Hi all. Firstly, if this is the wrong forum I apologise, feel free to move the post.
I'd like to tell my story please, I'll also maybe post up some pics in a couple of days.
I first noticed my moobs when I was about 13 years old. In fact I used to go swimming regularly until they started to develop then I got embarrassed and simply stopped going to the swimming baths. The embarrassment progressed and it wasn't long before I started to shut myself away in my bedroom fearing any form of exposure to the outside world.
It wasn't until I was 20 that I finally "presented" to my doctor and he immediately wrote to a consultant and arranged for me to see him. He was deeply concerned about my psychological health after learning how I'd shied away from "normal" social activities such as swimming, sunbathing, simply taking my top off in public etc.
The consultant was very kind and examined each breast and affirmed that there was breast tissue and that I did indeed have gynecomastia. He explained that he would operate if I wanted and that he would remove the tissue through incisions just near the nipple.
I awoke from the procedure and was told that the operation was a success. I was totally overjoyed and thrilled that the nightmare had ended. How wrong I was.
The surgeon had cut under each breast and left huge scars that even 23 years on are still visible. He's also left behind a disc of breast tissue in the left breast that was meant to balance the appearance. He did say that if I needed that out that I could return and have an operation to correct it.
I gave this some consideration but also left the hospital with the promise that the scars wouldn't be visible "after a few years". I think I had (and still have) mixed opinions about the op. It was a huge improvement over what I had, there can be no denying of that. I was elated to be free of the breasts that had hampered me for so long but I now had scar tissue to deal with and at that time, little did I know that it would have such an effect on me.
I went swimming once, then I saw some people gaze at my chest and at that point the tshirt went on and my guard went up. I clammed up totally and it was as if I hadn't seen any improvement at all if my behaviour was anything to go by.
Life went on and I moved from place to place never really settling so therefore not really having a permanent doctor, nor a decent job that would allow me to have any hospital treatment privately, nor enough holiday allowances. It was a pretty crap 10 years all told.
By the age of 30 I met someone and settled with them. They are of course aware of my gynecomastia and totally understanding and caring about it. However I cannot accept that alone and want rid of it once and for all. It is still a very sore issue with me and I'm excruciatingly shy about the whole issue so couldn't actually bear to face anyone about it, least of all my new doctor.
I eventually summoned the courage to do this at 43 years old. This led me to an appointment in Derbyshire and if I said I was disappointed with the experience it would be an understatement.
IMHO, the person I saw was extremely patronising and claimed the tissue was "fat" despite the fact 23 years ago the surgeon had said he'd left breast tissue in and that I can feel it. They questioned why I had waited so long, which I explained as best I could but the answer didn't seem acceptable to this person, to me the passage of time doesn't indicate I don't care about my gyne, it just means I'm really shy and embarrassed about it.
They also said that they and all their colleagues in Derbyshire wouldn't operate and that they normally operate on women with cancer as a priority (which I agree should be a priority) however it did not exactly make me feel as if they understood the stress and anxiety that gynecomastia sufferers experience. It goes to show that there is a long way to go before it's even seen as an issue...which contradicts totally my experience with the NHS when I was 20!
Anyway, I thought I'd share, and ask for any advice. I'm really confused on what I should do now and after been rejected out of hand by the NHS feel quite alienated.
