Hi,

I know there's a lot of differing opinions on this one so thought it would just be nice to hear different thoughts on it. I am hoping I will get the go ahead for top surgery when I go for my 3 month check up from starting hormones. The plan would be to try and schedule surgery for around the 6-7 month mark.

I'm planning on bulking up a little (I'll be close to 40 years old by then but have exercised hard for most of my life) and am wondering how much I can actually achieve after just 6 months on T and how much of a difference with regard to getting the best results waiting longer, say a year, might have???

Here's a few questions/thoughts I have:

• I am assuming the surgeon will be able to see even small pecs and get everything in a good position from that? So how much difference does it make if you change shape a fair bit afterwards?

• Could building muscle after surgery mean the bulk pulls the skin and messes up the symmetry therefore leaving things a little skew wiff??


Just wondering what the best thing to do would be. ASAP sounds great, but if it actually makes that much difference maybe it would be best to wait.

Thanks, looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Matt

Oh, another query....... given being on T can reduce breast size, does it make a difference to the size/length and positioning of scars if you wait for them to reduce?

If so, how long roughly does it take to get a reasonable amount of reduction?

Thanks

Quote from: Mattfromengland on December 01, 2013, 12:56:53 AMI'm planning on bulking up a little (I'll be close to 40 years old by then but have exercised hard for most of my life) and am wondering how much I can actually achieve after just 6 months on T and how much of a difference with regard to getting the best results waiting longer, say a year, might have???

I don't know what to tell you here because everyone's body is different and reacts differently to T - that includes how quickly you are able to build muscle.  I would start putting in a good effort and see how you go - if you are getting rapid results, then good for you and you can probably feel pretty confident getting surgery earlier on. 

Quote from: Mattfromengland on December 01, 2013, 12:56:53 AM• I am assuming the surgeon will be able to see even small pecs and get everything in a good position from that? So how much difference does it make if you change shape a fair bit afterwards?

Surgeons are like artists - some have natural talent, some are trained well and some aren't so great.  It depends on who you get and the consistency in their results as to what kind of outcome you're looking at.  Can they adequately shape your chest based on pecs?  If they've done a few, then most likely.  If they don't normally do top surgery for trans* guys, then maybe not.  Shop around and look at results.

As for how much difference it makes - I take it that you mean after you've had surgery and change shape?  I'll address that next...

Quote from: Mattfromengland on December 01, 2013, 12:56:53 AM• Could building muscle after surgery mean the bulk pulls the skin and messes up the symmetry therefore leaving things a little skew wiff??

Yes, it could - but there are plenty of guys who have bulked up after surgery and haven't had terrible results.  Some people need revisions for a number of reasons - a dramatic change of shape (weight loss, bulking, etc.) can have an effect, so keep this in mind.  I'd try to make sure that your body is the shape you want it to be for years to come before having surgery, unless you don't mind the thought and expense of revisions.

Quote from: Mattfromengland on December 01, 2013, 12:56:53 AMJust wondering what the best thing to do would be. ASAP sounds great, but if it actually makes that much difference maybe it would be best to wait.

It's up to you.  As I said, things can change and yes this may mean that you will need a revision if it's dramatic enough to stretch the skin or otherwise perhaps highlight areas where the surgeon has over or under-excised breast tissue.  You may have adhesions show up.  You may get keloids from stretching the scars.  Things can happen.  That's why I think a lot of surgeons advise building your chest muscles up and attaining a healthy weight before they will operate. 

Quote from: Mattfromengland on December 01, 2013, 12:56:53 AMOh, another query....... given being on T can reduce breast size, does it make a difference to the size/length and positioning of scars if you wait for them to reduce?

If so, how long roughly does it take to get a reasonable amount of reduction?

Some guys get very noticeable reduction in breast volume, others not much at all.  I don't think that this would make much difference as the reduction due to T is not usually significant - besides, the surgeon is excising breast tissue and the pendulous skin may only affect the kind of incision they will have to make.  I don't think that the consistency of the fatty tissue would be as much of a factor as the amount, and that generally doesn't change on T.  The tissue doesn't "disappear" with T, the consistency changes.

Thanks Kreuzfidel for your detailed answer

FYI I'm defo going to go with Dr Garramone.....so yeah, I'm confident in his ability

I don't know that Dr. G has any preferences in that way. I wasn't able to build up that much muscle on T (9 months), but it didn't much matter. When they cut into you, basically your pec muscles are right there.
But maybe some doctors have a different feeling about it.

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on December 01, 2013, 03:25:22 PM
I don't know that Dr. G has any preferences in that way. I wasn't able to build up that much muscle on T (9 months), but it didn't much matter. When they cut into you, basically your pec muscles are right there.
But maybe some doctors have a different feeling about it.

