I had surgery on October 20th with
Dr. Pensler in Chicago. This doctor is incredible, and my experience is about as positive as they come. I'm happier than I thought I'd be, the procedure and recovery were easier than I thought they'd be, it actually cost less than I thought it would, and my doctor says I'm recovering faster and better than he expected. I have read and lurked on this site to help me prepare emotionally and practically for the procedure, so I feel like I have to share my story so someone else can benefit too.
I visited another doctor prior to scheduling with
Dr. Pensler, and that doc probably would have done a fine job, but I just didn't feel that it was right for me. That doc focused on things other than my gynecomastia, so I left feeling more confused than anything else. I read that getting multiple opinions was a good idea, and I took that advice. The 2 docs with downtown Chicago addresses and websites were my choices. Both had web info about gynecomastia and info about their affiliations, so I felt good about choosing them. Honestly, Doc #1 was the one I predicted I'd go with. After the visit, I was kind of disappointed. Again, I really do think he'd have done a fine job. He just didn't feel right for me, and I swore I'd only do this if I was 100% comfortable with my surgeon.
When I visited
Dr. Pensler's office (my 2nd appointment), everything was very smooth and comfortable. His staff are very friendly and very matter-of-fact about gynecomastia.
Dr. Pensler met with me and took some photos. We went to his office and he talked to me about gynecomastia while my photos loaded on his computer. He knows this condition quite well, and does a lot of gynecomastia corrections a year. I was greatly comforted by how much he knows about the condition and the impact it has on the patient. He used his computer to try to give me a sense of what my "after" pics might look like if I proceeded with surgery. I never felt pressured to decide anything. When looking at the pictures, I asked about having my flanks (my new favorite word for "love handles"!!) done. We talked about it being a possible add-on to the procedure if I was interested, but we went back to focusing on the gynecomastia.
Dr. Pensler told me how the surgery is done, how he focuses on prep and post-care and how he's learned to perfect the surgery by doing it so frequently. He's very comfortable with the procedure and his comfort absolutely translated to me. He said he's good at determining how much to take out, and he explained that he's been consulted to try to fix other unsatisfactory surgeries for other patients. He also explained some of the negative outcomes of not following pre and post-surgery procedures. I felt like I had the time and opportunity to ask him any and every question I had, and I could have stayed for hours and he'd have been fine with that. I got printouts of my pictures, and he never once said anything about scheduling surgery. It was a consultation in every sense. We got to know each other and I felt like if I came back, he'd remember ME... not just my file.
I got the quote for the procedure from his staff, and I left the office confident that I'd found the office and surgeon for me. I called my partner in the cab on the way back to my office and said that I had made my mind up. He was completely supportive, although he didn't quite understand why I really wanted to have elective surgery. I called the office and scheduled surgery for about 5-6 weeks later. I had the opportunity to have the surgery the following week, but I wasn't quite ready. My job is stressful and demanding (whose isn't, right?!) and I needed to have the surgery and recovery be at a certain time to fit into my schedule easily.
I read this board EVERY night before surgery. It was very helpful. Thanks to everyone who shares their stories and photos so willingly. You really helped me!
My surgery day was mostly exciting. I was a tiny bit nervous, but it was nervousness about the unknown. And anxiety that it was really happening! 20 years of hating my physique and focusing on my chest in every mirror and every photo was about to end forever. The most difficult thing, honestly, was not drinking any water after midnight. I had to put towels in the sink, notes in the kitchen... I was really worried I'd forget and drink a big glass of water!
I remember very little about being in the office that morning. I started out on my stomach so he could do my flanks first. I got the IV, got a little something in the IV to relax me, and then I remember my nurse saying "... and this is the really good stuff..." The next thing I remember is saying "hey... hey... I'm awake..." and the nurse saying "yes, we know. You're all done. Everything went fine. You're OK." I looked down and I was in the vest and had some gauze sticking out. It was shocking. I'd just had surgery!!! I was OK!!! It was very surreal.
