Have any of you thought, "Well, I don't want to throw away a good ___"?

[Alexmakenoise]

To be completely honest, this has been one thing that's held me back from transitioning, or fully coming to terms with my ftm identity.  I know it's really shallow, but when I think about top surgery, I think, "I lucked out and got something a lot of people would find desirable [just not me - on myself] so I don't want to throw them away!"

I know this is really shallow.  Maybe it's an excuse for something else that's holding me back from transitioning.  Maybe it's just a natural attachment to my body as I know it.  That seems more in line with my usual way of thinking, but somehow it's easier to simplify it into a fear of throwing away a good set of breasts (which makes no sense whatsoever because I know there are plenty of other nice breasts out there - on women who enjoy having them).

Has anyone else gone through a similar thought process, or can relate in any way?

I don't know if I'm even doing a decent job of explaining this.

[Lachlann]

I did momentarily. I don't think I'm amazing looking as a girl or anything, but I am decent. It wasn't entirely breast related(I'm too small, lol)

But I do remember an FTM on youtube talking about how he had this issue with his own breasts. He said he realized that he liked breasts and admired them and all, but that didn't make them right on him. Not sure if that's anything like your situation but it's something to say the least.

For me, I came to the realization that I've been spending my whole life giving to others and living in this body. Why should I, when it clearly my decision and my desire, not do what will make me feel comfortable? I'm not taking anyone's chances away or anything, this is strictly all me. Transition is a selfish thing, but it doesn't make it bad. I realized that the dysphoria eventually hit me so hard that they started to look alien on me, like they didn't fit. I could almost see me, visually, without them.

[V M]

If you are happy with yourself, then be yourself

Only you can decide what is best for you

I am very happy to finally have breasts. But the world does not revolve around my breasts nor does it have any interest or need to.

Only you can decide your comfort zone

[Alexmakenoise]

This is something I've struggled with in the past, and I'm just curious about how common this type of experience is.

Now I'm at the point where I know that being myself means having a body in keeping with my identity.

When I think about T and the changes it may bring, I feel eager and excited. 

I no longer have any specific anxiety about losing my breasts.  I just have some general anxiety about medically unnecessary surgery in general (meaning anything that isn't necessary to literally save my life) coupled with anxiety about change. 

Hormones don't scare me because the changes tend to occur slowly, but surgery is so fast.  The the thought of having breats one day and no breasts the next day gives me some anxiety just because it's a major change.

I've had enough time to think and research that I know I'll feel better than I do now after surgery - once I've had time to adjust.

And fortunately, I have a lot of time to adjust and prepare before I get any surgery. 

[V M]

See? You've already made your decision

We all live out life slowly one day at a time. One day death comes swiftly at anytime that none of us know

[Myself]

O_o

Breasts don't make a woman at all!

Don't forget you will be losing your voice, your figure, your whole apperance.
Grow facial and body hair, deeper voice, muscles, different figure.

Breasts is like.. nothing compared to the whole.

If it's just you losing breasts, I don't see what's the problem. O_o

For example, mtf won't be identified/seen as a woman just because she might have breasts.

People can easily be guys with breasts, it would be more freaky than woman.

Sometimes I find it really hard to cope with some statements related to gender/therapy here.

If you really want to keep them, you can do that, imagine your father with breasts, or I dunno, some random guy, I doubt anyone would think it's a woman.
Post Merge: November 22, 2009, 03:03:55 AM
Just make sure you know what are the tihngs you have to consider, that if you regret, you'll have hard time coming back. Some things that mtf people have problem because they had them happen without any choice, without asking.

That's deepening of the voice, which is very hard, really hard to fix. Most won't do a surgery ebcause of the risk and inconclusive effectiveness.

Body hair, facial hair, needing laser to change back.

Generally, since you are after puberty, you are not going to have (I think) any changes to the skull itself, only muscles attachments, which is enough to make you appear masculine, what mtf needs to fix with surgery.

So if you are having any doubts, make sure you know the whole deal.

