Hi everyone I'm new to this forum.....well....heres my story...
I started noticing a "lump" under my nipple area as well as the expansion of my chest 2-3 years ago (I am now 18 and probably in the later stages of puberty i.e. I see more frequent facial hair). During the first few months the lump was tender to touch. I assume this is gynecomastia? Well, coincidently I also noticed my left testicle was bigger than my right but thought nothing of it because my general doctor never said anything about it during a check up. Well i lived with gynecomastia for these past few years but for the past few months (from july 2007->current) I cleaned up my diet to take action and ate "testosterone increasing" foods such as egg+peanuts as well as weight lifting. Thankfully the lump behind my nipple reduced by around 50% (if this is a coincidence or my diet is uncertain to me). (BTW I am not overweight at all..but I used to be 3-4 years ago when the gyne just started. I am now 129pounds at 5'9...)
Well I'm still stuck with a few "somewhat lumpy" things behind my nipples and finally convinced my mom to go to a urologist because after research of gyne->testosterone problems->testicular problems I believed that I had varicocele. The urologist confirmed varicocele and I am having a varicocelectomy (covered by insurance) in the upcoming month of April 08. I am really nervous whether this varicocelectomy will fix the last few lumps behind my nipple to completely get rid of gynecomastia. I researched online and it is a very vague subject. Has anyone also had a variocelectomy? Did it reduce gynecomastia? Is there any health profession here that can point a connection between the two? Even though i'd rate my gyne a 3/10 nowadays (I look normal from a frontal view but horrid from a side view, before was worse... a 5/10) it affects me everyday to the point where I may even break into tears. I'm trying to have this condition not affect my schoolwork.. and trying to keep up my 3.9 college GPA but I really don't now where to turn. My parents do know I have a varicocele but have no idea that my original intent was to get rid of gyne (they aren't too accepting of anything and pass off many things too fast).
I am praying every night that the varicocelectomy will improve my condition or eliminate it completely. Does anyone have any info on this? I really have no where else to turn to for support or anything and I'm extremely nervous because I doubt i'd ever be able to pay for gyne surgery (it runs up to 6k here in NY and I am struggling to pay for college/ save for my plans to go to graduate school).