my gynocomastia at 52

[alan60]

First time here and I’d like to tell you about living with gynocomastia.
I developed gynocomastia when I was around thirteen to fourteen years of age.
This was back in 1973 and I’m now 52 years old so I’ve lived with this for fourty years. My first memory was being in the dressing room after sports and having to take my shirt off in front of the rest of the guys. Some would just stare but others would say things and actually grab my breasts for a quick feel(like I was a girl or something) they’d say stuff like don’t forget to put your bra on and other remarks that really hurt when I remember those times the hurt and embarrassment has  basically stayed with me to this day. The sports teacher would see what was happening but never spoke up or told the guys to stop he just basically ignored it really. One vivid memory I have was one day we were due to have sports in the afternoon and I knew I would have to take part or be reprimanded so I actually took a penknife and scraped the top layer of skin off a part of my hand until it bled, when I showed the sports teacher later on he excused me from taking part and sent me to have it looked at, I just couldn’t face being ridiculed again by the other guys. Another time was when I was asked to take my top off in the sports gym, I did reluctantly and just then a gang of girls came in and I could hear them saying things to each other about my chest.  There are other stories I could recall but these are just a couple. When I left school and started my first job I was now in the adult world and wrongly assumed that adults would be more understanding. One day I took my shirt off in the works changing rooms and next thing I heard was someone quite loudly saying “oh my god, do you wear a bra”? That was the last time I have taken my shirt off in public and I was 17 years old. Back then no one new about gynocomastia or ever heard of the condition least of all me. I just thought I was deformed in some way. The next few years my weight spiralled out of control. I was eating to ease the pain of knowing I had these things that I now know as gynocomastia. I became depressed and never really left the house for almost 2 years. My sister would shop for clothes for me because I was embarrassed because of my weight and gynocomastia. I remember the ice cream van would pull up outside my house and I’d run quickly to the van and buy as much ice cream as I could then run back into the house. Then one day when I asked for ice cream the man in the van stretched out his arm and actually grabbed my breast and squeezed it tight. I was so ashamed I ran back in the house and never told anybody until I’m writing this now. Today he would have been arrested for sexual assault but back then nobody understood. The tears are rolling down my cheeks as I write this because it’s like I’m right back there as I’m recalling these stories. I decided that if I lost some weight then the gynocomastia would go but doing that only emphasised my gyno even more, the more weight I lost the more my gyne would show because true gynocomastia has breast tissue and not fat as its main cause and you cannot remove breast tissue by diet. Ok. Reducing my weight did remove some of the fat around my chest but the breast tissue remains. This site is fantastic, I’ve never been able to tell anyone about my younger years and having gynocomastia until now, it actually feels like therapy writing this. I’m 52 now am I too old to have surgery? And if I do have surgery because I’ve lived with this for decades I’m just a bit concerned if I’ll be able to adjust mentally to not having gynocomastia. I’m saving for surgery anyway and hope one day to see either levick or karidis because I know these are the best surgeons. I know if I do have surgery my life without gynocomastia will be strange but amazing at the same time. Thanks guys for reading this.

[hammer]

Your not to old to have surgery!

I'm sorry that you were made into such a victim! I'm 55 and had it all my life as well, but I was very strong from spending all my summers on my uncles farm working even in grade school, so no one tried to even say much as they were afraid I would tie them in a knot and flush them down a toilet or something.

I would never let anyone pick on someone else either! I once put a senior on his ass for slapping a girl when I was I tenth grade! The lunch ticket lady saw the everything so nothing happen to me of course! The girl broke up with him too, right then and there!

People are cruel and the sad thing is, more men have enlarged breast then those that are totally flat chested! The other fact is, no one has a perfect body, and no one ever will, and the ones that look good for now will get old one day, and we all know what happens then.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!


Bob

[mike93]

Hi alan,

I'm really sorry to hear how much your gynecomastia has affected you. I think the great thing about this forum is that we can all relate to your situation in some way no matter what the age. I think every guy here has experienced the changing room bullying. I think when you have this surgery done, it allows you to forget your past and move on with your future which it sounds to me that you desperately want to do.

I say it's never too late to have the surgery done. If you can scrape together the money to have it done, it will give you the chance to live life to the fullest. There's no point in living life with regrets and you may well end up doing that if you don't have something sorted. Everyday is a new day and a new opportunity, don't let your age hold you back. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Michael.

[alan60]

Your not to old to have surgery!

I'm sorry that you were made into such a victim! I'm 55 and had it all my life as well, but I was very strong from spending all my summers on my uncles farm working even in grade school, so no one tried to even say much as they were afraid I would tie them in a knot and flush them down a toilet or something.

I would never let anyone pick on someone else either! I once put a senior on his ass for slapping a girl when I was I tenth grade! The lunch ticket lady saw the everything so nothing happen to me of course! The girl broke up with him too, right then and there!

People are cruel and the sad thing is, more men have enlarged breast then those that are totally flat chested! The other fact is, no one has a perfect body, and no one ever will, and the ones that look good for now will get old one day, and we all know what happens then.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum!


Bob

thanks bob. it's really encouraging to think that the guys on here are very supportive and helpful. your genuine concern and kind words have given me the determination to go for surgery and move forward in my life. thanks again


Alan

[alan60]

Hi alan,

I'm really sorry to hear how much your gynecomastia has affected you. I think the great thing about this forum is that we can all relate to your situation in some way no matter what the age. I think every guy here has experienced the changing room bullying. I think when you have this surgery done, it allows you to forget your past and move on with your future which it sounds to me that you desperately want to do.

I say it's never too late to have the surgery done. If you can scrape together the money to have it done, it will give you the chance to live life to the fullest. There's no point in living life with regrets and you may well end up doing that if you don't have something sorted. Everyday is a new day and a new opportunity, don't let your age hold you back. Best of luck and let me know if you have any questions.

Michael.

Thanks Michael I really appreciate your comments. I think reading some of the stories on here has given me a lot of encouragement and support. 1973 was a long time ago and the condition of gynocomastia in those days was never even mentioned. But I think now, thanks to this forum and other health and well being organisations the awareness of gynocomastia is being made known and brought out into the open as a real medical condition. As I’ve said, I’m saving for surgery and with the encouragement and help I receive from the guys on here I know I’ll be supported all the way.  Thanks.

Alan

[Donut]

Good luck with saving up! - that's what I'm upto at the moment... I hit the big 4-0 and realised best half of my life had already gone, so was about time I got this horrible thing sorted out so I might perhaps have one holiday before I die!. Have saved up over a quarter of the funds so far, slow going in my case! - but determined. Hoping things pick up soon so I can realistically plan to go under the knife in the new year.