[V M]

If you really want to keep them, you can do that, imagine your father with breasts, or I dunno, some random guy, I doubt anyone would think it's a woman.

So, your calling all MTFs freaks that could never be seen as women?

[Myself]

So, your calling all MTFs freaks that could never be seen as women?

No, I am saying breasts alone won't identify a woman.

The face is the main thing for people to identify you as a woman, then the voice, then the body.

Edit: Imagine almost any guy you know, add breasts, it's no one will think it's a woman, they will think it is a guy with breasts.

Remove the facial hair, add hormones effects to the face, maybe facial surgery and then it will be identified as a woman by the people, by appearance.

Remove the breasts, it's still identified as a woman by people due to the face.

[Alexmakenoise]

O_o

Breasts don't make a woman at all!

Don't forget you will be losing your voice, your figure, your whole apperance.
Grow facial and body hair, deeper voice, muscles, different figure.

Breasts is like.. nothing compared to the whole.

If it's just you losing breasts, I don't see what's the problem. O_o

For example, mtf won't be identified/seen as a woman just because she might have breasts.

People can easily be guys with breasts, it would be more freaky than woman.

Sometimes I find it really hard to cope with some statements related to gender/therapy here.

If you really want to keep them, you can do that, imagine your father with breasts, or I dunno, some random guy, I doubt anyone would think it's a woman.
Post Merge: November 22, 2009, 02:03:55 AM
Just make sure you know what are the tihngs you have to consider, that if you regret, you'll have hard time coming back. Some things that mtf people have problem because they had them happen without any choice, without asking.

That's deepening of the voice, which is very hard, really hard to fix. Most won't do a surgery ebcause of the risk and inconclusive effectiveness.

Body hair, facial hair, needing laser to change back.

Generally, since you are after puberty, you are not going to have (I think) any changes to the skull itself, only muscles attachments, which is enough to make you appear masculine, what mtf needs to fix with surgery.

So if you are having any doubts, make sure you know the whole deal.

Good points.

I'm over-thinking, as usual.

For all of my life, I've known I wanted to transition at some point in the future.

I know I want a deep voice, hair, bigger muscles, changes in body fat distribution, changes in my facial structure - I'll take whatever the T brings me and I know I can't control or predict exactly what will change.

I've had enough time to think about it, I'm at the point where I know I'll have no regrets.  I've thought of myself as a boy for as long as I can remember.  If anything, maybe I'm over-eager at this point.

I just tend to over-analyze everything.  Plus, I just don't like surgery.  But I feel confident that in this case, it'll be worth it in the long run.  And if I have any uncertainty or anxiety in the future, I can put the surgery off and just bind. 

You're right - breasts don't determine gender.  Hadn't really thought of it that way.

For me, surgery somehow raises more issues than hormonal changes, which I know are actually a bigger deal in the long run.

[Myself]

You can bind breasts, peole reported loss of cup or two under hormones (depends on the size I guess), then again other reproted no loss I think.

You can always keep on binding until you feel comfortable you want to remove them.
If they are not all that big in a way that bothers you, you don't even have to remove them.

Many times I seen a guy with quite big breasts (seriously, sometimes really big - but I admit, it is RARE).

Usually guys start getting embarassed with they have slight breasts and seek solution, like surgery.
The 2 or 3 that I seen with qutie big ones (and I Don't mean ftm here - at least not that I know), I don't know them, just seen them at the mall or street, never talked to them, all I can say is that I saw 2 or 3 guys with quite large breasts and I know nothing more about it.

I did hear of plenty with small gyno which seeked treatment, found it embarassing, but in realtiy nobody ever noticed or never cared much.

If you are willing to go with hormones, see what happens to them, see how you feel about binding. Until you feel ready, you can wait with surgery.

[Nero]

Mine had to go - they were the prime dysphoria causers. I simply couldn't feel comfortable as a man at all with them. However, the way you feel about yours sounds similar to the way I feel about my downstairs area. It simply doesn't cause enough dysphoria or discomfort to warrant surgery and it doesn't affect the way I see myself.
Transition is not one-size-fits-all. It's an ala carte thing. Only take the steps necessary for you to feel at home in your own body.

