Guys, need some honest advice.

[soonerspace]

Ok, here goes.  30 years old, gyno since age 13.  I have worked out (lifting AND cardio) faithfully for one full year now.  Muscle gains have been made, fat has been lost (30 lbs) and my moobs haven't gotten any smaller.  
Just got blood drawn today for Testosterone/Prolactin levels and a mammogram is scheduled for next week.

Please take a look at my photos and provide your thoughts.  Is surgery the only way out of this for me?  

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2061.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2064.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2063.jpg

Thanks in advance,
SS

[soonerspace]

Thanks Crunch......hopefully this works:

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2061.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2064.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b26/e146720/100_2063.jpg

[nothingworse]

Soonerspace, if nothing is seriously wrong with your hormones I would go with surgery. Your pictures indicate to me you have a moderate case the gyne is definetely there. It looks like in your pictures you have glandular/fatty gyne but more glandular I can see slightly puffy nipples and that is an indication for glandular gyne. Do you feel hard lumps or is it all soft underneath the nipple and chest region. Working out makes gyne stick out more or look worse. I would still work out but, don't make you chest muscles stronger just keep them toned. I worked out for 3 years and made mine significantly worse. Again if nothing is wrong with your hormones and like you said you lost weight and made a natural attempt to rid them surgery is probably your best answer. If your hormones are good to go I would set up a consultation with a plastic surgeon or go see your doctor/G.P. Getting your hormones checked is important and once you know the status of them and if they are good surgery is the road to the cure. No medicine is going to rid them. Puberty is long over for you and they won't cure themselves. I am just guessing again by the photos you have mostly glandular gyne which would need excision to remove the glands and some lipo to get everything out. Surgery to me is probably your only way out. Unless it is a hormone thing. Once you find that out go down the surgery path because I know if those are good surgery """IS""" your only answer. I've done everything with my glandular gyne and nothing was corrected so I am going to get surgery in a few months because it will not correct itself. Good luck to you on everything and see what happens. Surgery is looking like the only way out but, your next week appointment will definetely answer you final question about the surgery or not. If everything is good go for it. If not then ask the endo about another treatment. Good luck

[Blitz]

It's usually the side profile shots that give it away.  You have gyne.  

Post your location and some of the guys here will give you a name of a doctor in your area.  

[**Gynefor**]

Without any hesitation, there is gyne. But it is not a very serious case. I would go and see a PS but make blood test before I would suggest...

[soonerspace]

Blood test should be back by next week after mammogram.  

I'm in Tulsa, OK.  Suggestions on a good PS in the area?

[timbo]

Tulsa here also Soonerspace.  I used Arch Miller here in town- was highly recommended and I've had a good experience with him so far.  He's over near Saint Francis, and that's where he does surgery.

[soonerspace]

Timbo - He was my football coach in middle school (small world).  I have read his website but didn't know if he had much surgical experience in male breast reduction.

Do you have any before/after photos from your surgery?  How bad was your gyne.....I'd be curious to hear more about your situation and how Dr. Miller handled it.

Thanks,
SS

[timbo]

It's taken several procedures for me, as I had a lot of excess skin and sagging from a big weight loss several years ago.  I lost about 140 pounds after high school- am 38 now.  I had a mastopexy or breast lift last September.  In December I had some excess skin removed from the lower part of each side under local anesthesia in his office.  4 months ago I had ultrasonic liposuction to remove the excess fatty tissue.  And finally next month I will have a little more excess skin removed under local anesthesia in his office. Skin loses its elasticity as you get older- that's one of the reasons I've needed more than one procedure to get everything tightened up as much as possible.  LOL- I know it sounds like a lot, but I really think I've been a unique case because of the big weight loss, the excess skin, etc.  My problem was more fatty tissue and excess skin as opposed to glandular tissue, which it appears that you have.  I like Dr. Miller- he's ex-Army, may come across a little on the blunt side, but he's really friendly and very professional.  His office staff is very cool as well.  That being said, I honestly don't know how much experience he has with gynecomastia as far as number of procedures done each year, etc.  I know he's dealt with other cases as he has mentioned some of them to me.  Obviously there are many other PSs in town- Plastic Surgery Associates of Tulsa is just a few floors above Dr Miller in the same building.  I thought Greg Ratliff's website looked good- he's out in the Utica area.
Sorry- I don't have any pics at this time- hope this helps though.

[soonerspace]

Timbo - thank you for sharing your story (in a nutshell).  It has been several years since I had any interactions with Arch....but he was very 'to the point' but was still a nice man.  (OK....I hated him when he made us run wind sprints after football practice    

I will check out Ratliffe's website.  Once I get the blood results back, have a mammogram and talk with a PS....I'll follow up on this thread.  

Thanks,
SS

[nope1]

surgery is your only option, in my opinion.

[soonerspace]

** Update **

Well - went in for mammogram today.  For those who haven't been through it, the procedure itself is cake.  Now, walking into a well know BREAST CENTER swarmed with women (including some hotties), was a much tougher pill to swallow.

The procedure lasted about 5 minutes, then the x-ray tech told me the news.  No abnormal tissue (i.e. it is all simply fatty tissue, no glands or anything abnormal)

While I am glad nothing is seriously wrong, I was highly discouraged to know that it is simply fatty tissue (which rules out any chance of insurance covering surgery).

Still waiting for blood work to get back on the Test levels, so I'll update once that is done.

Oh....the joys of having breasticles.

[nothingworse]

Soonerspace sounds kind of scary being in a breast center. Sorry to hear that your insurance won't help because it is fatty tissue. I swear though when I saw your pictures it looked more like glandular gyne. Did they do a thorough complete test because sometimes gland can be totally surrounded by fat and maybe wouldn't show up through the fat on a mamogram. If worse comes to worse save up the money or get the money somehow loan, borrow, whatever, eventually you will get that surgery. If you don't like your chest I don't blame you one bit because gyne is a bi*ch. If I was in your shoes I would do whatever it takes because gyne just gets in the way too much. So, like I said if it bothers you get the surgery it is worth every penny and is really only a small price to pay. The joy and satisfaction you would get from it is priceless to be happier about yourself and have more confidence doesn't have a price. Good luck with everything and hopefully soon you won't have to deal with this hated foe any longer.

[soonerspace]

Well - to keep the updates on this thread, got blood work back.

Testesterone is....... 260 (very low)

Might have something to do with the breasticles.  Going back for more bloodwork next week.  Some type of lutinous (spelling) hormone check?

I need to research this, but doc indicated I might need testesterone therapy (injections).  Anybody else on this board been through that ?