New here

[Boomer]

Hi all,
First off I'm 49 165lbs 5'9" and a 36C/D. Yeah, I'm accepting of my boobs now. Took me a little bit but they are a part of me that needs to be taken care of now.
[Mini Rant]
I've been searching for the cause of my gynecomastia [a long list] but did I ever think to check that "little water pill" I was taking [NOOOO]. Now I want to have a long talk with my liver doc for not warning me. Then a longer talk with my GP who had a student present and didn't mention it as a cause. [hmm maybe order that new combat cane first]
[Done]
With that said, I've come to terms with my new arrivals. It took me a little bit and then my wife showed me an upside which really helped adjust my attitude. Yes breast exams aren't fun but are a lot better than checking to see if your doc has large knuckles. My wife has been very accepting with this and everything [how she put up with me at the worst of my PTSD I will never know]. My numbers they said are good for the first time in a long while and no tumor markers. So all things considered, the twins aren't a problem.
Yes, I wear a bra for support, comfort and protection [watch out cooking with only a t-shirt on ... toasted tatas]. I tried compression sports bras and they hurt. Surgery isn't happening right now. My PTSD is getting better [relative term], my liver is actually getting better, and I haven't been in the hospital this year. So everything is working why change.
Thanks guys for all the info I have found out so far here and I hope to find out more.
Boomer

[steven618]

Unsure what the PTSD is from but kudos on the improvements and getting better and having a loving wonderful wise beside you to encourage along the way. Many of us seem to have discouraging wifes in the realm of things when it comes to wearing a bra. And I feel many are like myself who's wives don't even know they own bras cause they wear them at work and gym and such then take them off before going through that door lol. It's really great to hear your acceptance. I hope life continues getting better and you don't burn the tatas too bad next time lol. 
Curious what water pill were you referring to? I googled little water pill gynecomastia and didn't get much of anything that said what it refers to. I am 30 and a solid 36a and seem to grow from time to time and if i can stop myself from getting to a D cup i'd love to be aware cause in my opinion, dr's are very unaware and just give ya what Pfizer says to shove down their throats for this and that. I take quite a few supplements all of which i reserach well but it's always nice to know what others feel caused their excessive growth to double check what i'm taking myself.

[Boomer]

Thanks for the welcome.

My PTSD is from my time in the military. What I that was just another was another water pill is spironolactone. I was proscribed that for ascites due to liver damage. Everything is fine and I haven't had to drained since the beginning of December.

Boomer

[steven618]

ahhh spiro, i never quite understood why dr's assigned that to take when it's a key pill taken for transgenders. Surely there has to be an equally effective pill now days that does the same iwthout the same side effects. Sorry to hear about it all man. After you grew to a full a cup did you ask about the meds and alternatives? When i see about people taking meds and it coincides with the same time of growth I wonder how people tend to that before they get to a size that they no longer pass as a male chest or man boobs anymore. As someone who is developing a bit more now days and a large a cup (34a) how do you cope and accept sizable breasts? Just quit givin a damn? ALways seeking insight especially since i get spurts here and there and fear i am just going to keep grwoing

[Boomer]

Actually, I was never warned about the side effects of spiro. Not by the specialist or the my GP. I found this out on my own only yesterday. I had been on HCTZ before for BP and I asked if there where any other side effects besides sun sensitivity and I was told no. I'm also pissed at my GP because he was teaching a student the day I got my first breast exam. He pointed out the causes to the student as to previous meds I was on, liver disease, and medical marijuana. Never once was this mentioned. I will be having some talks this week. The thing is blood tests from a month ago, have all my number good [except slight anemia] and I'm finally starting to get a handle on my PTSD.

When did I accept that I have boobs and had to wear a bra? Umm, when they hurt. No, seriously. That is when I accepted I needed a bra. Accepting my breasts? That's still happening.  How do I hide them? That's easy don't wear just a t-shirt. Today I was out and was getting a new pair of shoes. They are grey and sketchers style but made by crocs. The sales lady looked square at my chest and said "Hey your shoes matches your shirt". That's it. I had a bra, white undershirt and a short sleeve button up shirt on. There were several guys in stores today with just a t-shirt on that made me not worry. Also patterns are your friend.

Acceptance is not your choice. How you accept it your choice. You can freak out or you can deal with it. In dealing with it you have all your options. Surgery, some drugs, compression garments, bras, or ignore it [if you hurt and have seen a doctor it's your fault]. So deal with how ever you like, just don't freak out in the mean time and you'll be fine.

