Choices

[Jerryjms]

Sometimes we have to make choices! Having no issues as a child or most of my adult life. I came to a point where my blood pressure was uncontrollable. After many failed attempts at different medicines we were finally able to control it with 7 different meds. One of them called Eplerenone. Luckily for me we were able to get it under control. However it was not before damage to my kidneys was done. The side effects of the medicine  you guessed it! Gynecomastia! So do I like it NO but I live with it and I am getting better with it! Choice of breasts or dialysis I'll take breasts! 

[Paa_Paw]

The unfortunate reality is that there are a long list of medications that can cause Gynecomastia.  The condition of Gynecomastia is so common that some estimates are that 1/3 of all males will have the condition at some time in their life.. 
The condition is a source of embarrassment for many of us, but in reality that is all it is. There are rarely any adverse physical side effects.
In recent years, the tendency is to have surgery. But, not all of us are good candidates for surgery.  For many of us, myself included,  living with the condition is the only alternative. 
Perhaps there is some degree of comfort simply in knowing that you are not alone. 

[TigerPaws]

Take heart Jerryjms there are worse things than Gynecomastia.

While I can well afford the surgery and I am more than healthy enough to undergo the procedure I am not willing to cut holes in my body unnecessarily. Developing breasts is not a physical aliment (normally) it is a psychological issue.

I am a firm 38D (was a C) on a 5' 8" 165 lb frame; so I am not overweight. I developed breasts because of cutting edge and experimental treatment for an enlarged Prostate (which is now main stream). While the treatment was 100% successful the side effects were breasts and other distinctly female traits.

Ok! So what! I am alive, I have a normal, fully functional Prostate and my chances of developing Prostate cancer are now close to zero. Developing breasts are a small price to pay for not having to wear a diaper the rest of my life or to be able to have an erection.

Periodic breast exams are now normal as is wearing various bras and sports vests, things look a bit different in the mirror and sleeping on my stomach is no longer an option.

Again So What!

I still enjoy the company and pleasures of a beautiful lady (or 2), everything is governed by your outlook on life and how you will live with who and what you are.

[rrr]

Yes, I get "choices", and yes, trading prostate cancer for breasts seems to be good choice. Trading any real health issue for breasts is a good choice.
HOWEVER, I have traded NOTHING. For some unknown reason, at around age 53, I started developing, It has been officially diagnosed as idiopathic by the doctors who can find no cause. I am currently a 34C and still growing. 
My case seems to be different than everyone else here, in that I had no choices to make - other than recreational drugs and steroids, and those choices were to abstain.
Other than some low back pain (along with 90% of the population), I currently have no health problems and take no meds, so the gyno issue is always front and center regarding my physical self.
Bummed

[Alchemist]

Yes, I get "choices", and yes, trading prostate cancer for breasts seems to be good choice. Trading any real health issue for breasts is a good choice.
HOWEVER, I have traded NOTHING. For some unknown reason, at around age 53, I started developing, It has been officially diagnosed as idiopathic by the doctors who can find no cause. I am currently a 34C and still growing.
My case seems to be different than everyone else here, in that I had no choices to make - other than recreational drugs and steroids, and those choices were to abstain.
Other than some low back pain (along with 90% of the population), I currently have no health problems and take no meds, so the gyno issue is always front and center regarding my physical self.
Bummed

Hi Bummed,

Yup, all I did was go through puberty and get enlarged breasts.  All I did was have a mother that has large breasts running in the family, male and female.  What can I say, that';s the way the cookie crumbles.  Or maybe Karma or genetics unknown to you and doctors nutrient deficiency.  I do know that you are extraordinarily lucky to have such good health. There was no choice on my port at all.  I suspect that this was caused in me by my metabolic problems

 Not a single thing has made mine bigger or smaller except changes in weight from water and fa, and you know that DD to D but more outstanding just doesn't make any difference.. The only choice I had was how to react to it, influenced early on by being a bully target.  I've learned otherwise now.

Wearing comfy t-shirts that fit normally all summer had no particular effect.  Nobody gave a damn.  Nobody really noticed and nobody wasted any of their life about my breasts.

Alfred E, Neuman -  "What, me worry?". 

You know, I believe that there has to be a reason.  I had a bunch of idiotpathology opinions that all turned out to be wrong. There were definite causes for all my problems.  If research had worked right I would have had my problems recognized (also hereditary) and suitably treated instead of getting terribly ill.

I didn't have a choice like smoking or not, to have hereditary metabolic diseases or not.  I wasted lots of years worrying about what amounts to a minor cosmetic problem before I learned what real trouble is.