I was wheeled out to be picked up, and a lot of instructions were given but thankfully I was just kind of along for the ride. The drive home was brutal because I couldn't sit comfortably due to the incisions on my lower back from the lipo on my flanks. Also, I realized that Dr. P. had put bandages on my nipples which means I had tissue removed as well as lipo. The nipples are only cut if tissue needs to be extracted. I had a hunch he'd have to do that, and turns out that was the case. The anesthesia made me really nauseous, so I dry heaved a few times on the way into the house, but I hit the bed, took a few meds (anti-nausea, tylenol 3) and I was out cold. I slept most of the day, and just took it really easy. I was home from surgery by Noon, and I honestly think that by the time I woke up the next day I was ready to go into the recovery phase. The last pain medication I took was at 4am that morning, and I didn't need so much as an Advil for about 2 weeks after that. I was sore and felt like I'd gotten the crap beaten out of me, but oddly the thing that hurt the most was the lipo on my flanks. My chest was really OK. Every twist and turn, especially in bed, really hurt though from the lipo.
Dr. Pensler said that as soon as possible I needed to get back into the swing of things. My surgery was on Friday, so I woke up on Saturday and watched TV, played Playstation, went to Costco (quite an interesting trip, but I was determined to keep moving and not sit around too much), had lunch with friends, went to a movie, went out to dinner... I had a full day. I did the same on Sunday, and by Sunday night I was feeling pretty OK. I was ready to go back to work on Monday.
The shower on Sunday afternoon was a real treat. It was the first chance I had to see myself under the vest. While the view was a bit shocking from the dried blood, stitches, bruising and swelling, I was really really happy. My gynecomastia was GONE. Boobs = gone. Not reduced, not obscured, not "oh, I can live with that...". GONE. I had a normal male chest. Bruised to hell and with stitches in my nipples and armpits... but damn! I was thrilled.
Each day got easier and easier, and within I'd say 4 days, I was 100% fine. I went to LA exactly 1 week after surgery, and I was able to buy some new clothes and I bought stuff that I'd never have considered buying prior to surgery. Shirts that would cling to my chest used to be my nightmare. Now, they seemed ok. I'm not in shape so it's not like I adore clingy clothes, but I am OK with some tighter fitting shirts now. I have found that I feel better about tighter clothes, becuase clothes that are looser puff out in the chest and that looks like the "old" me. Snug shirts show off the flat chest better!
The compression vest really didn't bother me that much. I wanted to ditch it sometimes, but I was also committed to wearing it exactly as prescribed. I only took it off to bathe and for occasional 5 minute breaks (one every 2-3 days) to try on clothes, take some good looks in the mirror, etc.
Yesterday was my 1 month follow up. I'm doing better than my doctor would have expected by now, and he told me I could ditch the vest. Today was my first day without it and by about 8pm tonight I actually put the vest back on. My chest kind of hurt without the vest on! Gravity was a factor all of a sudden and there's still swelling and some hard scar tissue in my chest and I was much more comfortable when I put the vest back on. I'll give it another shot tomorrow. Maybe I just have to work away from the vest slowly?
Thanks very much to those who shared their stories. I always knew what I had was called gynecomastia, but I never knew there was a website like this. When I found it this summer, I started to turn my curiosity about surgery into actual research about doing it. For years I've told my partner that I wanted to get "my boobs removed" and he always said "you're fine. don't do it." Once it was clear I was serious, and had done my homework, we started talking about it more seriously.
Cost was something that I was always curious about. I don't mind sharing my costs. I paid $6,500 which included everything, including my follow-up appointments, my 2 compression vests, etc. $1,700 of that was the expense added by doing the lipo on my flanks.
I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. I don't know that I'll ever have plastic surgery again because there's nothing else on my body that bothers me enough to warrant surgery. Gynecomastia can only be corrected surgically, and I'm thrilled that mine's corrected. I used to hate my body and feel trapped in it. Everything was a compromise. Every picture was a reminder. Every mirror was annoying. Every shirt "didn't fit right". I always "forgot my bathing suit" so I couldn't go swimming. I've done very radical things to try to lose weight to get to the point where I might be happy with my torso. It's never worked.
Now, I'm happy. I'm no underwear model or Men's Fitness coverboy... but I'm happy with my body. I never ever thought I'd feel that way. If you're even considering this surgery, I'd recommend reading this board and ensuring that you learn about people's good and bad experiences. Have a consultation or two, and if you have the means to pay for (or finance) the surgery, weigh that expense against other costs such as clothes you don't like, weight loss products that don't address the issue, experiences you miss out on or exclude yourself from, your own happiness...
Good luck to those who haven't had the surgery, and thanks to those who have and who shared your stories. You gave me the information and the courage to do so for myself and I just absolutely couldn't be happier today.
Topic: 1 month post-op: My experience (Read 6034 times)
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