Recent gynecomastia Surgery 20yr old's Story

[Dul11246]

Ill break this up into three parts to make it easier for people to read, and answer.  The three parts are my life with gynecomastia, The surgery and post-op, and my questions for people who've had the surgery.

Living with gynecomastia:

Hey everybody, I just joined these forums today, although I have been reading them for some time.  I recently underwent gynecomastia surgery and currently am 3 weeks post op.  I figured after all the help I received from reading these forums, It was time to do my part.  I had glandular gynecomastia, mainly under the nipple on my right side, but also a small bit of tissue on the left side.  The gland on the right was about 3 inches, was very hard, and very painful.  I got this condition from the use of anabolic steroids...pills that I took to make myself look better and bigger...and this what I got from it.  I lived with gynecomastia for 2 years of college, and it was not a good time.  I took a lot of flack from friends and fellow employees at my summer job, jokes about my "man boobs."  I hated going to the beach due to the puffy nipple look I had. I recently joined the military and came to the conclusion it was time to ask my mom and doctor about the lumps in my chest.  After consulting with my doctor he told me what I had,  although I had already diagnosed myself from websites about gynecomastia.  I wanted to get the surgery done with before leaving for Officer Candidate School this summer.  It took a lot for me to get over the embarrassment of having this condition, I felt very demasculated.  But once I got the guts to go to the surgeon, my worries were placed aside.  The surgeon I used in Rhode Island was great, and treated this like the common problem that it is for so many men.  I scheduled the surgery for sept 28 2007 and anxiously awaited it.  (For those of you curious, I tried to get the insurance companies to pay for it, due to the pain it caused as my primary reason, but they denied the claim the first time around.  I am currently in an appeal for the claim, hopefully it will go through.)

The Surgery and Post-Op:

The surgery was a piece of cake, in and out of the surgeons office with little to no pain (thanks to the painkillers of course).  Slept through the entire first day post-op without much of any complaints.  I took the painkillers regularly for 48 hours, and iced my chest every chance I got (it felt very good to apply pressure with a cold pack).  It feels like lots of pressure built up in your chest, which is very normal according to my doctor.  I was taped up for the first week, which is only uncomfortable due to itchiness.  The 1 week post op appt was also quite easy.  They took the tape off (which was the only painful part) took the stitches out, looked at my swollen chest, then put the tape back on.  Another week with the compression vest lie in the week ahead.  I was told to purchase some tighter than normal compression Under Armour shirts for those times when the compression vest is just to inconvenient in social situations, this made life as a college student even easier while having this post-surgery issues.  The biggest problem I had with the post op was not being able to work out for a few weeks, just now in my third week have I started back to the gym.  According to my surgeon at my last appointment, I have a great chest now that many men would die for.  Sometimes I don't feel that way, but he told me its very common amongst gynecomastia patients to expect the chest to be completely Flat after surgery, which just isn't the case.  Now in my third week I'm doing decently, but have many questions and concerns that I am curious if any of you have ever experienced, please read the next section and help me out if you can, I would greatly appreciate it!  Hopefully soon I can post pictures of my surgery for people to see, and rest assured that there is a cure to this common problem.

Questions I have:

1) Although a lot of tissue was taken out of my right side where the gland primarily was, I still feel a harder tissue than in the rest of my chest.  Is it normal to still feel a lump in the area where the gland used to be?  Although it is not prevalent to the eye, I can feel it.

2)When is it ok to start doing chest again at the gym?  I'm afraid of hurting anything so i've been avoiding it.  My surgeon told me when I asked him if i could excercise that, and I quote, "you can start doing whatever exercise you now feel comfortable doing."  But these seems to contradict alot of what I have read. Any advice?

3) I sometimes still feel soreness or a slight "pinch" in my right side, is this normal even at 3 weeks post-op.

Thanks for the help guys, look forward to some replies.  If anybody has any questions and wants to get in touch with me personally send me an email and hopefully I can help you out or give you some personal advice.

[Dul11246]

Thanks so much maywest, its great to have my concerns addressed in such a nonchalant way, it makes me feel much more confident about the outcome of this whole thing!  And I'm glad my story can help some people out there! 

[lenewyorkais]

I am a doctor myself who had the surgery.  Let me tell u, the result is seldom 100% of what u want.  A good plastic surgeon has to make u look natural, not just chop off your breasts.  A plastic surgeon who takes too much will give u a sunken chest.  Plastic surgery can improve your look, not perfect it.  The ads that promise post-op pecs of steel r liars.