I only recently discovered what this is....and it just might apply to me.

Is the best bet to see a doctor? Or could I post a picture and someone here could help me?

My breast size has been reduced as I have lost weight...I'm just wondering if getting to 15% BF...my goal...would do anything to help.

According to the wikipedia entry...

In adolescent boys the condition is often a source of distress, but for the large majority of boys whose pubertal gynecomastia is not due to obesity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity), the breast development shrinks or disappears within a couple of years.

I don't think I'd have called myself obese when I started my transformation...overweight for sure....does this mean it will leave as I lose weight?

Right....

I was looking through the fitness journals...and noticed that KineticPoet (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/member.php?u=21369) and I are very alike in our initial start up.

Is that an indication of something?

Yes, I am worried....

Post a picture if you would like, however the only FOR SURE way of knowing is by visiting a doctor and tell him you are wanting to find out if you have it. He will most likely set up an appointment to have an ultrasound done. Another way for you yourself to tell is that gynecomastia can be felt in more serious cases. It is desribed as having a very rough feeling similar to a bag of small stones in your breast tissue.

On the other hand some men naturally carry excess fat in their chest and it will dissipate when you lower your bodyfat, but similar to stomach/lovehandle areas it will be the last part of fat to go.

I know how you feel right now and it can be very stressful. Like in my journal I state that I found out that mine was only fat and not glandular and that if I lowered my bodyfat it would disappear.

Anyways, I hope this helps.

Thank you Kinetic.

It is certainly not a serious case...but something that has bothered me my whole life. I always figured it was like that because I was overweight...and when I was younger, my doctor said that it was a puberty thing.

I can't feel anything abnormal....I can feel my pecs when I flex...something that is encouraging, especially considering how it was 6 months ago...and the difference I feel now...but it seems that my lower breast still has that 'normal' fat to it. Right around the nipple area. Certainly doesn't feel like a bag of stones.

Is every case severe? Or can you have a mild case as well?

No not every case is severe. I believe the statistics said something like 30% of men have gynecomastia, but it isnt aesthetically apparent so most don't even know it.

Also another indication of glandular gynecomastia is if you have puffy and sensative nipples. gynecomastia.org has a good amount of information on it if you are seriously worried. Regardless if you have glandular or not gynecomastia itself simply means woman like breasts. There is a possibility that you will always carry excess fat in your breasts even if you do not have a gland. Glandular surgery is the only way to remove to gland. Non Glandular gynecomastia can be solved with fat loss, and if you have any more you want removed I would suggest liposuction.

Some point down the line I will probably look into liposuction, but I am going to get to 8% bodyfat first and examine what my chest area looks like before I do.

I do have the puffy nipples....

I'll talk to my doctor about it....see what he says.

Gynecomastia is sometimes (but not usually) a sign of liver, kidney, thyroid or other hormone problems. If you are in your adolscent years it is not uncommon and often spontaneously resolves but it is worth having a doctor take a look and maybe run a few tests.

I've had it for years....grade 8 I believe...around the time when I first started noticing me being overweight and actually wanting to do something about it.

Thanks for responding guys....it gives me peace of mind knowing there are people out there that have been down my road before...and would like to help me overcome my problems as well. :tu:

I don't have alot of input since I'm a gal. But: I'm a doc, and have worked with several patients who have had it over the years. The severity is all over the board.

You are far from alone.

Hope it works out for you.

Jen

I don't have alot of input since I'm a gal. But: I'm a doc, and have worked with several patients who have had it over the years. The severity is all over the board.

You are far from alone.

Hope it works out for you.

Jen

Thanks. :)

I can tell you from experience, and I'm sure others can, that the fat deposits in the chest are some of the most stubborn for men and is usually last to go away. It doesn't hurt to get it checked out, but persistence in clean eating may take care of it.

I can tell you from experience, and I'm sure others can, that the fat deposits in the chest are some of the most stubborn for men and is usually last to go away. It doesn't hurt to get it checked out, but persistence in clean eating may take care of it.

Thanks.

I'm very optimistic....considering how I feel the tightness already....hopefully with time they will completely disappear.

Still going to see my doctor next week though.

How do you guys find someone to take a look? I live away from home in San Jose, CA (near San Francisco) and don't have a doctor to see. I have been told to maybe see an endocrinologist because my condition is not as severe, however, I want to be sure. Any ideas? :confused:

Yea man, I agree with others on how you should maintain your diet and training, if anything I'd step my game up and pound my body harder...Remember, it takes a while to undo the damage from being overweight, but time has always proven to be the greatest healer

How do you guys find someone to take a look? I live away from home in San Jose, CA (near San Francisco) and don't have a doctor to see. I have been told to maybe see an endocrinologist because my condition is not as severe, however, I want to be sure. Any ideas? :confused:

Well part of it would depend on your insurance. Assuming you have insurance, some plans require you to see a general doctor before they will pay for a specialist. If you are paying for it yourself or your insurance will let you then go see whoever you want - I'd probably recommend an endocrinologist if you have your choice.

Yes, I do have insurance. In fact, now that I think about it, because both of my parents each have full coverage for me, I have excellent insurance.

I have never mentioned this issue to my parents... I am open with them, but this will be a hard issue to discuss. Before I being talking with doctors and scheduling appointments I would like to let them know. I am sure I don't have gyno, but I was told I may just have estrogen issues. I do have large nipples, and at 5ft 11in and ~14-15% bf, its more than normal. Any suggestions on how I should break the news to them? Sorry to hijack the thread, but I guess I never had the balls to make my own...:whistle:

Talked to my doctor today...

He said it looked normal for the most part....except for the fact that there is definite enlargement.

He wants me to lose about 25 more pounds....and see where it gets me.

That should put me around 200....more or less....hopefully it gets better.

Off topic a bit...talked to the dietitian and she said I was doing a fabulous job so far. Eating good...exercise is good....now just have some patience.

Today is a good day! :D

I feel you guys. Here are some non-scientific thoughts based on personal experience.

At about 10 I began to have nipple puffiness (I am 43 now), which coincided with an increase in bodyfat. This affected my self-image to a great degree. For many years I was unwilling to take my shirt off in public, made sure my shirts were loose, etc. My self-perception was probably much worse than how I actually looked, because after age 16 I was not over 12 - 13% bodyfat until I hit my thirties. So, I understand the issue and the mental part of it.

If you don't have glandular gyno (described well above), your best hope is losing bodyfat and building up some muscle on your chest. We all deposit our fat stores differently - genetics is a bitch sometimes. The unfortunate (especially those with a bit more estrogen) will deposit more fat on the chest and nipple area. That's just how it is.

Gyno surgery is over $5,000 and won't be covered by most insurance. Liposuction is a temporary measure, since the fat comes back if you gain bodyfat (which I have seen every time with friends that did lipo).

After many years of struggling with this issue, I found that getting your bodyfat to 10% or less really really helps as does building the size of your chest. The other piece to the puzzle is accepting (after losing the bodyfat) that this is just how your body works and looks, because it will never go away completely. Look at John Stone and his fat deposits around the belly even at 6%. Trust me, he sees it every time he looks in the mirror, even though we all think he looks incredible.

This past year we took two beach vacations and I spent the entire time without a shirt - This was a huge step for me. I realized that I look better than 95% of the folks out there anyway, so what if I have a little puffiness...

I could live with puffy nipples....

Great post though friedberg1...your insight is appreciated. :)