--Jay

Yep thanks, that's what I mean Jay, I know Dr G will defo get everything looking good and knows where to place everything.

Just worried that changing shape dramatically afterwards might mess up his good work a little. I'm pretty sure my specialist's opinion is that it doesn't really make much difference, but then so many people tell me you're much better off getting to the size/shape you want to be before going ahead, including my counsellor. So am getting mixed messages.

Obviously our bodies are designed to cope with such a thing and it doesn't mess them up, but when it's post surgery I wonder if that makes a difference. For example I imagine scar tissue will be uneven and so if the skin needs to stretch it might pull/stretch unevenly.

Well it's the kind of question Dr. G might be able to answer. I don't know if you have had the phone call consult yet, but I don't think it's the sort of question your therapist could answer.

Of course, I suppose there is no guarantee any way you put it. You could gain or lose weight. I have more heard the problems with huge gains or losses of weight, which makes sense with you are either adding a lot of tissue or losing it and it really has no where to go. So I suppose theoretically, since I don't know, that if you bulked up a whole bunch in a short period of time your stitches would stretch out.

Bulking up isn't all that easy after 40, I don't think. Not not doable, just not so easy.

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on December 01, 2013, 10:09:29 PM
Well it's the kind of question Dr. G might be able to answer. I don't know if you have had the phone call consult yet, but I don't think it's the sort of question your therapist could answer.

Of course, I suppose there is no guarantee any way you put it. You could gain or lose weight. I have more heard the problems with huge gains or losses of weight, which makes sense with you are either adding a lot of tissue or losing it and it really has no where to go. So I suppose theoretically, since I don't know, that if you bulked up a whole bunch in a short period of time your stitches would stretch out.

Bulking up isn't all that easy after 40, I don't think. Not not doable, just not so easy.

--Jay

Yep, I agree with you on all that  

No I haven't spoken to Dr G yet as it's still a bit early for me. I won't even know if I'll get the go ahead until end of next month/beg of Feb now. I guess it all depends how well I get on with T and that's only been 5 weeks so a bit early to know for sure.

Yeah, I know post 40 it will be harder (hence why I put my age), but I know it's not impossible and have been fit most of my life and do seem to build muscle fairly easily (for a female). I've not been able to do what I used to full on for the last 7-8 years due to a back injury and struggled to find something else I enjoyed so had lost fitness and muscle tone. However I've recently managed to get back into my fitness and things seem to have returned easily and quickly (pre-T). So really hoping the T will enable me to get the body I was always frustrated at not being able to get due to being female. I don't want to be massive, massive. Just bulkier and of course toned.

I also know it takes literally years to build a good amount of muscle, so I assume there would be no point waiting 5 odd years or so, and that if the muscle is going on slowly that would be better.

Yes I imagine the size differences and strain on the elasticity of the skin would be far greater when the change in shape is due to large amounts of weight loss/gain.

I will of course ask Dr G, but all in all, I am thinking of doing it sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the replies, it's really helped me to think things through

Is that Feb. NEXT year or this year. If it were this year, you gotta get in the cue (I think that's the way you say it) and if it's next year, yeah it's too early. If it's this Feb, you won't do too much in the way of muscles. OTOH, I was able to build enough abs to help me out after surgery, but it doesn't look like anything. If it's next Feb, then you have been on T for more than a year, well of course, don't know if you have started yet. And if it's 5 years, well don't think you need to worry.

I'm older than you, and was working out, of course I had the problem of having lost muscle mass, so you won't have that one. But anyway I have pretty flat pecs. But well it's FLAT. LOL. That's something.

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on December 02, 2013, 11:58:08 AM
Is that Feb. NEXT year or this year. If it were this year, you gotta get in the cue (I think that's the way you say it) and if it's next year, yeah it's too early. If it's this Feb, you won't do too much in the way of muscles. OTOH, I was able to build enough abs to help me out after surgery, but it doesn't look like anything. If it's next Feb, then you have been on T for more than a year, well of course, don't know if you have started yet. And if it's 5 years, well don't think you need to worry.

I'm older than you, and was working out, of course I had the problem of having lost muscle mass, so you won't have that one. But anyway I have pretty flat pecs. But well it's FLAT. LOL. That's something.

--Jay

My 3 month check up after starting T is due end of Jan. Just booked it for early Feb and wil hopefully, all being well get the go ahead. If so the plan would be to try and book for May time, so will be around the 7 month mark.

It's a bit early to get excited yet but just trying to plan in case things are possible.