My story

[Achilles]

I guess my story is similar to a lot of people here; I started to develop gynecomastia around the ages of 11-12 but it never really bothered me then, I guess it's because no one really noticed it then, but by the age of 13 and up it started to become more apparent.  While I wasn't teased often about it, it hurt when I did get teased.  I thought it was just something temporary at the time and my doctor had told me that it usually goes away towards the end of puberty so I kind of let it go and just waited for it to go, but it never did.  When I was 15 I was diagnosed with cancer (Leukemia) and so I had bigger things to worry about.   I've read that Leukemia can cause gyne, but because I got gyne before cancer, I don't know if the cancer had any effects on it (if it did, it wasn't positive).  My weight went up and down throughout my treatments, but the gyne was always there.

I finished my treatment a few days before my 18th birthday and I started to go to the gym (on and off for the last few years) and got back in shape. I am 21 years old, 5'10'' and weigh about 185 (I started going to the gym regularly since January and had about 19% or so body fat at the time; I haven't really changed my diet that much either, so no 6 pack for me!).  Everytime I spoke with a trainer I would tell him exactly what I wanted and that I wanted to develop a muscular chest, so I would always have a good program and while there would be improvements in the rest of my body, my chest remained the same (even though I could feel the soreness in my chest muscles, the gyne was always there and I feel like working it out only made it worse).

Anyways, a few weeks ago I got sick with a throat infection and went to see my docto, during that visit I asked him about my chest and after taking a look at it he confirmed that it was gyne and that surgery is the only way to get rid of it (he had never sent any patient of his to a PS for gyne surgery).  They called me back a couple of days after and booked an appointment for me with a Dr. Labow in late July (I've been looking at these board for a while and never heard of him, neither has anyone else, but he is the Head of Plastic Surgery at the Ottawa General Hospital).  I had heard a little bit about Dr. Silverman and Dr. Van Wyck and booked an appointment with Silverman to get two opinions and see who I'm more comfortable with.  I'm not sure when I'm planning on having the surgery (but I'm definately going to do it) because classes start about a week after my appt. with Silverman, so right now I'm thinking of getting it done during the exam period/xmas break once I finish exams, so that I would be ready for the summer (and can finally take my short off in public, not feel uncomfortable about getting close to a girl, wear clothes comfortably, etc. etc.), another thing is that I could hide the fact that I got the surgery easier during winter time because people wear lots of clothes/layers during the season.  Anyways this went longer than I thought it would but I thought that I would share my story and get some of it off my chest (no pun intended).

[Blitz]

Sorry to read that you have (had?) Leukemia.  Hope all is well with you.  

Ye, gyne really sucks but at least you're on the road to doing the right thing.  Surgery is the only way to get rid of this thing.  

[Badgene]

That was an interesting read. I can’t wait to get surgery but it seems like a long way off for me. This whole concept is still so embarrassing to me. I don’t think I will ever be able to tell my extended family/friends that I'm going in for breast reduction/liposuction. I mean of all the physical conditions why the F*** do we have to have the most embarrassing one, next to acne maybe. Whenever it is I do get the operation I’m going to schedule it around work and class for a good period of time. Like a few weeks or so. I don’t want to leave class or work one Friday and come back a little over a week minus my massive man-jugs because I feel like that would draw even more attention to me. Now not the “guy with boobs” which many people don’t give a rats a** about, but the “ didn’t that guy have boobs and now there gone?” guy. So when I get this done I’m taking a lot of time off and I’ll return subtly still wearing sweaters and light jackets around my friends as I slowly ease back into a normal existence without drawing attention to my procedure/condition. If all works well they might even think I just lost weight or something. What do you guys think? I assumed the procedure would take about a 7 day recovery.

[Achilles]

That's right Blitz, "had leukemia", and don't be sorry, I'm not and would not change anything about it if it were up to me; it has changed my life completely and my health is great, besides for this gyne crap that I can't wait to get rid of.

Badgene, I'm in the same boat in that I don't want too many people to find out about it and that's why I would like to do it in the winter time because I think it would be easier to cover up any sort of swelling or padding from the surgery.  My gyne isn't so bad, I manage to somewhat cover it up with the way I dress (ALWAYS wear a t-shirt under anything  wear) but it's not perfect and not the solution.  Good luck with whatever it is you decide.