1 year post op - very depressed!

[LucasKane]

I learned about gynecomastia at the beginning of 2007.  I saw my GP to ask if he thought I may have it.  He seemed to think I did and that surgery was my only option.  Only a couple of months later I got an appointment for surgery with an nhs surgeon.  It all happened so quickly and I was told I'd get all the information on the op when I went in to hospital.  All I had was a 10 minute conversation with a couple of docs who said they would make an incision under my chest, lift the skin and remove the tissue.  The doc said there would be a scar and maybe some nerve damage.  I was really worried about this, but stupidly still went through with the op.

It is a year later now, and I have scars of about 6 incs under each nipple which have swelled out to form keloid scars, and also terrible nerve damage to the skin over my chest.  My chest now itches constantly, especially the scars, and generally feels very odd.  My chest does look a normal shape now, and better in clothes, but feels so horrible, and the scars are very red and prominant.   

When I had the op I was in good shape, doing lots of running and cycling, but still had a little fat around my middle, but had become obsessed with getting rid of the fat on my chest, which I think is why I rushed into having the surgery.  I can't help but feel now that if I had just got my body fat right down my chest would have gone anyway.  But now I have these awful scars and no sensation in the skin.

I feel I have completely mutilated myself, really for no reason, and don't know how to cope with my mistake.  I feel angry with the doctors for not explaining to me the details of the procedure they would do (I had no idea they would cut so wide), and angry at myself for not asking more questions.   I have spoken to my GP again, to see if there is any hope for me with the scars or nerve damage, and they just say everyone heals differently.

Has anyone else gone through anything similar?  Does anyone know about nerve damage, and if it can return over time?  Will the scars ever get better - can anyone recommend treatment?

Any info or advice anyone can offer me would be greatly appreciated. 

[EricO]

Hi LucasKane

I am really sorry to hear about your experiences, and as someone who is a couple of weeks pre-op it obviously raises concerns for me as well.

It seems like you have had a really bad experience and I can do little to help or comfort you...

however reference this...

I have scars of about 6 incs under each nipple which have swelled out to form keloid scars,

My good lady had terrible scarring from a really aggressive Eczema/dermatitis condition.  She used a product called "Bio-Oil" (which has been mentioned on another thread) it really worked for her.  Maybe its worth a try to see if it can help with the scarring.

I really hope your situation improves.  It is such a travesty that you have the chest shape you wanted but at the cost of scarring and nerve damage which is having such a damaging effect on you.

Best of luck mate.

[kingboob]

Well, I am assuming because your GP referred you so readily and  that you had long cuts to remove the boobs that you must of had quite severe gynaecomasia??


What I would say is scars do continue to fade over time, but I suppose you are getting to the stage where you would be expecting them to get better?  - But I have read that it can take 2 years.    Also you have to remember that scars / scar tissue is never as good quality as what was there originally.

Are you sure you don't have hypertrophic scars, because they do eventually fade, keloids are a bit different but most people lump them together in name.

You could try that bio-oil stuff but from what my surgeon said there is no proof it actually works, many people swear by it though, that an cocoa butter (palmers).

I am having a similar experience, I had a long incision all the way across my chest to lift the chest, remove the boobs and excess skin.  I had the operation in January 08,  I am experiencing the same sort of weird sensations in the chest, numbness and occasional shooting pains, thick bright red hypertrophic  scarring. 

However I am not really worried about it, because the overall look of my chest is greatly improved, and more importantly my surgeon warned me over and over and over again that I was going to end up with scars, so I knew what to expect,  had ample time to ask lots of questions and get my head around things before going ahead with surgery......................With the nerve damage, numbness and scarring I am told these will improve over time....... but long term, years not months. 

 It seems to me the biggest issue you have is that you were NOT informed properly of what to expect and now you are in a bit of a state mentally because you didn't have a chance to get your head around things or properly weigh up the pros & cons before the surgery.

I would try speaking to a different doctor at your GP surgery, maybe you could get sent back to the plastic surgery team and find out if the scars can be revised or improved medically / surgically.

[LucasKane]

Well, I am assuming because your GP referred you so readily and that you had long cuts to remove the boobs that you must of had quite severe gynaecomasia??

Perhaps my gynecomastia was worse than I now like to believe.  Maybe I still haven't come to terms with the fact I had the condition.  I was 27 when I had the op, having been a fat teenager, then losing alot of weight when I was 19/20.  I had continued to work out and eat well for the next 7 years, trying different exercises and diets, convinced I would lose more weight (and hopefully that on my chest) eventually.

