2 years post op but...

[chris87]

Hey all been its been along time since i posted on this forum, i originally came here to help with my problem and advice on what i could do to fix it, eventually i went to see karidis and within 3 weeks i had the surgery and it was all and done and finished..or so i thought..

its now just gone over 2 years post op and over time ive noticed a small lump to the right side of my right nipple that is slightly noticable and more so when i flex to me anyway..most of my family say im being paranoid but hey im sure some of you can understand where i come from in the situtation we've all been through, i recently decided to go and see my GP and see what he had to say and he refered me to a breast clinic, after the first appointment i was sent for an ultrasound scan to see if there was any breast tissue left, so i went back 4 weeks later to be told it was "Fibrosis" which i will admit gave me a huge sense of relief..but for some reason i cant shake the feeling that its something more (not a big fan of NHS and gynecomastia problems..). what bothers me more so is that it can be quite painful when im sitting around like a throbbing pain and seems to get quite swollen, and also shrinks in the cold/or when poked and prodded much like the gland did before the surgery.

ill admit i havnt contacted karidis because for 1 i recieved no after care, phone call or letter or follow up appointment and having left it for 2 years im worried i will be told to leave when i try to contact them over this nor can i afford to have any more surgery if it was necessary.

can anyone else offer some advice? has anyone else got this or seen something similar?

any comments would greatly help me with this
thanks

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

All surgical patients are entitled to post operative care.  You definitely should have been in touch with your surgeon and insisted on being seen if there seemed to be a problem.

At this point, two years post op, your options are more limited.  Certainly you should return to your surgeon for an evaluation.  What you have described does occasionally occur after gyne surgery.  It is probably scar tissue and can usually be treated with a cortisone injection, but it does have to be evaluated by someone who is familiar with gyne surgery and its aftermath.

Your situation is that it is two years after surgery.  There may be charges for treatment.  Post operative care doesn't extend forever.

In my practice, post operative care, including possible cortisone injections, is provided for one year post op.

Dr Jacobs

[chris87]

i see, thank you for the quick reply it is greatly appreciated.

as you are yourself a surgeon with knowledge of this, could you perhaps explain what this scar tissue is exactly? or what has caused it? or if there is any concern as to if it can grow or get bigger?

thank you again

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Just be aware we are assuming it is scar tissue.

Scar tissue forms after any surgery -- that is how the body heals.  Sometimes it forms in excess -- oftentimes for unknown reasons (we don't have an answer for everything!).  Sometimes, there is micro-trauma after surgery or perhaps even a small micro-hematoma -- not visible initially but ultimately the body deals with it by removing the blood and replacing it with scar tissue.

It is occasionally tender and usually grows to a certain size and then stops.

Oftentimes it will slowly disappear on its own -- but very slowly.  Very rarely does it require removal -- the fear being that surgery to remove scar tissue will result in, you guessed it, more scar tissue.

Many guys feel their chests after surgery -- but the chest may look fine.  This is understandable and yet the purpose of the operation was to provide a better looking chest.  People don't go around feeling your chest for lumps, etc.

Best advice -- don't touch it and play with it -- just leave it alone and go about your life.  And enjoy your life free of gyne!

Dr Jacobs

[chris87]

thank you for your replies it was greatly appreciated , thank you for your time