I have been dealing with gynecomastia since I was about 11 years old. I never talk about it with anyone, though I have talked to many doctors about it. I am a survivor of AML, acute monocytic leukemia. I was diagnosed with hypogonadism years ago.
I don't like to sound dramatic, but I would imagine many people here would say the same thing as me. I feel gynecomastia has literally ruined the best years of my life. As a child I loved swimming and just being free and secure with myself. When my chest grew out, I found myself making all kinds of changes in my lifestyle to make the cruel comments and awkward stares from men and women stop. I don't call this "living" with gynecomastia...
My outpatient doctors have even made a point of saying "Oh, you have SEVERE gynecomastia" while giving me a physical as if I needed to hurry up and find some magic affordable pill to make the problem stop. I found myself in a plastic surgeons office at some point and he went through the procedure like it was riding a bicycle, at some point I interrupted and said does insurance pay for this and he just shrugged his shoulders like it wasn't his problem at all.
I have overcome many serious medical problems as a result of the cancer treatments, and my BMI is a healthy 24%, I am not overweight, though I have a big build, mostly muscle. But the more in shape and muscular I get, the more exaggerated my gynecomastia appears, I have abs and breasts at the same time, it is quite frustrating..they are as such that you would never confuse them for simply hypertrophied pectoral muscles, they are as breastlike as they can be...
Sorry for the long story, but my question is, would insurance chip in at all for surgery? My medical history is well documented, my hypogonadism is being successfully treated, my hormone profile has been thoroughly documented, my health factors are good. The hypogonadism has been a chronic factor in my insecurity and depression and hasn't shown any sign of improving over the past 14 years...I just want it to go away but I just can't come up with the money. I have worked hard in school, I will soon graduate grad school with a few loans to pay off. I don't want this problem to go away in my late 30's, I have sacrificed the best years of my life already.