Need some advice

[tankkb]

Hey, I really appreciate this message board and I think that all the doctors that contribute, you guys are performing a real kindness in this world.

I am 18 years old and I had heart surgergy at about 2 weeks. I had a coarctation of the aorda, and I lived a fairly active life as a child but i was a bit stocky until about 13 I became a really big gaming addict, and I got up to 190 lbs at about last January.  I started working out and trying to live healthier, because I knew I wasnt healthy and was putting it off.  just last year at this time and learned a whole bunch about nutrition, vitamins, and what actually makes up the food we eat etc. I am currently 5'5 and a half maybe and 162lbs. I probably lost ~30 lbs of fat and gained 10-12 lbs of muscle. I know a have a good 10-20 lbs to loose but I still know I have gynecomastia.

Honestly  I havnt really told anyone about this because fortunately or unfortunately it so happens that I finished off my senior year online and I have not been constantly confronted with my gynecomastia problem with my peers. I am pretty sure looking back that being overweight and having gynecomastia caused a lot of sadness and anger in my life and I kinda intuitively knew that and so last year in march I decided to change my lifestyle etc.

Since then I have done a lot of soul searching and in my overall psyche I try to be happy, but I do struggle. Deep down I am haunted by my problem, but I have been trying to live one day at a time and continue trying to live and eat healthy.

In total I am a happy person and this problem I usually shrug it off, but I am going to college in the fall and honestly I am a bit nervous on how hard it may be for me to socialize with the stigma of gynecomastia, so Im asking for some advice. Should I loose some more weight and then go in for surgery? Should I go to the doctor in the near future and ask/talk to her about it ? Would she just tell me to lose more weight then go back? I dont know anymore.
In any case, I think I should lose more weight at least 10-15 lbs and then consider surgery.
Thanks in advanced.

[McGilli]

Hey!

I'm not a doctor, but from my time on the board here - it seems to be a general theme that if you are able to lose fat before surgery, do so. Of course the main benefit is that you'll be healthier. Then you have surgery and you have a nice healthy, leaner body.

It sounds like you are able to do it, and quite well with the loss of fat and gain of muscle. And from your pictures, it wouldn't take you too long.

Once you have surgery, you have to recover for a while - so no working out. And if you don't lose fat first, maybe you won't be as motivated to afterwards. But if you do it all before - well, then you can recover, and it won't be on your mind so much that you need to work out to enjoy your body as much.

Just keep the end goal in mind. But remember the whole process takes a while with consultations, the surgery, the recovery. But get dedicated to the body you want to see and it will be worth it.

Someone with more knowledge will jump in here I'm sure.

Good luck!

[Paa_Paw]

Well said, I have little to add.

With respect to the stigma of Gynecomastia, We seem to be our own worst enemies. We make the stigma for ourselves.

[tankkb]

Thanks, I just wanted to confirm my plan wasnt so insane.

[McGilli]

Thanks, I just wanted to confirm my plan wasnt so insane.

No man, it's a good plan. I know not everybody can workout. But if you can, definitely go for it. You've had the issue at hand for quite some time, and devoting half a year, or a year to making it better for you will seem like a drop in the bucket when you look back later on.

If you look at my photos in my diary or story forum - you'll see I don't have much fat.

The week before my surgery I was still working out, and didn't eat quite as much (nervous). Also, with the surgery you can't drink anything after midnight the day of the surgery. And I need lots of water. But basically - my water level totally dropped making me appear very, very thin.

When the surgeon saw me - he said - "it looks like you lost some more fat since the last time I saw you, that's good."

I think it's just easier for them to make the contours underneath when there isn't as much fat. Just my guess.

Anyways, again good luck!