Treatment on the NHS ?

[scouseade]

Hi All,

Newbie here. I have gynaecomastia and have had for 20+ years or so. I've done the old 'covering up' thing for too long, never gone bare chested on holidays etc etc. Now I have 3 young kids who want their Daddy to take 'em swimming, and Daddy ain't too keen.

Finally took the plunge and saw my GP with a view to getting something done and got referred to a consultant at my local hospital. On seeing me he classed me as category 2 gynaecomastia and said that my breasts were not of a sufficient size to warrant surgery (I think they are!). The decision to treat or not appears to differ from hospital to hospital ("Postcode Lotteries") and I guess my local one doesn't want to treat.

My next game plan is to be re-referred to a different plastic surgery unit. But which ? I've spent an hour here looking up the surgeons on the BAAPS website, trying to work out where they operate out of ie. which hospitals have a plastic surgery unit.

I guess what I'm after is does anyone know which UK units have a positive attitude to the treatment of Gynaecomastia, and which are therefore worth getting a referal to ? I'm desperately trying to avoid the private route, but I might have no choice, we'll see.

Thanks all.

Ade

[brother_gyne]

Birmingham is good - I got mine done there on NHS. Very fast too. The Hospital was Heartlands but wasn't a plastic surgery unit just general surgery

[Daytona_Dude]

I'm scheduled to have surgery on the NHS at the Royal Haslar Hospital in Gosport Hants within the next 6 months, after being referred there by a surgeon through Portsmouth Hospitals.

I think my gyne is quite severe though, and the surgeon had no trouble recommending me for surgery after I detailed the long term psycological problems it has, and continues to cause.

If you can clearly detail the negative effects gyne has on your everyday life, the not being able to go swimming, wear t-shirts, and million and one other reasons everyone here can relate to, then I'd sincerely hope they'd take you seriously regarless of your postcode?

Good luck.