My Embarrassing Story

[Big Poppa]

I am 34 years old.  I have had breast since I was 13.  I am married with 2 kids.  My wife has rarely seen me without my shirt off    If I take it off I make sure that the room is completely dark.  I never go swimming or to the beach   I don't like running because they bounce around like women breast & everyone tell me how I look like a female   I have been embarrassed all my life with my breast.  I am a High School teacher.  My students talk about my breast every single day.  I try to be strong but, deep down it destroys me.  I wear over sized shirts with 2 or 3 t- shirts underneath.  I constantly pull them down tight to minimize the look of my breast.  I also teach in a jacket (in atl, GA) because I am so embarrassed of my breast.  No matter how hot it gets I keep my jacket on at all times when I am at work.  My 5 year old son seen me one day with my shirt off & said uhhhhhh!!!!! dad you have breast.  I know this was innocent but, it tore me up on the inside.  I now refuse to take my shirt off in front of my son  I am a little over weight but I have tried losing weight & lifting weights and it did not work at all.  I am a former college football player & when I was playing I worked out everyday & that did not seem to work either.  I have not taken any drugs for my condition.  However, I am willing to try ANYTHING.  I am so embarrassed of myself.  I hate looking at my self in the mirror.  I want to have surgery really, really bad but there is no way I can afford $4,000-$10,000.  I wish my insurance company will cover this.  I'm pretty sure they won't.  I have United Healthcare.  Therefore, I have to live the rest of my life with this condition.  I have been told that the older I get the worst they will look.  Saggy As long as I have this I don't think I will ever develop into the person I can be mentally. IF THERE IS ANY OTHER REMEDY PLEASE, PLEASE ADVISE ME!!!!!!

It is great to finally have people who I can talk to without being embarrassed.  There is so much more I can share but sharing this little bit have lifted a lot of stress off of me.  THANK YOU for reading & I wish you much success on your situation. 

[deja911]

have you considered financing? unfortunately, the only 'solution' is surgery. perhaps pictures would be more telling of your condition, but weight loss is definitely a step to success. there are compression garments available across the net mask the condition quite well.

good luck!

[manic91m9]

first lose weight then get surgery.. the cost of surgery would surely be relatively minimal if you refinanced your mortgage. reason i say lose weight as 1 will make the chances of getting a good result better and also in  90% of cases i believe even a small amount of excess weight makes whatever gland you have stand out significantly more, to the point that surgery becomes less necessary. this is clearly a big deal for you, as far as weight loss goes, the only thing that makes it difficult is your mind.

[speck3]

You earn a living, you get a paycheck and yet you can't afford it. Sorry I'm not buying this. Try to set your priorities straight. If you buy coffee and doughnuts every day for example that can add up to about 30 bucks a month. Do you buy things that you can sacrifice like going to the movies once or twice a month. Do you ever go out to eat. If you finance 6000 for surgery over 5 years it will be something like 125 bucks a month.I am sure you can cut out unnecessary expenses each month.

[AntiGyneProANDRoGyNE]

About the insurance, I heard it's more easy to get the surgery covered if you say that the breasts have caused you trouble like sore chest, pain etc. that kind of symptoms.

Sorry I can't speak english very well right now xD

[chiguy]

I'd rather be in debt the rest of my life than live with gyno. A good result is worth every penny and more because your not living your life on your terms. I work seasonal  and make about 30G's i have no kids but i got the money. I'm broke right now but i probably always will be. Find a solution for your finances because surgery is the only method proven to work.

[xXSocialPlagueXx]

I praise you for such endurance...

I feel such empathy for the kids at that school who have Gyne.  Perhaps you could share experiences with a student there with Gyne?

[matthew1]

 snotty kids making fun of you!    give em  an  failing grade. What about the   zero tolerance policy, does  that include you?

         

[milesed1]

I can really relate to your story. A little older, wife, 2 kids, and one even commented on it. Unfortunately there isn't another treatment. Believe me, I've researched all the possibilities. You can get a compression shirt or vest that will minimize it some and wear it like a t-shirt. After getting fed up with mine, I simply MADE the finances work out for the surgery. What would you do if a family member needed surgery that you had to pay $3000- 7000 of ? You'd find a way, right? I finally discussed it with my wife, explaning how much it had always bothered me and she was very supportive.

I don't want to get too much into your business, but with my wife who's a public school teacher I understand the pathetic pay. You can always get a second (or third) job, put part on your credit card, get loan for a "vacation" from the bank or even borrow from a 401k. It sucks that insurance may not pay, but it's worth a try. My dad has it too and I do NOT want to look like his does in the future.

[NowItsMyTurn]

I'm new to this site.

I think I know what you mean.  It's not that you can't come up with the money, but you are always putting the rest of your family ahead of yourself.  I can relate.  When I was told my surgery would cost $6200. I was confronted by other family members regarding their "medical" issues.  Then I started thinking....

What if I committ to the $6,200 and some emergency comes up.  Yes, I can finance it, but even that can put a financial burden on the family if it's combined with a serious emergency.

Bottom line?  Until you realize your interests are AT LEAST as important as everyone else in your family, you will be stuck right where you are.  As for me?  I've decided that "NowItsMyTurn!"

Good luck

[cgeorge1]

  There have been some cases where IC's will pay for GRS. However, the sufferer must meet a long list of criteria to qualify for surgery. Basically the prospective GRS patient gets 'put through the grinder', so to speak. You would be better off taking out a small personal loan and pay it back over 5 years or so... Let's say, hypothetically, that your GRS cost you $8,000. That's just a little over $4 a day over the 5 year loan term. Couldn't you handle $4 a day to free yourself of the Gynecomastia curse? And the idea that you have to live the rest of your life with gynecomastia is absolutely ridiculous.

[pjnIL]

If you do not mind how big are your breasts?  Are they really that visible?  I have large breasts, I do not take my shirt off in public.  However, I do not think anyone makes a big deal of it.  Do your students really talk about it, or do you think they are talking about it.  Since you are down in Atlanta.  Have you considered buying a few white linen suits for the summer time?  If you go to a good suit store, and explain your body type they can fit you for some good suits that will really minimize the appearance.  I have found what really hides it well, not through my attempts to do it, but because I have lost weight.  If you buy medium color satin dress shirts about 2 sizes too large it hides it well.  Do not wear white shirts ever.  Go with a cream if you have to have a lighter shirt.  There is a lot you can do.  Stay away from any sort of vest like a sweater vest.  It will accentuate your chest.   

[gynoisgone]

I couldnt afford it either. So I put the whole amount for the surgery on my credit card and I am paying it off slowly. It was worth every cent!

[madaga]

Here's what I did....Dedicate your income tax return check to fund your surgery.  Work with your accountant on how to get back the amount needed to fund the surgery, your accountant doesn't need to know why you need the money.

[FATBOY909]

BRUTAL. I live in So Flo (South Florida) and I do the jacket thing to. It'll be 89 degrees and I'm still wearing a jacket. The jacket may cover you up physically but not mentally. Other people still see them. Ive learned something in the short time i have been on this site. You are not alone . There are other people just like you. Now as of any other remedy, i have seen something about these pills that are supposed to reduce the size of your m(o)(o)bs but i dont know if they work . So try a compression shirt.