It's been 6 and 1/2 years since I've posted on this website. Back then, I was just graduating high school and hoping to get my parents to co-sign a loan to help me pay for surgery. Unfortunately, they would not do it. So I have, with increasing despair, dealt with this condition for the last 6 1/2 years with no hope for surgery. Depression, social anxiety, etc. scarred my psyche as a result.
At one time, I lost 50 pounds hoping that it would help my chest area (as I had been told by my parents and others on this website in the past that my chest may big as a result of my weight), but it didn't resolve my chest issue so I gained weight because I illogically chose the comfort of food over the anxiety of gynecomastia (might as well get some enjoyment out of life I wrongly reasoned). At another time, I lost 40 pounds and once again I gained it back and more.
However, that was then and this is now. Over the past year and a half, I have lost 125 pounds (from 323 to 198). I am at a healthy BMI for the first time since elementary school. I have done this not as a quick fix but as a lifestyle change (unlike the last two times). As with the other times, though, I still have the chest issue. I have lost some of the fullness in the chest, but my chest is more noticeable because of the weight loss elsewhere.
Since I am now financially independent, I started looking into getting the surgery a few weeks ago. It was a roller coaster ride. At first, I was sure I would be able to do it, then I hit a few road bumps, but thankfully, I had my consultation last week and am scheduled to have the surgery next Wednesday. During the consultation exam, the surgeon confirmed that I had a sizable amount of glandular tissue that was keeping my breasts looking feminine despite the weight loss. As strange as it sounds, that was a relief. I use to wander if my condition was the result of me being lazy and overweight, but now, I know my condition was never my fault. It lifted years of shame off of me. I have waited so long for this day. I know I have a lot of emotional healing to undertake, but this is the start of a new life. For the first time in 12 years, my life feels full of possibility!