Lesson Learned - do you homework!!!

[rhyno18]

You hear it all the time on this board, but it's absolutely true!!  Do your home work and take your time in choosing your surgeon.  There are lots of great options out there - but look for someone who specializes in this.

Long story, short(er)

I had pretty severe gyne since a teenager - at least a B cup.  I just got by layering, wearing tight t-shirts and never took my shirt off in public.   At 40 I just got tired of it and decided to do something.

I did some cursory research and went for a consult with a well regarded PS.  He felt confident he could get it resolved, but when I asked him about how many of these he did a year, he dismissively said 'too many to count.' I knew several people who had seen him, but they were all women getting breast implants, lifts, mommy makeovers, etc.  I didn't seek a PS who specialized in this.

The surgery seemed to go well. Standard excision, drains, vest for a few weeks, etc.  I had tried to set very realistic expectations, especially in the initial recovery - but I immediately had concerns with how  much mass was still there...especially on one side.  The surgeon felt that everything looked 'fantastic' and I was right on track.

I tried to put it out of my head for a few months.  But after 6 months, my initial concerns were still there.  Don't get me wrong, it is MUCH better than it was before.  When I'm in a 'glass half full' mood, I can pull out my before pics and feel better. 

But there is still a lot of mass there, especially on the lower half under the nipple.  Enough that it's on my mind as much as the original gyne...even though it's not nearly as prominent.

Before my 6 month follow up, I got a consult with another PS who specializes in gynecomastia procedures.  The patient coordinator gave me a short 2 page paper this doctor wrote about the procedure and my heart just sunk.  He talked about utilizing a procedure that combines lipo and excision and going through the armpit.  The result being no drains and a much cleaner result.

The examination confirmed my fears. There was still a significant amount of tissue.  I believe Dr. Jacobs mentions the 'pinch' test and there is still a good 2 inch pinch.  He was very balanced in his approach.  There are always risks to a revision, including my skin not being elastic enough to tighten up, leaving some drooping.

And I also needed to consider there was notable improvement and was it worth the additional risk.

The patient coordinator met with afterward to share the estimate.  It was the EXACT amount I paid for the original procedure.  I wanted to throw up.  I am convinced my results would have been totally different if I went to this doctor first.

So later this week I have the follow up with the original surgeon.  I'm going to wait and see what his evaluation is.   I'd almost feel better if he at least acknowledged that there is a significant amount of tissue left and opened the door to a revision.  But I have a feeling he's going to say 'things are great' and send me on my way.

If he does, I'll politely express my concern about the results and inquire about a revision.

But at this point, I'd be torn to do it.  I would imagine a revision surgery from the original doctor would be significantly less.  But if it's something that I have to push for, I wonder if the results are going to be any better than what I have now.

Like a lot of people, this took me awhile to save for.  The idea of turning around and spending the same amount would be hard to stomach.   But at this point, I want to finish the job.

If you are considering this surgery, be extremely picky about who does it.  Find someone who specializes in it and ask all the questions you have.  There are a lot of board certified PS surgeons out there, but that doesn't necessarily make them an expert with this type of procedure.   For most people you have one shot to get it right...make sure you use it wisely.

[Paa_Paw]

What you have said cannot be repeated too often. Hopefully you have saved someone from the same result.

[Era]

Its so stupid plastic surgery should be regulated by some kind of outside source (like Ofcom or the fda). He obviously just did lipo and didn't remove any gland, that is not the proper way to treat gyne and you should receive either a full refund or a free revision (your choice). It sucks.

[rhyno18]

I had the 6 month follow up with the original doctor. He felt things were progressing nicely and there was definite improvement from my last visit.  He knew I had been worried about the one side that seemed to have some mass left.

I politely shared my concerns that things didn't appear to be where I had hoped.  I took a big pinch, turned so he could see my profile or how it looked when I bent over or moved.  He still felt that i was on the right track and that he never wants to make a final evaluation until at least a year.  We made an appointment for six months and he told me come by any time before then.

So right now I'm just going to stick tight until this fall.   Being glass half full, the results are a big improvement over where I was before the procedure.  And the issue seems to be too much tissue was left, which I imagine would be a much easier fix than too much tissue being taken out.

@era - I'm almost positive he didn't do a lip only procedure.   There was a lot of tissue was excised. Previously my gyne seemed to sit more on the outside - almost making them protrude at a 45* angle...outside my torso line pointing at 10:00 and 2:00.   

That part is fixed. Face on there is pretty much a straight line from my shoulder down to my torso and my nipples are centered back at 12:00.  There is just more tissue now on the inside/below portion that looked like it wasn't cleaned out as much as the rest of it.

[cduub]

I wouldnt wait a year,sometimes in life you have to cut your loses. Remember most revisions expire after a year from the original surgery so you might want to read your fine print on that.At this point I know your not suppose to be 100% but you should at least feel pleased about your results by now and you dont.Dont waste your time and money with that surgeon,they all say that it looks fine when it doesnt. Their pride and ego are through the roof!