Really, just forget about your breasts and go back to enjoying your life before your real problems set in, may for obvious choices you made or genes or who knows what.  At your age I had been physically crashed for 14 years in terrible intractable chronic pain..

[rrr]

 I wasted lots of years worrying about what amounts to a minor cosmetic problem

Ummmm... Not sure how to respond to that....
Cosmetic problem? Sure, like gray hair, pimples, or a big nose.
Minor? I can't agree with that. Who would consider a full beard on a female minor? Who would consider a penis on a female minor?
Minor would be something applicable to a person's gender - like the above listed cosmetic problems, or male pattern baldness. 
Taking on physical attributes of the opposite sex is not minor in my opinion.
Bummed

[TigerPaws]

I wasted lots of years worrying about what amounts to a minor cosmetic problem

Ummmm... Not sure how to respond to that....
Cosmetic problem? Sure, like gray hair, pimples, or a big nose.
Minor? I can't agree with that. Who would consider a full beard on a female minor? Who would consider a penis on a female minor?
Minor would be something applicable to a person's gender - like the above listed cosmetic problems, or male pattern baldness.
Taking on physical attributes of the opposite sex is not minor in my opinion.
Bummed

Not to sound indelicate or condescending and you are welcome to your opinion, but you are being very narrow minded which will not bode well for your future. 1/3 of the male population globally has some Gyneocomastia (breast development). Just in case you have a problem with the math 7.4 Billion people (roughly) approximately 1/2 are female which leaves around 3.7 Billion males. Leave out the prepubescent boys and you have well in excess of 1 Billion men with some form of breast development.

If you are so self centered, vain and narcissistic that your perceived appearance is so important to others then save your money and have the surgery. But like many things in life, things might not turn out exactly like you believe they will.

Male breast development IS a cosmetic issue, not a physical health issue. Like breast augmentation for women, face lifts and other cosmetic surgeries there is no guarantee exactly what will happen once you allow someone to cut holes in your body.  

You do as you see fit, it is your life and your money, personally I care less what people say or think about me, if they do not accept me as I am for who I am I ignore them and move on to a more enlightened group of people. As for the Ladies, I date some of the most beautiful women in the world because I refuse to be with anything less.

It is all a matter of attitude and fortitude, as the U.S. Marines say "Adapt and Overcome".

[rrr]

1/3 of the male population globally has some Gyneocomastia (breast development)

I tend to agree with that number, however, I'm guessing 95% of those men are either very old and have drooping moobs, seriously overweight individuals, or are younger men that have it to the extent nobody else would notice. None of those groups should have an image problem with their chest.
I am not in that 95% and I haven't yet stabilized.

As for the Ladies, I date some of the most beautiful women in the world because I refuse to be with anything less.

And would you date one with full facial hair or a penis? Both of those things are merely cosmetic....

If you are so self centered, vain and narcissistic that your perceived appearance is so important to others

Hahahahaha, if only you knew me. I have never been into looking good, keeping up on fashion, or working out for any reason, let alone appearance.
I HAD a normal, somewhat decent body, and the same for overall health. About the only thing I ever did was watch my weight, and that was for myself, nobody else.
Bummed

[hammer]

Bummed, as I have said before, I was in my 20's, a Navy diver, tough as nails and strong as hell! I could kick the shit out off any 3 to 4 normal guys anytime, and I had breast since I was a teen helping on farms, and no I wasn't fat, in fact strong from all the farm work! The big difference is I was a man and didn't give a damn about bodies, or looks!

If you don't want surgery or can't come to accept, maybe you may need some help. We can only offer our experience that we've had in our lifetime with living with having breast and it seems to me you think your the only one the has them for no reason at all!

[TigerPaws]

1/3 of the male population globally has some Gyneocomastia (breast development)

I tend to agree with that number, however, I'm guessing 95% of those men are either very old and have drooping moobs, seriously overweight individuals, or are younger men that have it to the extent nobody else would notice. None of those groups should have an image problem with their chest.
I am not in that 95% and I haven't yet stabilized.

While I am above 60, few are able to guess my real age. most think I am in my early 50's, I am 5'8" 165lbs in excellent shape and I have rather firm 38D breasts. I have never dated or slept with a Lady over 43. Why? Because I do not have to. I am actually bustier than several of the Ladies I am currently dating. So your above statement is not true.

As hammer said, he has had breasts for most of his adult life, so again your belief is just that a personal belief.

If you consider having breasts to be abnormal, then do something about it, or learn to live with what and who you are. But do not believe for a moment that those of us here on this forum who choose to live with our breasts are any different than anyone else.

