't tell people to get or not get surgery, nor does he judge them either way.  I think he is trying to make you realize it could always be worse.

That being said, I do feel that you are bringing the attitude to the Posts. He is no more or less of a man or more or less affected by this issue because he chooses not to get surgery.  You seem to be a bit demeaning in your last post with that comment of not letting our chest get to size D.  We are not here to trash, insult or demean anyone, we are here for support, sharing and encouragement.  Perhaps you should consider that before you post again.

Thank you very much! As you know, I do support surgery as well as acceptance! Some people have no choice but to accept for many reasons, other may just decide not to get it, still others may not find a doctor that will do the surgery! If this is the case, I thought that one might need to look at encouragement on ways to learn to deal!

Once again, thank you for your support!

Bob

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

I write to agree about Hammer.  While I may not agree with all his posts, they are very well intentioned and provide a counter-point to some very excellent conversations.

As for your problem, it is too bad that you may have developed gyne as a side-effect of the medication.  I am not a psychiatrist, but my learning has been that BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) is not treatable by any means.

As a surgeon, I have inadvertently treated patients with BDD, although unfortunately I did not know it at the time I operated upon them and they did not offer their diagnosis to me.  Among plastic surgeons, it is well known that a patient with BDD cannot possibly be satisfied and will continue to find fault with the results of any operation.  That is why you are being refused by so many surgeons.

Sorry, but the truth is the truth.

Dr Jacobs

[TacoTuesday]

     Cut the cynicism, heyoo. I had gyno surgery a few years ago, and what I come to realize is that the difference in my life has come from my improved confidence and grab-life-by-the-nuts mentality, not the absence of little moobs. Hammer has some wonderful points and life experience, I suggest you respect an older man who has earned a good life.
     Try starting your internal transformation by cutting the cynicism to others, and perhaps that will teach you how to deal with the negativity you hold against yourself.

[heyooo]

I assumed I would be bombarded with unhelpful replies. As a guy who does not want gynecomastia, I dont see why you should post that "oh its ok deal with it"

Thats the LAST thing that you want to hear in my situation.  Put yourself in MY shoes. 

AGAIN, I do not have BDD anymore, I can deal with my chin. I SOLVED MY BDD. But the fact the original diagnosis COMPLETELY DESTROYS any chance for gynecomastia surgery is really really disturbing. Nobody will listen. Doctors review paperwork and tell their nurses to hang up, while I sit here, trying to hide the condition and feeling the injustice of a large drug company. Even if the surgery is considered, it is known as a cosmetic procedure! How disturbing is that? Because I'm sure a healthy 20 year old male growing breasts is normal, right right?
It makes you think operating on yourself is a viable option! How sad is that!?!?

America truly is a capitalist nation. If you fall, NOBODY will catch you. In fact, people will probably steal your wallet while youre down there.

If you do not have any helpful information that pertains to getting my chest fixed, then I RESPECTFULLY URGE you to not reply to any of my posts, or any other post on this forum for that matter. People come here for help, not "throw a shirt over it and deal with it"

You may think that you are helping or being nice, but you are not solving the problem, and may be adding to the frustration.


 

[heyooo]

     Cut the cynicism, heyoo. I had gyno surgery a few years ago, and what I come to realize is that the difference in my life has come from my improved confidence and grab-life-by-the-nuts mentality, not the absence of little moobs. Hammer has some wonderful points and life experience, I suggest you respect an older man who has earned a good life.
     Try starting your internal transformation by cutting the cynicism to others, and perhaps that will teach you how to deal with the negativity you hold against yourself.

I do not have negativity towards myself. I have breasts which are painful and annoying to try and hide, and which I'd like removed. Also, lets give you DD breasts and see how your life changes in daily routine. YOu can say that "it didnt do anything for confidence" but I think youre convincing yourself something that isnt true.

[heyooo]

I write to agree about Hammer.  While I may not agree with all his posts, they are very well intentioned and provide a counter-point to some very excellent conversations.

As for your problem, it is too bad that you may have developed gyne as a side-effect of the medication.  I am not a psychiatrist, but my learning has been that BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) is not treatable by any means.

As a surgeon, I have inadvertently treated patients with BDD, although unfortunately I did not know it at the time I operated upon them and they did not offer their diagnosis to me.  Among plastic surgeons, it is well known that a patient with BDD cannot possibly be satisfied and will continue to find fault with the results of any operation.  That is why you are being refused by so many surgeons.

Sorry, but the truth is the truth.

Dr Jacobs

I understand that you feel that way about patients with BDD. You have to protect yourself from rogue patients who may come back to bite you. But realize there are others out there who are being denied treatment because of an original diagnosis.

in short:
THERE MAY BE PEOPLE WHO ARE OVER THEIR BDD, AND SIMPLY WISH TO HAVE GYNECOMASTIA REMOVED BECAUSE IT IS PAINFUL AND ANNOYING TO HAVE BREASTS!. sure...aesthetic results are great, but at this point I do not care.

[Cpnh78]

You said "put yourself in my shoes" we are all in your shoes, thats why we are here.  I am saddened by the attitude you have brought to this forum. 

[hammer]

You said "put yourself in my shoes" we are all in your shoes, thats why we are here.  I am saddened by the attitude you have brought to this forum.  

I could agree more with that above post!

Yes, yes , yes we are ALL in your shoes exept for the BDD! I don't know about BDD but I do know a hell of a lot about OCD and it doesn't go away! You may learn to get it under control, but it is still there!

Read other post! We all are supportive, but you first need to have an attitude change young man, as you won't make the team anymore unless you can play the game, and you no longer get the gold star unless you REALLY pass the test! In the real world gold stars aren't free, you need to earn them!