Yet another 'My Story'

[CurseOfTheMammary]

First of all I should say a quick 'hi' to you all  

I've been lurking for a long time so thought I would register.

I'm sure you get a bit bored of the introduction stories as many sound the same lol.

I'm 28 yrs old and from the UK and have suffered from gyne since I was 12/13 years old.

I noticed it after I stopped playing regular sports in secondary school. I didn't take too much notice of it as I put a little weight on all over my body and just thought it was that.
I tried not to let it bother me but when the other kids started making fun of it in the playground, that's when it really started to effect me.    I had the usual 'fear of changing in front of people', 'fear of swimming' episodes that many of you all seem to have gone through too. I did a really good job of talking my way out of PE lessons and any other situation that meant I had to undress in front of others...... Until one day when I was forced to take my top off in spectacular style!  I'd joined a 'dance' group that came to our school and we had to depict historic events through dance (looking back on it now, I wonder what on earth I was thinking joining up to do it lol). I really enjoyed everything we did during that time and had such fun learning to express things through dance (plus it was damn good exercise too!). We were then told that our group had been chosen to perform in front of the school and the parents (yikes)... But the costume I had to wear for my part was perfect - I was a soldier, so had to wear a double pocketed shirt and small jacket, so there was no fear of my breasts flapping about for everyone to see (hurrah).
It came to the night of the show and I was so excited as I seemed to have quite a starring role (lol).   There was a part of the performance where my jacket was ripped off me during a fight scene, this was fine as I had the shirt on underneath and through rehearsal's it went smoothly.
Anyway, the show was going great and my family had come to watch us (as well as everyone elses family) and the first half went perfectly. I was on such a high! Then the second half started and my great dramatic scene came where I was dancing the 'fight' scene.

To my absolute horror, when my jacket was ripped off, off came my shirt with it   I looked at the side of the stage and the teachers were all whispering "carry on, carry on!!". I wished I could die right on that spot but I carried on. I could hear mumbling from the audience and could see them pointing at me. I could also see my 'freinds' laughing at me at the side of the stage. I was dreading going off to get changed in front of everyone! Luckily my last scene was over and I ran off to get my clothes to change into...... I stood there scrambling for a jumper to put on me as quickly as possible to hide my breasts and all I could hear was one girl saying "do you want to borrow my bra?" and the rest of her gang cackling with laughter. The lads weren't as vocal in their nastyness but they were all sniggering along.

That was the moment my life changed. I was known as 'the boy with breasts' and it took many many years for that name to die down.. even though it had all been forgotten about by most of my 'freinds', I NEVER forgot but at the same time there was nothing I coudl do about it.

I went to the doctors 2 days after that day and was told "it's just puppy fat, you'll be normal when you grow up"  (yeah right!).
I spent all my high school years covered up in shirts and jumpers.. Summers were a killer - I could never wear a t-shirt outside of the house!

It's fair to say that having these breasts has been a huge burden on my life (and still to this day!) and then I realised that I was, shock horror, gay!  I used to think, how can this happen to me? Not only have I been born with breasts, I'm also gay now   lol.

I still never undress in public, never go swimming, in fact, never undress at home because I'm so ashamed of how I look.  The strange thing is, all my mates think I'm normal... that's because I must cover it up ok, but I think they would be horrified if they saw what I looked like in my natural state.

I would love to enjoy the summer months, but while I still have these breasts, it's not gonna happen. I'd also love to be in a relationship, but while I still have these breasts, it aint gonna happen.

I've read a lot about men 'embracing their breasts' and just living with them.... Part of me wishes I could have that attitude and just get on with life, but I simply can't.

I've lost freinds, alienated myself from situations, lost careers and, at times, have become a recluse and refused to socialise with anyone during summer months. I can honestly say that I feel my life has been lived under a slight depression (sometimes severe depression) since I was 13 years old.

It's quite sad really isn't it?

Surgery is the only answer, but I'm not in a position to have that (financial reasons).

Anyway, that's my story! I aint looking for sympathy (that's not why I've come here) as I know most of you are and have been in the same place as me.. I just thought I'd pluck up the courage to get all that out  and see what feedback there is, and, maybe, if anyone has any suggestions as to what these 'compresison vests' are like. (I'm thinking of ordering one but don't know if I'll be able to wear them under clothes in the hot summer months without passing out lol).

Well that's it, you'll be pleased to hear  

Cheers for reading and take care.

x

[Gine2D]

"Part of me wishes I could have that attitude and just get on with life, but I simply can't. "

If you want to make the first step, go to a mall where no one will know you & walk around in a dark colored T-Shirt for a while.

At first you will feel that everyone is staring at you.  Then you will notice that they are no even noticing.

The next trip wear a lighter colored T-Shirt.  Do this until you can walk around in a white T-Shirt.  It make take a month or so & several trips.

That is the first step in overcoming the garbage of male boobs being abnormal since you will be noticing that thousands of other males at the malls have them also.

Millions of men have large breast & live happy lives.
Millions of women have small or no breast & live happy lives.

I had a female teacher in high school that was in her twenties & had no breasts.  She was married & had 3 children.  

That was when I decided not to let the size of my rather large boobs control what I did in life.  

I was the one to decide my fate, not my boobs.
I have never blamed my boob size for my failures since then.

I am married & have children.  Both of them have gynecomastia.  They wear white T-Shirts the same as me.

G

[headheldhigh01]

some can accept and live just fine, and that's good; others of us will not; cotm, you're still in the majority.  welcome to the boards, cheers back for posting it.  

[Blarneystoner]

wow that stage incident has to be the most embarassing thing I have ever heard!!! you seem to cope with it well to discuss it lightheartidly on this board! i would probably blow my brains out if that happened to me (if my case was that servere) geez!

[User]

I think I would drop dead if something like what you described happened to me on stage!

I don't know if this would be an option, but have you considered going into therapy?  I'm not one to talk (need to go into therapy, never have) but it might help you to sort out your emotions on the subject.

Gine2D's advice is very good.  One thing gyne has never stopped me from doing is wearing t-shirts.  I've always thought that I look worse in button down shirts.

[aux513s]

Millions of men have large breast & live happy lives. Millions of women have small or no breast & live happy lives.

I had a female teacher in high school that was in her twenties & had no breasts.  She was married & had 3 children.  

That was when I decided not to let the size of my rather large boobs control what I did in life.

But it's a lot more normal for a woman to be flat than for a guy to have breasts, so this isn't a very good comparison.

[Spleen]

I'm not so sure aux.  There have been numbers floated around that between 40 to 60% of guys will have gynecomastai at some point.  Go to any beach and you'll see lots of guys that most folks here would say are gyne sufferers.

[aux513s]

Come on man, you know as well as I do that that statistic is over inflated.

I'd say it's more like 2%.

What I was getting at, is it's not aesthically unappealing for a girl to have small breasts or be "flat". Nobody is going to stare and laugh at her, she won't be scared to go out in public. At most she will be slighty insecure about it.

A guy with breats on the otherhand is viewed as an abnormal freak by everyone.

[aux513s]

By the way spleen, how are your surgery results?

[Spleen]

Seems pretty good so far.  Still have tape in the areola after 9 days and I will until I see the doc in another week.  He says that will keep the scar flat and less noticable.  I'll do a before-after in a week or so.