Who and what you are is a state of mind. Do you believe that a man who was wounded in battle is any less of a man because he looses an arm, leg or worse?

[TigerPaws]

And would you date one with full facial hair or a penis? Both of those things are merely cosmetic...

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First I am 100% heterosexual and more than a little homophobic, so I would never be interested in associating with a hermaphrodite.

As far as a woman with facial hair, again that would never happen as I only associate with Ladies who are undeniably attractive, intelligent and carry themselves with poise and grace.

I am not politically correct because I do not have to be, so your attempt at shaming my choices falls of deaf ears.

Prove that Gynecomastia is a unique medical condition which poises a direct threat to your physical health or life?

[Alchemist]

Hi Bummed,
that 30% or what ever is way low.  There are autopsy studies that find it is more like 50 to 70% of men have gland growth, so that isn't up to visual judgement.  You have joined the majority of men. 

As far as women go, my criteria are quite different from TigerPaws, but in common I am equally pleased with the ones I have had relationships with.  They have all been extraordinary.  And all very female.  The truth of the matter is that nobody in the grownup world cared about my breasts except me.  Children in school were a pain in the ass when I was there with them.  Once I was out of school, in the 45 years since, there have been one or two people that hadn't outgrown junior high brain.
Don't work, pretty soon you will become concerned about having parts you want to keep become diseased or damaged, then you will have something to worry about. 

All the fears accumulated in school can take some years to dispose of.  There are a few things I didn't do because of these fears but mostly I did whatever I wanted with other people.  In retrospect everything from worrying about breasts was waste of time and effort.  And I'm not going to let anybody that comes along yank my chain or me imagine that they are going to, in effect yanking my own chain.  Learn to enjoy your life again.  If you can't put it down from your mind, therapy is available and you can get them chopped off if you want, with a 90% more or less satisfaction.  You don't want to be in the other 10%.  Accept your body and get over it.  I've lived with them for 55 years and they really are not any big deal, whatever the size.  Good luck and have fun.

[rrr]

TigerPaws and Hammer, I am getting the distinct feeling of hypocrisy.
You both talk about how your female parts are just cosmetic, and you have accepted it, and you expect your lady friends to accept it.
OTOH, neither of you would seem to be accepting of a female with male characteristics - explain to me how you can justify that.
It's OK for you to be so egocentric that your "cosmetic problems" shouldn't matter, yet when it comes to female "cosmetic problems", you are not willing to accept them.
At least I'm consistent....
Bummed

[mgr]

Dear Bummed,
I am 57 and made no choice that caused my breast growth. I am 5'10" and 175lbs with a completely flat stomach and two breasts sticking out (38B).  I have no intention of having mine chopped off. I am mature enough to accept them and live with them.
As far as your arguement about cosmetic issues, the bearded or penis presenting woman...I find those arguments so far to one side it appears to me you are only doing it to find enjoyment in arguing.  I have known a number of  women who have to shave. The penis part, I have not experience.
I have had a long and successful career and have negotiated many complicated and large transactions.  My experience tells me you have taken this far fetched position because you enjoy arguing, when in fact you are doing the opposite. You are only making points of no response.
TigerPaws and Hammer have graciously responded in good faith and you have only chosen to attack them.  Why is that? Your hypocrisy argument is not a true answer.
I hope others on this site do not take offense to my response to Bummed.  I just could not sit and watch someone take a position so off point in an attempt to pretend to make a point.
MGR

[TigerPaws]

TigerPaws and Hammer, I am getting the distinct feeling of hypocrisy.
You both talk about how your female parts are just cosmetic, and you have accepted it, and you expect your lady friends to accept it.
OTOH, neither of you would seem to be accepting of a female with male characteristics - explain to me how you can justify that.
It's OK for you to be so egocentric that your "cosmetic problems" shouldn't matter, yet when it comes to female "cosmetic problems", you are not willing to accept them.
At least I'm consistent....
Bummed

Sorry OTOH? I am not up on the shorthand. Please explain....

I do not "expect" the Ladies I date to accept me, I demand it otherwise they are gone. The same goes for my my male colleges.

I cannot speak for hammer, speaking for myself I do NOT have "female parts", I am a male who has developed breasts. If I was willing to go under the surgeons knife I am more than able to afford it. I do not see the need to have a purely cosmetic medical procedure performed on me. If a genuine medical problem manifests such as breast cancer then there would be a need.

I have had more than my fair share of surgeries from bullet wounds to mortar fragments over the years so I am in no hurry to have any more.