I did not have to prove to my surgeon that I was on T.
My letters  from my therapist & general doctor were all I needed & really I think I only got a letter from my GP because I wanted to cover all the bases. Basically all that letter said was that I was in proper physical condition to undergo surgery...

Quote from: aleon515 on June 28, 2012, 11:47:26 PM
Estrogen (every notice it is never called "E") very definitely does does increase the risk of breast cancer (though men can get it). I am guessing the mama-gram  is done as the surgery might increase the spread of cancer? Just a guess.

--Jay Jay

The surgeon should be checking the tissue for anything that looks cancerous as they remove it; I don't think the surgery itself would have anything to do with the spread of cancer, though it might. I'm not a doctor. I think the need for a mammogram is just because if you still have an estrogen-based system you'll still have a female level of risk.

My sleep meds are kicking in; I have no idea if that was coherent.

Quote from: Julian on June 28, 2012, 11:56:54 PM
The surgeon should be checking the tissue for anything that looks cancerous as they remove it; I don't think the surgery itself would have anything to do with the spread of cancer, though it might. I'm not a doctor. I think the need for a mammogram is just because if you still have an estrogen-based system you'll still have a female level of risk.

My sleep meds are kicking in; I have no idea if that was coherent.

Yeah you are making sense. Nothing odd here. I was just shooting out ideas. Nothing that I know.

--Jay Jay

Quote from: Julian on June 28, 2012, 11:17:30 PM
I hate to say this, and I don't know if all surgeons are the same way, but I'm pretty sure Steinwald told me I'd still have to get mammograms, due to the fact that top surgery doesn't remove 100% of the tissue. I can double-check the literature he gave me at the consultation, but I'm fairly certain that's what he said.

However, this may be because I'm not on T and still have estrogen as my dominant sex hormone. I've read that estrogen can play a role in the development of breast cancer. So this may not apply to guys on T.

That sucks. I think having a mammogram should be optional. Their taking out most of the breast anyways. Can't ya just have your immediate doctor give you one later on? That way it would be less embarrassing b/c your chest would be flat and it wouldn't be so uncomfortable to take off your shirt. I dunno, that's how I feel anyways.

I had to have a mammogram. I think they're pretty much required. Turns out my mammogram was clean but my surgeon found a lil bit of abnormal tissue that had to be biopsied.  Better to be on the safe side....

I know at least with Dr. Garramone he sends the fat removed to check and see if any diseases are present.  Maybe he has the age of 35 because there is a greater risk for something?  I don't know.

Dr. Eichenberg doesn't require you to be on T nor a therapist letter. But during consultation, Dr. E will ask a lot of questions to make sure you didn't happen to get drunk one night and decide you want your man boob's chop off. If he has doubt, he might ask you for some proof, like pictures or talk to your friends, family, or girlfriend.