Really depressed over a severe case... Looking for opinions.

[quez]

First off, to get you reference of size, I'm between Type 5 and Type 6 seen in the link below.  I'm 31 years old.  I know this is long and I'm sorry about that, but I kind of need to vent.

(Well, I guess I can't post a link.  But if you image search on google "gyno types" it's the first one to come up.)

Since I about 10 is when I started overeating and never really gave any thought about it until I was 275lbs (5'10).  Up until this I knew I had man boobs, and was made fun of for it, but I always just thought everything would go back to normal once I decided to loose the weight.  Well I committed myself to a diet and lost about 50lbs, I think that did help some, but not a huge difference.  Anyway, I gained all the weight back, lost some, gained some, and finally was down to about 205 and started eating a bunch of junk food and it seems like alot the weight I gained from it went to my chest (Up to 220 now)

This has me now severely depressed.  The recent weight gain has opened my eyes to how bad my chest is.  It's never bothered me like it is now.  It's all I think about and now I'm consumed by it.  Every movement I make I can feel them since they've actually started to droop and make a fold.  I keep comparing myself to others--about how horrible my chest looks and how much I wish I could look like them.  I'm so ashamed of it...makes me feel like less of a man.

I'm seeing my family doctor next week about going on an anti-depressant to help lift the depression and social anxiety (other things are going on as well that have been making me depressed).

This is my first time ever talking about it.  What makes it all worst is I know this is my fault.  I've ruined my body and no amount of diet and exersize will make them go away.  They'll only droop more and more with weight loss and time.

I'm extremely self conscious about this.  I'm not with anyone so I really don't have anyone super close to talk to about this.  I think I'll have to bring it up with my parents (is that a good idea at my age?).  If I do get surgery at least one person would have to know to drive me anyway I suppose.  

I've convinced myself 3 or 4 times that I'm definitely going to get the surgery thinking living with the scars will be better than living with a large chest.  I'm relatively young...I have a lot of years left that I could live without this.

Another thing I wanted to get some insight on is if I did get the surgery I'd plan it in such a way that no one would know (except for whoever drives me).  But, because my case is so severe, I think after I started hanging around people again they would notice my chest has instantly disappeared, which might bring some comments I wouldn't be able to answer to.  How would I deal with this?  Just wear loose clothing for a while?

I really hope this doesn't offend anyone, but I feel like a freak because of how bad they are, and I'd feel like a freak if I got a surgery that would be very obvious, so I'm just left feeling completely helpless at the moment.

This is so hard...I'm just a mess over it.

Thank you for any help/advice you can give.  I don't know how I'll get through this, but I will somehow.

[hammer]

You are not alone and the only man in the world that has breast! I know that you are not feeling good about yourself right now and you blame your looks and body for it, but I can tell you that they are not totally at fault for the way you feel!

Those breast are made up of fat, excess breast tissue and covered with skin and really have nothing to do with what makes you the man you are, unless you let them! You are who you are by what is in your heart and mind, how you treat your fellow man, how your treat those you love, how you take care of a friend in need, how you honer your father and mother, not the size of your breast!

There are many of us right here on this forum that have lived very full happy lives without having surgery for one reason or another. I have fathered five, now have three grandchildren and still very much in love with the greatest gal I've ever known for over 26 years, and have slightly larger then double "d" breast.

We have all been though different highs and lows in life and are here to support one another. So no matter what you are thinking about doing, be it surgery or not you have come to the right place, but please don't let them define you or control you! You must control them!

Of coarse some of us need to control them more then others, LOL!


I hope you didn't mind a little humor at the end! Welcome to the forum!

Bob

[Dr. Elliot Jacobs]

Obesity always leads to excess deposits of fat as well as excess growth of breast tissue on the chest.  Then, even if you lose weight, the breasts will become slightly smaller (due to decrease in the fat content) but the breast tissue always remains.  And then once you lose weight, your stretched out skin will not bounce back.  All this will predictably leave you with residual, droopy breasts.

Your only recourse is then to consult with an experienced gyne surgeon.  More than likely, you would need removal of the residual excess tissue, removal of excess lax skin and possibly re-positioning of the nipples to a more normal location.  It can all be done -- no case is too big and there is no need to be depressed.

Dr Jacobs

[quez]

Thank you both for your comments and help.  Bob, your upbeat sense about things is very inspiring.  Last night I actually flipped through some old photos of myself (I've always had this) and it was both crushing and somewhat helpful.  Crushing to see how much weight I've lost with little results in the chest (maybe I looked better overweight?) and somewhat helpful to see how happy I was even though it was so obvious I had it. 

Strange how it just all of this just suddenly began to really get on my nerves...to the point I'm considering surgery.  I'm thinking the depression is really putting a negative filter on any and everything in my life.

To those that have had surgery, how many people in your life did tell?  It'd be impossible to hide it from close family (especially since I'm not married or with anyone), so that would be something I'd just have to live with I suppose. 

Thank you