[Alexmakenoise]

Huh.  Actually, a recent ex-bf of mine had breasts that were quite feminine-looking due to a hormonal imbalance.  For him, it was a matter of correcting the medical problem that was causing the hormonal imbalance, but I definitely have seen female-type breats on a man!  (As well as plenty that didn't look so female, since men aren't required by law to wear shirts in public.)

I didn't know that T caused breast shrinkage in some people.  That's a nice thought.     And a good reason to go on T well before getting top surgery. 

But I imagine it would be the mammary glands that would shrink, not the skin.

I accept that I'll get mine surgically removed.  They're unmistakably feminine, and if the mammary glands shrunk (which would probably make binding easier, yay), I'd still have to get plenty of skin removed.

Does anyone know how long a double mastectomy typically takes and how long is takes to recover, in general?  I guess it could vary a lot depending on the person's anatomy.

[Nero]

The procedure takes a few hours. 4 or so, I think. Took me a few weeks to recover. Depends of course. If there are complications, it's longer.

[Miniar]

I used to be a stripper.
I used to get weekly complements of my appearance.
"are you a model?" (and stuff like that, from "everyone")
"I wish I was that tall" (from girls)

Blokes would be "all" over me..

Hubby tells me I'm pretty all the time, 'specially certain spots...

And Yeah,..
My body is "rockin'".. It's a good woman's body..
Problem is, I'm not a woman.

If brain (and soul) transplants were available, I'd eagerly give this body away to one of you girls, instead of ruining it's "pretty, girly parts".
But these things are not available.

I'll probably always feel a little bit bad about breaking a "perfectly good" body, but it doesn't fit and so it has to be adjusted.
Just like if I bought a suit and had to have this taken in, that let out, and the pants' legs lengthened (which I suppose I most certainly have to).

[The None Blonde]

Selfish as it may be, I had no consideration for 'those people out there that like thier/ want a penis' when i realised i needed to be a girl.... Last thing on my mind. It's something that has upset me along with the rest of my body, and the sooner it was gone, the sooner i could be normal. I guess i am selfish ><

[Zelane]

Yeah they can deflate on T.

But whats the point in having a "good body" if its the wrong body? I mean what if you are pretty but you are a boy >.< And if you are handsome but a girl /faints

I believe part of being happy its being comfortable on your own skin.

[Hannah]

Selfish as it may be, I had no consideration for 'those people out there that like thier/ want a penis' when i realised i needed to be a girl.... Last thing on my mind. It's something that has upset me along with the rest of my body, and the sooner it was gone, the sooner i could be normal.

I don't think they would want our tiny little androgen starved estrogen shriveled bits anyway, such trades would be really unfair.

[Keroppi]

Just google the poker player Brian Zembic and you can see having "female breast" doesn't make a man appear female at all. (He was bet $100K to get C cup breast implant and keep them for a year. He did, and then decided to keep them permanently.) He doesn't struggle finding a partner either. But then, the fact that he has lots of money might have helped on that front.

I don't think they would want our tiny little androgen starved estrogen shriveled bits anyway, such trades would be really unfair.

I would thought such a trade would happen without anyone having taken hormones, because then it would had been unnecessary.

[Janet_Girl]

I thought a lot about this when I was getting ready for my Orchie.  But I knew that it had to happen for me to move forward.

Image is everything.  Self image that is.  Yes no one would know but I do.  And It makes a difference.  And if they are not part of your self image then they must go.  As the Red Oueen might say " Off whit the Breasts". 



Janet

[Silver]

I'll probably always feel a little bit bad about breaking a "perfectly good" body, but it doesn't fit and so it has to be adjusted.
Just like if I bought a suit and had to have this taken in, that let out, and the pants' legs lengthened (which I suppose I most certainly have to).

This.