How many of your lives have been changed after surgery?

[indigo13]

I've gone through the site and I haven't seen too many people post about big changes in their lives post surgery. Mainly just that they are happy they did it and can close that chapter of their life. For instance, did you gain the confidence to go after a new job? or pursue a woman you never would have pursued? Did it put wind in your sails to work out and get in much better shape? etc. etc.

I had mine done 3/31/14 and I'm sitting typing this my compression garment and ace wraps. I haven't seen the initial results, but tomorrow the drains come out and I will see the results for the first time.

I'm just wondering if people have gained back the confidence they lost so many years ago and are using that as a tool to improve their lives. 

Thanks!

[srnd2012]

I've gained so much confidence in myself since surgery 5 months ago.  While I still have a bit of scar tissue on my left side, I don't have a problem taking my shirt off anymore. In fact I just got back from a vacation trip down south and I love all the pictures.  It looks like I never had any work done at all   I've seen many improvements in my social life as well. My attention is much better. Before my listening skills were poor because I would often think about my problem while in conversation or during meetings.   Also I've seen amazing changes in the bedroom, no longer do I rush to turn the light off

[jacky]

Its just not the confidence that i gained, but so many things eg my friends, better relation with my parents and much more.

i proposed a girl, although she declined but my heart is so full of love now than as it was only filled with fear and shame earlier.

i went to a water resort with my friends, getting shirtless there kind of got me closer to them as i was able to do what they could, i mean taking shirts off in front of others it not a big deal, but for me it took 20 yrs to do it.

i love looking myself shirtless in mirror, those t-shirts those i bought as i liked them but which were in wardrobe ever since i tried them and found that IT peeps out frm them are back in the list

i m more confident, my behaviour , body language, eye contacts have been excellent.

and i think the surgery was worth doing as so many things changed just because of those 75 mins in operation theater.

[Alchemist]

I have never had surgery.  But I do see a big difference in my reactions compared to those mentioned by the very few posting.  All three people, and that isn't many, all mention lacking confidence in themselves because of breasts.  That was never a problem for me.  If I lacked confidence doing a tenor solo in front of 1000 people it was for reasons other than breasts.  I was the smartest kid in the class and got in trouble calling the teachers on their wrong statements.  I was a high expert skier and photographed weddings by the time I was 20.

I disliked bullies.  I was attacked by bullies for whatever reasons were going through their heads.  They attacked when they saw a vulnerability. I was harassed for being the tallest kid in class called names for "flunking 1st grade" (I didn't). I was harassed about penis size at 5 years old because I was a normal 5 year old.  I was bullied about anything and everything they could think of.  Occasionally it was breasts when in teens and even more likely for fat.  They disliked me because anything they could do I could do better.  I got harassed for "ruining" the grading curve.

By the time my breasts grew, in 5th grade, I had already been a target for bullies for 6-7 years.  So if a generalized loss of confidence in self caused by growing breasts is what it takes to get surgery obviously I'm not a good candidate.  I have plenty of confidence.  Just call me George Tirebiter, "I'm never wrong because I'm always right".  I would shoot the bullies down in front of all their friends and done in such a way that they didn't dare lay a hand on me.  They were just too dumb to get a clue and I let them know that.

How many find their confidence fully restored by the first surgery?  Successive surgeries? And finally when all possible surgery has been done?  Clearly Michael Jackson was never satisfied.  I hope that such deep loss of confidence is rare.

[rhyno18]

I wouldn't say it's a huge change.  Although my gynecomastia was fairly severe, it didn't stop me from enjoying life or pursuing a successful career. 

The things I enjoy are the little things that people who never have the condition probably wouldn't understand.  Last week I went to play golf and just thew on a drifit golf shirt.  In the past I woulda layered up - even on a hot day.   I was changing  after working out and my wife asked me to check on something outside.  I went out with my shirt off- which is something I would've never dreamt of doing before the surgery.  I don't mind seeing myself shirtless in the mirror- when I used to avoid looking at my chest when drying off (especially when bending over).  I'm not self conscious when women hug me.

I've always felt that people who have gynecomastia worry about it WAY more than the people they know or meet in their lives.  But it still feels really good to have it gone.