Boomer

[Maxx]

Spironolactone...the cause of my problem as well. There is only two drug to treat my issue, and the other one is Eplerenone. I can't tolerate it for some reason.I have tried three times and always end up giving up.

I think the real cause was Levaquin antibiotic. I took that for pneumonia and had a reaction to it. 6 mo later, I had all kinds of endocrine problems that were hard to figure out. Never even thought it could be the antibiotic, unit recently with all the lawsuits popping up over the damn drug side effects people had.

I had the start of breast buds even before I was given Spironolactone. Even had a mammogram just to rule out. I was given Spiro to treat a condition where I am losing potassium. 8 or 9 years later, I fit into a 42C bra. I still struggle with the idea of wearing a bra, and can't seem to find any that I feel comfortable in. So, I don't wear one.

I don't know that I will ever truly accept the issue, but I don't have a lot of choice. A surgeon told me that I probably wouldn't like how I looked after surgery, anymore than I do now. I would look better from the outside, but be mutilated when I look in the mirror. Because I am considered stage 4 gynecomastia, the surgery is more involved. Not his words, but how I heard it. I am not getting carved up just so I look "normal".

Like many here, I have an awesomely supportive wife of 30+ years. So, we just make it work.  She loves me, not what I look like.

I am glad you a doing well Boomer. Thank you for serving in the military. I am sorry you have to deal with PTSD for protecting this amazing country. I am grateful to anyone who serves in our armed forces. I almost joined in college. Took all the tests, but they had delayed entry (up to nine months). I was almost done with college and was told it would be better to go in as an officer. Well, I got married and never joined. I would served during the first gulf war, had I joined at the time.

[Boomer]

Hey Maxx,
Thanks and yupp I was in Desert Storm and more.
It's it fun what "little" side effects some medications have. It's, even more, fun when you learn about them on your own. I hope you are doing better. It really helps your mental wellbeing if you are physically healthy [and the reverse is true also].  Thankfully, I'm off most all now.
Having a wife that is supportive is very helpful. Without mine, I wouldn't haven't been able to deal with things. With her, in your corner, you are going to be ok. She sounds like a great person to have on your side.
It's all a matter of personal choice. I like jockey's not boxers. For me, it was keeping things contained and supported. If you are interested in help finding a bra or other garment there is a great sub on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/. They are very helpful and answer any questions you have. That's how I found a bra. They also have lots of other information.  
Good Luck,
Boomer

[hammer]

Hi Boomer,  from a fellow disabled vet, thankfully mine isn't PTSD,  I'm sorry you have that, my daughter who is also a disabled vet has it and it's not a very nice disability to have, not that any disability is nice! People will say stupid shit like "I wish I could take my dog with me everywhere I go"! You can imagine the replies she comes up with, as she is no more politically correct then I am, and that's not in my vocabulary, lol! It's like when I'm at the VA, I've had other vets say to me, "I wish I had a power wheelchair and could sit to go everywhere I went"! WTF, I wish I could walk farther than a few feet without problems!

Congrats on having a great wife for a good support system on all that's going on in your life! If it wasn't for a great family, wife and daughter's and a strong faith I'm not sure where I would even be today!

Sorry that I haven't taken the time to welcome you to the forum yet. I've been dealing with some new medical issues that I haven't taken real well. In 1994 when I found out that I had untreated diabetes I also found out that I had peripheral neuropathy in the feet and legs, that took me out of the working world in 1998. I recently found out I also have it in both arms and hands now as well!  it's getting hard to even hold my coffee cup.

Right now I'm doing acupuncture at the VA, I don't have any other insurance other then medicare, as my wife doesn't get it for me at work and I'm so happy that I was either smart enough that I served my country, or crazy enough that I did so now I do have coverage!

BTW, I did 4 years Navy and 7 years Army Reserves 1978 through 1989

Boomer,  just wondering where you got this handle?  Many of the guys on my mom's side of the family go by that and it's a very big family!  Her dad had 16 kids in it alone! I've run into mom's 1st cousins at the VA that I've never met before! The name begins as such, Boomgaa.......... does this look familiar?  Just wondering if we are related?


