One More Story, 4/15 Surgery

[Angel_of_Death]

Noseguard, congratulations! I am happy to see you are pleased with your results. It's definitely a great feeling.

I'm not too sure myself how long I'll stick around here...but one thing is for sure, this site is probably one of the best discoveries if not the best discovery I have ever made.

[Noseguard]

13 Days After Surgery

Today at my son's lacrosse game the head coach handed out to all assistant coaches their game shirt.  To be worn at all home games they handed me a large Under Armour shirt. 

You know where this story is going.

A year ago that would have been met with dred, discouragement, sadness......you name it. 

This year the smile was so wide, almost made me forget the team lost it's first game in almost two years. Binder comes off next Tuesday, 8 days 9 hours 38 minutes, and 42 seconds from now.  WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES.

Score was 8-5, but the kids were up 5-4 going into the 4th quarter.

[Noseguard]

Two Weeks After Surgery

For all of you contemplating surgery, take heart, the information you get here on this board is spot on.  All of it.

Yes there is the occasional off the wall post, but for the most part it is all true.

Nothing that I have experienced so far (other than the surgery day caffeine withdrawl) has been even remotely different than the 3000 posts I have read here.

Everythinng from pre-op jitters to post op numbness.  From itchy vests to delayed swelling, all happens just as those who have come before have said it would.

The two week mark is really insignificant.  Only thing that happens today is I switch from my daily routing of putting on neosporin to putting on Vitamin E.  Just picked up bottle at Target for $3.39.

3 Weeks, I get to remove the binder and switch to a "secondary garment", tight Under Armour.
4 Weeks, I start massage to help with the swelling.
5 Weeks and beyond, wear a tight t-shirt when I walk my dog.  Wear a sleeveless t-shirt to cut the grass, Wear no shirt to swim in my pool, jump in the ocean, and make love to my wife.

Whoever it was who said life starts at 40 must also have had G surgery at that age too.

[what2do?]

Whoever it was who said life starts at 40 must also have had G surgery at that age too.
[/quote]
lol .. very well said my friend; must be one of the greatest feeling in the world ..

[RyanMace]

Great story man. Really touching. I enjoyed every little piece of it. Will there be any pre- and post op pics?

Kind regards.

[Noseguard]

Thanks to everyone who has posted on this tread.  I appreciate the positive thoughts.

I will do some pics.

My G was pretty severe, so I am trying to let it heal a little and some swelling to go down before I post the pics.

I will though.

[Noseguard]

Three Weeks After Surgery

One of the great things about this site is that the entire journey from recognition to full recovery is very predictable.

Three weeks post op I have the swelling I read about as well as the tingling, soreness, anxiety, frustration............must say though that because I read about it here first, those last two are not all that big a deal.

Today I took off my binder and hit the gym.  What a relief to finally get back, I played it pretty cautious.  That was probably a good thing as the doc said to start back slowly.  I think this whole week will be that way, Ill go everyday, but only go about half speed and intensity, then step it up next week.

Make no mistake about it, with much healing still to go, this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I went to a class reunion this past weekend.  With my new body (weight loss and surgery), I was an entirely different person at the functions.  Confident is the best way to describe it.  I enjoyed every minute of it.

[Noseguard]

Four Weeks After Surgery

Some Quick Notes On My Progress

Hit the gym hard today.  It is taking longer to get back into the old exercise routine than I thought.  Guess I should have expected that.

I can't go too long without my binder or vest.  Sourness and swelling begin about 8 hours after removal

I wear the binder at night and the vest for most of the day.

Wearing regular clothes without a garment when I need to is a great feeling

My results are still great.

My gut needs to go. With my G solved for the spare 15 I am carrying is driving me bananas.

I can't seem to remember to put the vitamin E on everyday.


One month after surgery, and I am feeling good about everything.  The healing, my progress, the look of my chest.  I have no regrets.  This is going to be a great summer! 

I still feel like there is a great deal more to come.  The doc said not really but I can't help but think my chest will grow, sag, or whatever.....I realize this is not the case, but so soon after the surgery I can't believe I am looking at the final result or at least 80% of it.

My next appointment with Dr. Jacobs is the 28, curious to see how he feels I am doing.

[Noseguard]

5 Weeks After Surgery

I have noticed wearing the garments still helps dramatically.  Swelling stays down, and my chest shape is better after having them on.

I can see keeping them on for at least the next couple of weeks.

[Noseguard]

Five Weeks & One Day After Surgery

I am becoming an expert at driving with my knee.  Every day I find myself with one hand over my head and the other gently massaging my chest.  Usually I do this in the car, as stupid as this is.