Just before surgery I had a bit of fat around my middle and on my stomach - about half a fistful when gripped.  The upper part of my stomach muscles were visible, as were my ribs (my ribcage fairly prominant with arms up).  And then on my chest my nipples were very large and puffy, with a good handful of soft tissue under each nipple over my pectoral muscle.

When I first showed my chest to my GP he was clearly quite shocked and seemed to feel really sorry for me.  He was very understanding and nice about it, and said what a positive thing it was me coming to see him, and doing something about my chest.  It was because of him I got such an early surgical appointment I think. 

It's good to hear from someone in a similar situation to me, your comments have helped alot!  Maybe I just needed more info before having the op on what to expect afterwards.  I need to come to terms with the whole thing mentally whilst I slowly heal physically I guess.

[outertrial]

Theres a silicone gel I was prescribed that may well help with the scarring. Its available over the counter but if you cant find it pm me (which will alert me by email) and Ill dig out the name.

You need to post photos really if you want an opinion on your chest, before and afters would be helpful.

[LucasKane]

I've just seen another surgeon that I was referred to about my scars and my concerns about how I was healing.  This doctor was very helpful indeed, answering all my questions and giving me allot of information (info my surgeon should really have given me). 

Although he agrees my scars are bad, things aren't as bad as I thought.  He said the strange sensations in my chest were normal as the body is still healing itself, and the nerve damage will improve over time.  He recommended massaging the chest and basically stimulating the skin so the brain can get used to how the chest is shaped now.  Also, my scars are in fact hypotrophic (not keloid), which is much better as they can be cut away with scar revision surgery without so much fear of them returning.  I explained how the skin on the chest was stretched very tight after surgery and the wound was pretty bad.  He thinks this is why the scars had turned out so bad.  Anyway, now the skin has recovered removing the scar tissue and stitching the skin much neater than before should result in less visible scars which will fade further over time.  On my right chest part of the scar seemed to heal properly (where the skin wasn't as stretched) and there is only a thin white line now; the doc said this shows my skin can heal properly and hopefully he can get the whole scar looking that way.

So, to sum things up, I'm feeling so much better having spoken to this new surgeon.  Just having a little understanding about what is going on with my body whilst healing, makes me less worried and less depressed.  I feel I can get on with my life a bit now, and hopefully my scars will improve enough for me to feel compfortable with my shirt off.  I certainly do feel better in clothes now - you know, normal.  And I should be thankful for that.  Despite my depression and panicking I do feel now I made the right decision having surgery, I just should have prepared myself mentally a bit more. 

Thanks to those who commented here, you helped allot too.  If anyone else is going through any similar post-op anxieties I recommend seeing someone new and getting a second opinion. 

[WXYZ]

Reading your account with the NHS surgeons, just makes me glad I turned them down. They said the same to me about scarring and nerve damage and when the surgeon couldn't answer my questions fully, I knew I had to get out of there. Fair enough, some people have good experience with the NHS (if they're lucky to get a well experienced surgeon) but most it seems do not. But I still think that even if it means paying when it comes to cosmetic surgery, it's better having it done properly by a surgeon who is well experienced. If you go on the NHS you're taking chances as you might end up with an inexperienced surgeon who's using you as a practice patient. Since more men are now demanding gyne surgery on the NHS, the NHS are asking general cosmetic surgeons and breast surgeons to do the job. They may not have the experience yet, but they need patients to develop their skills on and it could be me or you. The NHS surgeon I saw says he was well-experienced but when I asked how may gyne ops he's done he said less than 5 a year.  It appears his many years of experience was in other areas of cosmetic surgery.

[LucasKane]

Reading your account with the NHS surgeons, just makes me glad I turned them down. They said the same to me about scarring and nerve damage and when the surgeon couldn't answer my questions fully, I knew I had to get out of there. Fair enough, some people have good experience with the NHS (if they're lucky to get a well experienced surgeon) but most it seems do not. But I still think that even if it means paying when it comes to cosmetic surgery, it's better having it done properly by a surgeon who is well experienced. If you go on the NHS you're taking chances as you might end up with an inexperienced surgeon who's using you as a practice patient. Since more men are now demanding gyne surgery on the NHS, the NHS are asking general cosmetic surgeons and breast surgeons to do the job. They may not have the experience yet, but they need patients to develop their skills on and it could be me or you. The NHS surgeon I saw says he was well-experienced but when I asked how may gyne ops he's done he said less than 5 a year.  It appears his many years of experience was in other areas of cosmetic surgery.

It is definitely a big problem for allot of us - did we see the right surgeon?/ which surgeon should I use?  So difficult to know if you're making the right decision.  I suppose the worst thought for all of us is - am I gonna make my chest look worse.