My sad story

[frodo]

(Check my profile; member since 2006)

I'll be brief; it's not a happy story. First surgery in 2006, second in early 2007, third in September 2017. Unhappy with the results.

I discovered this forum back in 2006, and was delighted to find there was a name for my condition and that there was hope. However, while for most people this led to a surgery that changed their life for the better, in my case my nightmare was just beginning.

I'll post in point form in order to better compose my thoughts, and to make it an easy read:

1) My first surgeon (2006) removed some/most of the gland and a lot of fat. The surgeon neglected to make any markings on my skin before putting me under. After surgery, I still had a breast like shape, especially on the left side. When I brought this up, she denied anything was the matter.

2) My second surgery was 6 months later. I explained about the previous surgeon not having done any markings, and he said he would. On the day of the surgery while I was about to be taken into the operating theatre, I reminded him about the markings and he just handed me a marker and said to do it myself. While I was being wheeled in, he asked me which side I had more fat on.... I was like, youre the doctor you should know, but I told him - left, During the surgery, he removed even more gland and did some lipo. The breast shape remained, along with the "bra roll"  under the armpit that was my main issue. I was also left with tethering of the right nipple. I also had a slight concavity on the right side when I raised my hand. Again, the surgeon denied anything was the matter. However, all my friends and random people that saw me shirtless could definitely see the gyne. I can post pics here from before my third surgery to give you an idea how I looked.

3) 2007-2010: After two unsuccessful surgeries, a lot of time and a lot of money later, I was disheartened. I also started working and life got in the way. I kept postponing doing another revision, partly because of the money, pain, discomfort and disappointment.

4) 2011: had some free time on my hands. Decided to see a surgeon about the left side. I had put on some weight in the past few years, so he wanted to rule out that the gyne wasnt just my excess weight, and my word wasnt good enough apparently. He said to lose weight and come back. I worked out with a vengeance. Lost 15 kgs in 3 or 4 months. Went back to him, he was impressed and agreed that the gyne wasnt going with the weight loss. However, he said he would only do the left side (which was fine with me) and that I would have to wear a compression garment for 6 months ( which I was like.. whaa?? no way. I've worn them twice and it was always for 2 months). So I said I would think about it, and then never went back. Ended up putting on the weight again.

5) This year, 2017: (I have pictures on my phone from this time, since i clicked them before and after the surgery I had in September, so let me know if you want to see).
Got a bit of money and could afford to take time off and not stress about work. Went to a surgeon, and explained my situation.  He said he could help. I've put on some weigth again, but he said that it didnt matter. I said I only wanted lipo, no excision and he agreed that excision was unneccessary. I also wanted the lipo cannula to be inserted from near the armpit as i didnt want any issues with my nipple. I was fine with doing the left side only (the side with the bra roll) but he said he would do both for almost the same price. I said ok as long as its not too much removed as I was fine with it mostly. I was to be operated on the 19th of September. One night before the operation, I went to see him to make sure everythings okay, and he said he would have to make another inscision for the cannula besides the armpit, in order to reach the sides. He said he would do the nipple, as it was least visible. Reluctantly I agreed.

Now that the swelling has reduced, I can see a few issues.

One: it appears as though he has overcorrected the area under my RIGHT armpit, which was not an area I wanted suctioned very aggressively (he removed 200 cc from the right side , which was mostly fine or needing a mild touch up at most, as opposed to 270 from the left, which was the real "problem" side).
Two: There's an odd line like a dent on my right side now, which wasnt there before. Heartbreaking, because I specifically asked him to be careful about not overdoing this side.
Three: There's a deep groove on my left side, where the "bra roll" used to be.
Four: There's still a breast like shape on my left side, minus the bra roll

When I brought up points Three and Four with him at a follow-up, he said there was a 40% chance it would take care of itself, and if not he could do a skin lift, cutting away some skin from under my armpits (which I thought was a bit much, surely fat grafting shoud be tried first?).

Five: My left nipple points way to the left when I raise my arms, which it never did before. He did fix the right nipple tethering though.

My surgeon expects me to do 45 minutes of massage every day, which I have been doing since October 1st. I dont see the point at this time. Maybe fat grafting might work with the dents? Just had to put my thoughts on here. I havent posted on this forum since late 2006, but if anyone wants pics I'd be happy to post them here if anyone's interested. I'm still trying to stay hopeful but its hard.

Now I have an incomplete looking job on my left side as well as a whole new issue on my right side. If anyone would like to see pics let me know. It would be good to have some support and just talk to someone. I just want this to get this over with, you know?

[longdrives]

pics?

[frodo]

This is what I looked like after two (!) surgeries.

[frodo]

More pics from after two surgeries. These and the previous two were taken in September, just before my third surgery.

[frodo]

Here are pictures of me after my third surgery. I've put arrows pointing out the dents I mentioned. You can also see the breast shape of the left side.

[frodo]

Here are some of the earlier before and after photos, together for comparision. 

[sparkey]

Please, please do not take this the wrong way but....
You are very overweight! 
You could make yourself look and feel a million times better just by getting in shape.
Losing weight and training the chest with resistance training would dramatically improve your problem.
Give it some thought.
Regards 

[Life's too short]

1. Your weight is not the issue as somebody here has claimed..

2. I think the biggest part of your problem is psychological. 

3. Who did the first. second and third surgeries? It's useful information. 

[DannyH]

Hi there!

I don't want to be obtuse but l must say, l would like to have that type of chest in your photos, now, because after gyno surgery, l am left with dents / craters / grooves under each areola which causes the most awkward feelings and disturbances to my entire postuire, worse than having natural fat.


As for fat grafting, my advice: only do it if you have about £15,000 to spare, because after 3 fat graft ops, it may sink in that it does not work, and then you'd be able to put your remaining money into one final option whatever that may be.

I'm not a medical expert but they say fat grafts can work for wrinkle lines? If that is true that it would be because the area is tiny, and so the grafted fat comes into direct contact with the existing flesh?

My theory (l'm not an expert, just trying to rationalise why fat grafting was a massive waste of money, time, and hope for me): When fat is grafted into a relatively large area, like a >100cc cavity, then there's no way that even 98% of it will survive because it only comes into contact with itself, not your pre-existing natural flesh, and whatever does survive, will be destroyed by inflammation a few weeks later.

I don't want to undermine any docs, but if l'm wrong, can anybody say why? I'm sure there are pretty good "after" pics of fat transfer. But l believe those "after" shots to be a few days post op.

Give it max 21 days and you'll be back to almost no transplanted fat remaining. Except a few weeks later, there will be a tiny blob of remaining fat here or there, being furiously attacked by your own body in an inflammation response. Then you'll truly be back to square one.

Crater scars are worse than gynaecomastia, my friends.