Top sugury, questions, concerns, advise

[VagabondJack]

(new to the threads *waves*)

I have been binding my chest for the past couple of months, and it has been the most freeing and positive experience I have had with my body in many many years. The first time I put my binder on and looked in the mirror I almost cried I was so happy. I could actually SEE myself.

I love the way I look with my chest binder on. I love the contours of my flat chest, the way it makes me body look, and most of all the way it makes me feel, it's actually me in the mirror.

Not to mention how much it relieves my back pain. I had a spinal surgery when I was 16, ski crash, and it's always been painful especially since I have such large breasts. It's getting harder and harder for me to wear a bra (which accentuates my chest) and play the part of the woman I'm not. Now that I know how good it feels to not have to, the costume is getting harder and harder to put on. Everyday when i get home for work the first thing I do it toss the bra and get my binder on so I can be me again.

Here is my dilemma:

A. Finances. I'm barely making it living pay check to pay check as it is, and I don't know if my insurance will cover it. I'm hoping it will if I tell them it's for my back and leave out the rest. I know that's not the most noble thing to do but This is something that I deeply want. I'm a newly graduated 22yr old I'm not exactly rolling in the dough here. How much would it run me? Ballpark figure

B. Scarring. How badly does it scare? How long will it take the scares to fade/dissipate? Will they ever be fully gone or will they be noticed every time I take my shirt off? Would it be better to have my beasts reduced wait a little while and then have them fully removed or would that just increase the scarring? What about sensitivity? I don't want to lose sensation in my nipples are there ways to decrease the risks of that? Are there some good doctors you would recommend looking into?

C. Family. I have talked to my mom before about getting my breasts reduced, and she was alright with that. She understood that having double D's and a back injury sucks. However, I don't know if she will go for the full mastectomy thing. See she just thinks of me as a lesbian (barely). She is still hoping I will find the right man and be just like my hetero-normative sister. I haven't broken my bigender to her yet, I don't even know if it's worth it at this point anyway. I hardly see her, and are relationship is rocky enough as it is. This also relates back to my financial situation because she currently pays for my health insurance since I'm broke.


If anyone could give me some advise, tips, personal experiences, I would really appreciate it.

Thnx

[Abraxas]

Welcome! *waves back*

Well. To try to answer your Qs (I haven't had top surgery myself, but based on what I know...)

1. Depends on your insurance. They might cover the whole thing. I think a random ballpark for a not-covered-by-insurance mastectomy is somewhere near $5000.

2. Depends on you. Do you normally scar badly? I've seen some post-surgical photos where the scars were almost completely invisible, and some that still looked fresh ten years on. There are measures you can take to reduce scarring, but there's no guarantee. I can't remember the link right now, but I'm sure someone can link you to the website with pictures of surgery photos.

3. You could probably get a reduction now, and pass it off because of the back injury, and deal with that until you can afford to get the full thing done if you think your mom wouldn't help out or if you don't want to tell her you're bi-gender. A lot of guys get a reduction and then the mastectomy later on.

[Kieron Andrew]

I can't remember the link right now, but I'm sure someone can link you to the website with pictures of surgery photos.

http://www.transster.com/

[Abraxas]

There we go. Linkmaster, I bow before thee.

[Kieron Andrew]

There we go. Linkmaster, I bow before thee.

:heehee:

[CaptLex]

Hi Jack and welcome :welcom:

The price of top surgery varies from state to state, I think. Where I live, I've heard the cost is around $8,000 or so. The chances of insurance coverage also varies - I do know some guys who had it covered by their health insurance, but that's usually not the case. Depends on the insurance, depends on the company providing the insurance, depends on whether the planets are all aligning properly, for all I know. :idontknow:

And everyone is different so, as Abraxas stated, some people scar for good and some people heal very well. Some people report nipple sensitivity is gone for a while, but returns eventually. But nothing is guaranteed - it's all a personal experience.

Some guys grow enough chest hair to disguise the scarring and some get tattoos on their chests for that purpose. Personally, I don't like scars, but I'd rather have them than what's there now. :tongue:

Good luck to you. :)

[Alan]

Based on my absolutely limited medical knowledge, the scarring is sorta a whole-body thing. I mean, whether you scar or not. So if you can still see the shallow cut you got three years ago, then you scar REALLY easily and would probably scar. If you have very resilient skin and all your cuts heal properly, then you probably won't have scars. It also depends, I think, on whether you follow proper post-op care.

I hope that made sense...

[VagabondJack]

Thanks for all your advise guys, it really helped.

I'll check out that link and start contacting blue cross to see what their policy is.


=^.^=

[Alan]

Ooh, Blue Cross... I'm familiar with their mental health policy. 8 sessions per year if not being prescribed for. Jesus. Crazy talk! (At least, if I remember right)

Actually, my current health care plan is similarly stupid.