Had Surgery this morning: My story up until this point

[Bballguy123123]

I have not been very active on these discussion boards in terms of posting, however, I have been a reader for about 4 years or so.  To give a background story of myself, I have had puffy nipples since I was 13 (I am 20 now) and it has been an issue that has taken over my life.  I've avoided beaches, pools, and have been extremely cautious in terms of the clothing that I have worn.  I used to be on a swim team and the wait before jumping in the pool was something that will haunt me through the rest of my life.  My life hit a low when my older brother shouted out in front of everyone "hey pig breasts" and everyone erupted into laughter.  From that point on I have done almost everything humanly possible to hide my gynecomastia from the rest of the world.  As a basketball player it has been extremely difficult to hide this whenever the dreaded "shirts vs skins" comes into effect.  There even one point when I went to basketball camp that I had cuts around my nipples from my squeezing that area so much in order to stimulate them.  There was a point earlier this year I just knew that couldn't keep living like this, that I was not living life to the fullest with this burden.  I could never confront my parents about it face to face so I ended up pouring my heart out into an email in December letting them know that this was ruining my life and that I wanted to get a procedure done to get rid of it.  Although they thought that my chest looked perfectly fine they agreed to help me take care of this because of the pain it was putting me through.  I have yet to see the results of this mornings surgery because I have to wait for tomorrow until I can take the wraps off so all I can do now it have some faith that this was a success.  I will keep anyone who is interested updated as a recover from surgery.  Thanks for reading.

[Anon12345]

Be happy with the results! I'm going into surgery in 8 hours. I should be sleeping right now.

[Unidentified]

Hey man. your story hits a little close to home. I remember swimming lessons, basketball, shirts and skins, and the intense anxiety of any situation of anyone seeing me with my shirt off. I loved basketball... LOVED IT... but I gave it up in 8th grade after playing my whole life. I just couldnt be a skins anymore. And i had no explaination for my family as to why I quit.
I even grew up with a swimming pool that I havent been in since i was like 12.

Glad to see you did something about it. the earlier the better. I just had surgery a couple weeks ago at 26. I can tell that this is going to be a big change for me. Good luck to you. How are u healing up?

[Bballguy123123]

Hey man. your story hits a little close to home. I remember swimming lessons, basketball, shirts and skins, and the intense anxiety of any situation of anyone seeing me with my shirt off. I loved basketball... LOVED IT... but I gave it up in 8th grade after playing my whole life. I just couldnt be a skins anymore. And i had no explaination for my family as to why I quit.
I even grew up with a swimming pool that I havent been in since i was like 12.

Glad to see you did something about it. the earlier the better. I just had surgery a couple weeks ago at 26. I can tell that this is going to be a big change for me. Good luck to you. How are u healing up?

Healing is going well I had my first follow up visit this morning where they had to open up the excision again and suck out blood that was left over on my right side.  My left side is literally PERFECT and the right side was just swelled up because of the blood.  I don't think there has been a better feeling walking around in just a regular t shirt this past week.  It makes this whole process so worth it. 

Are you pleased with the results of your surgery?

[Unidentified]

4 weeks after surgery and i look and feel great. Im walking around in a tshirt with no layers underneath, jogging in public without having to wear a sweatshirt and waiting till nighttime so no one sees me. the wind blowing against me doesnt bother me. Just so many little things that I dont have to worry about anymore. and my chest is healin up nice and starting to look natural. just went to the gym today and did a full chest workout for the furst time since surgery. Everything is coming along nice