Mark's Gyne Diary

[Dave_8]

no, I haven't had any surgery yet. Me and my dad planned it all out. I would have to lose 20 pounds by janurary (easy), then in feburary use the money from our tax returns and schedule a surgery date and I'm set. Did you have to pay for the surgery yourself?

[mthatch1]

I did -- I am 27 and don't have any financial interaction with my parents.  I financed the procedure though.  One of the best things I ever did! 

It sounds like you and your dad have worked out a good plan.  I wish I had lost about 10 lbs before the procedure since the binder makes the fat on my stomach look so bad!!  I don't actually care all that much.  Fat on the belly is nothing compared to having breasts!

[Dave_8]

True, very true.

[mthatch1]

Hello,

I am one week post-op and things are looking good.  It is not easy to live with the binder but I am getting by.  I take it off about 3 times a day for no more than 5 minutes so I can apply the arnica gel and just take some deep breaths, readjust the binder. 

I am starting to feel the occasional sharp pain sensations that Dr. Jacobs said would happen.  He said that this was the nerve waking up.  It was nice this morning to have a little bit more feeling in my chest.  It is sort of disturbing for your chest to be numb. 

I stopped putting band-aides on my surgical wounds.  I am going to keep putting polysporin on them but the band-aides really irritate my skin and I think it is keeping the wounds too moist.  I took antibiotics and the wounds look like they are in good shape.  It will be interesting to watch the stitches dissolve into the skin like Dr Jacobs said they would...

My diet has still been great.  Better than ever.  I feel very committed to having a great body now.  If you read some of my pre-op posts you will see that this is something I really struggled with.  I think I have lost that hopeless feeling of being able to look decent - which is something gyne does to a guy. 

[mthatch1]

At this point, I am getting used to this vest.  My bruising is significantly down and I think the wounds are healing nicely. Everyday I m still putting arnica gel on my chest and I taking supplements: Vit C, Zinc, Bromelaine and Arnica Montana. 

I keep the vest on at all times except when I shower.  I am 1 week and 3 days from being able to switch to a secondary compression garment. 

[mthatch1]

One of the most interesting things that has happened since I had my surgery is how little I think about food. I have not had one single bout of emotional eating since that blessed day Tuesday, October 21st 2008. 

I am starting to think about my old breasts as some sort of demon or poison (Im not religious or anything so this is really just fun) that used to limit the amount of happiness I could achieve.  They weighed me down and made me always inadequate and deformed.  I know that I was not innately either of those things but I sure couldn't say that 2 weeks ago! 

I walked around New York today and was shopping for a new sports coat.  It was fun!  I could even comfortably look at my reflection in the store windows, which used to bring me so much pain. 

My healing is going well.  I am surprised at how muscular my chest looks.  I new that my chest was not pure fat in the first place but I'm just surprised at how much of it was actually muscle.  Now, I am still not even 2 weeks post op so I might still be swollen but it seems like muscle.

One of the incisions is not as far along the healing process as the other.  One of them still seems to be a little "wet."  I am concerned about this slightly.  It is not anymore sensitive than the other incision but it leaves a little mark on my t-shirt at the end of the day.  I took antibiotics and am still putting polysporin on it in the morning. 

[Throy]

Mark!

One thing to say! [ You are telling my own story! ]
I really wish that you update this post each day, and with pictures, before and after.. i feel the pain and the stress.. i understand what is gynecomastia because i have it..
your words moved me and i really felt sad! you're an amazing person, good luck!

[Throy]

Mark!

One thing to say! [ You are telling my own story! ]
I really wish that you update this post each day, and with pictures, before and after.. i feel the pain and the stress.. i understand what is gynecomastia because i have it..
your words moved me and i really felt sad! you're an amazing person, good luck!

I saw the Pictures, nice results, u deserve the best!

[outertrial]

Excellent results. Enjoy your new life!

[mthatch1]

Hey guys,

It has been quite awhile since I last wrote -- at least a month.  This is not unintentional either.  Before my surgery, I wondered if I would continue to contribute to this board and if so, for how long.  Would I really want to keep the memory of something so painful so fresh in my head?  Remembering what I went through and looked like on a regular basis?  I don't want this discussion board to be a part of my life forever and I hope the same for everyone else.  I think it should be more like a springboard rather than a couch where everyone just hangs out forever.

With that said, I also find this site to be endlessly interesting and inspirational still.  Kind words go a long way when they come from people who understand you -- who you can relate with.  I think we all take each other very seriously on this board -- even when we think someone is rude, we still feel it. 

So, anyway, I am doing well.  The results are very good but in a way that I didn't expect.  I do not look the way I thought I would look but at least I like the way I look more now than I did before.  This whole process has helped me to really understand my body and its shape.  There are so many things that I realize cannot be changed even if I had all the money in the world to spend on cosmetic surgery.  I am much broader than I thought I was.  My chest cavity is quite large.  There definitely was unnecessary fat on my chest before surgery but I don't have the sort of slim look I was thinking I would achieve.  I have more of a muscular look.  Do I like it?  Yes, I do.  Do I identify with it.  Not really.  I am going through this process now where I am starting to attach the person in the mirror to the person who is doing all the thinking.  I have always had a serious disconnect in this area -- many people do, especially us.  We have spent so much time in life looking away when we come face to face with out reflection.  We don't like to look down when our clothes are off.  We avoid being exposed in front of the ultimate mirror -- other people.  There is nothing worse than seeing someone else evaluate our bodies -- subtle facial expressions can be devastating. 

I am going to the gym before work every morning and often after work as well.  I am doing cardio and weight training.  Change is happening but it is happening slowly.  As one of my favorite singers puts it "changes comes slow or not at all.."  Thanks Lauryn! 

I will see Dr. Jacobs next week for my 3 month post-op.  He will be very pleased.  I am very pleased. 

[mthatch1]

Mark!

One thing to say! [ You are telling my own story! ]
I really wish that you update this post each day, and with pictures, before and after.. i feel the pain and the stress.. i understand what is gynecomastia because i have it..
your words moved me and i really felt sad! you're an amazing person, good luck!

This is  very sweet Throy.  So when is your surgery? 

[mthatch1]

Today I met with Dr Jacobs for my final post-surgery evaluation.  We both agreed that the procedure was a huge success.  It surely changed my life.  Now I can worry about other things!  I'm working pretty hard now at getting my abs nice and tight which is a huge challenge but since I feel more comfortable with my chest I enjoy going to the gym a lot more.  I like how I look in a gym shirt!  

There is one thing that I am very grateful for regarding my procedure, which is that Dr. Jacobs was able to do the job perfectly with only 2 incisions - one under each arm.  He did not need to cut under or around either of my nipples.  This is because he uses a tool that he designed himself where he is able to get at everything from the sides.  As far as I know, Jacobs is the only DR who has truly championed this technique.  

There are some pics posted of me in the User Photos section if you are interested.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions as I probably won't be continuing with this diary for much longer if at all.  I am ready to move on to the next challenge!