If you find my diary comes to an unexpected and abrupt end that is because I wrapped my SUV around a utility pole while squeezing my formally big boobs in an effort to make myself look normal.  Whatever that is.

You know I guess it should have been predictable, but life is now taking a turn.  I find myself just not thinking about my chest much.  I just go through life.  All those years pre-surgery were a daily struggle with my problem.  The months leading up to surgery were increasingly tense and mentally taxing.  The day of and immediately following surgery were packed with anticipation, questions, and pain.

Now, I just don't even think about it too much, and every day a little less.

Life, without boobs..... just life.

[Twin Peaks]

Man, all your post-op posts are making me soooooo anxious to get this surgery done.  Tomorrow is my last day with moobs.  Thursday is gonna be a good day...hopefully.

I'm glad things are going really well for you.

[Noseguard]

Six Weeks After Surgery

Yesterday, about 2pm it finally happend.  We had a pool party here at the house.  With a half dozen kids in the pool and their parents sitting poolside I walked in took my shirt off and headed for the diving board.  As I stepped up onto the board I was facing everyone, my son yelled out "yea daddy is coming in".  I then did my best can opener, come to the top, and realized no one had cared at all about what I looked like, so I climbed out and did it again.  I am 40 years old, and I have not stood on a diving board shirtless since I was 11.

I have my second follow up tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.

I will drop a note in here after my appointment tomorrow.

[Noseguard]

Six Weeks and Three Days After Surgery

Well I saw Dr. Jacobs on Wednesday.  He confirmed what I thought....the results are good, and will get better as my skin continues to tighten and the swelling goes down.  My G was so bad that when I went for my consult Dr. J gave me two quotes for two surgical options.  $7900 for straight excision and $13,000 for full nipple relocation and skin removal, a full mastectomy for the most part.  After much debate (with myself & some with my wife) I chose the lesser option but not for price reasons.

I ran the risk of needing a second procedure to tighten the loose skin, but at least the scarring would be less.  He confirmed what I thought, we made the right choice.  He and I are both happily surprised with the amount of skin tightening.

Having seen thousands of before and after photos I always believed my G was worse than just about all the cases I have ever seen.  Maybe one or two I saw on Youtube were maybe worse, but my was a 9 for sure.  That was always my belief.  However at my visit with Dr. J this week he pulled out my before photos he took the day of surgery.  Wow.  He actually looked at them and said "you are not my typical patient, rather a severe case".  You know it is one thing to believe you always had bad G, but when, arguably, the most experienced Gynecomastia surgeon on earth says that you do it is still a shock.

Glad they are gone. Still glad I chose Dr. Jacobs.

Next appointment in September.

[Noseguard]

Seven Weeks After Surgery

I wish I had some pearl of wisdom to impart, but really I don't today.

My chest is good and steadily improving.
Weather is getting hot and I like going in the pool.
I work out 6 days week, 1 1/2 hours day.
Should be in better shape for all the excercise I get, too many carbs slowing my progress.
I massage my chest daily, seems to help.
I really only now wear my binder at night, pretty much done with any daytime garment.

Oh yeah, I had been meaning to post this awhile back.  Of all the typical G situations that we have all avoided over the years, pools, beaches, windy days, skins at basketball practice........I remembered this one.   Have you ever been in the audience of a magic show, talent show, basketball exhibition (globe trotters), when they ask for a volunteer? I always wanted to raise my hand an volunteer, but was always afraid they would make me remove my shirt for the stunt or trick.  The though of being on stage with my G hanging out was always too scary to risk going up.  Thankfully I don't have a horror story to tell, just another small thing I avoided for 25 years.

[Noseguard]

Seven Weeks and One Day After Surgery

G Story
Back in 1990 I had just graduated college and was spending the summer on Cape Cod.  A few buddies and I rented a house along with three girls which one of my friends new from his school.  I started dating one of them.  The town we lived in was quiet and upscale town.  One night we were all arrested for a party.  Since we were all over 21 at the time, they busted us only for violating the town "noise variance".  We were let go after posting bail ($25), and sent off with a settlement that stated as long as we were not arrested again in the next 90 days our records would be removed and wiped clean.

About two weeks later my girlfiend and I went back to the house after a day at the beach.  We put on some music and headed to the bedroom for some "fun".  Turns out our music was too loud. The cops showed up and arrested me in just my boxer shorts.  My girl quickly put on her bikini, but I was put in cuffs before I could get a shirt.  My G was not too bad then as I was in great shape, but still bad enough.  I had to ride in the police car and was put in a cell at the station shirtless.  I saw every cop in the place give me a second look.  Eventually one cop, must have felt bad for me, got me a shirt to wear.

Boy that day sucked.