Bob

[Boomer]

Hey Hammer,
The handle of Boomer came from my last job in service, no relation at all to my actual name [Sorry]. I had a few different handles over the years in the service and this one stuck. It's funny how things like that happen.
Ouch on the medical issues. That sucks. I can relate to the leg and foot pain [lower back disk issues]. For diabetic issues, thankfully I'm not, I remember what my grandfather went thru. I feel for you there. I hope your vision is still good.
I haven't tried acupuncture yet, how that going? The big VA center near me offers it but me and the VA have our issues. 4+ years in appeals and still going. Hell it took 3 1/2 years to fight Social Security and win that finally. [mini rant].
Sorry about your daughter. PTSD sucks. I hope she is getting the right meds. If your state is medical marijuana legal, have her try it. It saved my life, it really did. 5+ meds replaced by it and still detoxing my system from all the crap that was in my system. I lost track of all the meds over the years used to treat my PTSD and then the opoids for pain .... etc. 
Very cool on her having a service dog. I thought about it but my 2 border terrorists would never allow it. I have heard great things about them. LOL, sounds like she and I would get along great.
I totally agree with the comments others make. Yeah, I have a handicapped tag and it's only used when I'm in the car. I know some of the comments, hell I made some at one point. Now, I know what it's like to have to need something. So, screw 'em.
Yeah, my wife has been amazing. I can't actually thank her enough for helping me thru this. She's the one that actually said to me about how it could be a lot worse. I'm coming out the other side I hope and doing better, it's just that I have boobs now. At least I'm in a place now where I can accept it.
Boomer

[hammer]

We are in Minnesota so medical marijuana is legal but both my daughter and I use the VA and that being federal won't do the medical pot, damn, I heard it works great for both of what we got! She did loan Survivor and met a few other women there that said it works great for PTSD.  She is able to deal with it without meds, but I don't think she could without the dog!

I've had both knees replaced,  and 3 back surgeries,  I'm fused from L5 through my left SI joint so I also have chronic back pain which is also being addressed again the 2nd time with acupuncture.  The 1st time I had a $50.00 copay, but since some of my disability has been deemed service connected so I no longer have copay s so I can  continue on longer with the acupuncture longer if it works.

When I filed for Social Security so many years ago I qualifying immediately due to the neuropathy! I know otherwise it can be a bitch to get. Most people assume it was my back that took me out of the working world,  but it was the neuropathy. It's hard to work with that crap!

As for my eyes, it amazing!  I grow up wearing glasses from the 1st grade on, but I no longer need anything but reading glasses!  My older brother always said to me, "Bob, your legs are getting so bad, what are ya going to do"? " I would say, I'll gladly give them both up, they hurt so damn bad anyway as long as I can keep my eyes "! My 5th grandchild is due in July and I'll be able to see it just fine!

As far as the gyno, I don't know if you have read any of my old post, but I'm one of the old guys here that had it as long as I can remember.  I had it as a kid, while in the service, and it just got worse after I lost my testicles after a vasectomy so it was all down hill after that! With everything else that went wrong why give a damn about boobs?

[Boomer]

Yeah, that's the problem with medical marijuana, the fed doesn't pay for it. It's all out of pocket for medical in NJ. It costs me about $200-$300 a month but, it works great. All those ugly psych meds gone and pain meds gone. So for me, it's well worth it. I'm happy to hear that she is doing great without meds. There are some herbal supplements that can help too. Let me know and I'll message you a list.

Great to hear about your eyes. Those can be effected badly by diabetes.

I read how long you've had it. At least it seems like it wasn't horrible when you were younger [I hope]. This is all new to me but, I've been reading a lot. Thanks to everyone here. I've learned a lot reading thru the archives. I'm still learning.

Boomer

[Alchemist]

Hi Boomer,
Welcome aboard such as it is. Spironolactone is thought of by most folks as "potassium sparing" diuretic.  While  it can cause gynecomastia (about 10%), its often used with furorsimide, a diuretic that also causes potassium to be dumped and also is said to influence gynecomastia.  The two are often used together along with some other low probability gyne boosters.   If you look at that whole list of things that are ACCUSED of causing gyne it is much larger than any than it really is because that iis how side effects list get compiled.  That's where comparing to placebo comes in handy.

I'm going through some liver problems right now.  I had some antibiotic toxic damage that might be secondary to earlier toxic damage etc.  Any way, things are still going wrong and I'm going in for a biopsy Monday and an endoscopy next week.  I keep the edema under control with MeCbl and L-methylfolate currently  I don't need a diuretic now, but they are keeping an eye on it. 

As a long-timer like Hammer (breasts since 1959) and D-DD (double dome edema detectors)  I don't worry about harmless side effects.  I get worried about ones that cause toxic liver damage.