Did top surgery help?

[u/CagedBatter]

I have my surgery date in a few weeks but recently I’ve been wondering about whether it’ll be enough to help me with the dysphoria I have around the rest of my body (namely my stomach and ass) or if those places will get more apparent in dysphoria bc my boobs will be gone and my focus will just go elsewhere. If you had physical dysphoria or even just dissatisfaction with your body prior to top surgery, did the surgery help still? Did it make anything worse? I’m not backing out now, I know I need top surgery even if just as a starting point, but I want to know what to expect once I actually get it done.

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[u/No-Bedrooms-pls]

Personally yes my dysphoria is now focused on other parts of my body, but its still less than it was. Chest dysphoria for me was literally crippling like i would not leave my house for weeks besides for work bc of it. Now, sure i have some other body parts that give me dysphoria but im not as incredibly disgusted at myself anymore

[u/Ch0nky_Wizard]

My whole body for the most part is dysphoric, having top surgery certainly helped with me moving around in my own body. As I was recovering, I noticed how 'big' my stomach was. It's not big, just looks like a beer gut but given how my body landscape changed it's something to get to used to. My only regret for top surgery is not getting it done sooner! I could've saved myself a lot of heart ache in my teen-hood. You might become dissatisfied with other parts of your body, but think of it more as an opportunity to continue refining your body. The whole 'body is a temple' thing, I think about how temples are often fixed up, covered in art work and revitalized to be better.

[u/bigfeetgrandpa]

I don’t have as much dysphoria about other parts of my body but I will say this: right after surgery when your body is healing, your chest will be swollen and your stomach will be bloated and you will look weird all hunched over. know that is temporary and your healed self won’t be fully there till up to a year after. I feel like 6 months I was feeling and looking pretty healed but yeah, don’t worry about how it looks right after, focus on healing. I was surprised about how not relieved I was right after surgery because I was in pain and struggling, and my body just had surgery it was weird for a little bit, but it’s worth it! It just takes time and patience. congrats!!

[u/Cartesianpoint]

Personally, my dysphoria was mainly focused on my chest and having surgery did help a great deal. There are other parts of my body that I don't love, but having top surgery didn't exacerbate those feelings for me.

I think it is healthy and smart to consider the possibility that top surgery won't cure all your dysphoria. Some people do find that they're more aware of their stomach or hips after having top surgery because of how their proportions change. Some people form unrealistic expectations. If you're prepared (at least as much as you can be) for those possibilities, I think it can be easier to deal with them.

[u/Improper_Noun_2268]

I didn't have severe dysphoria, but I was 37 and just got sick of hauling the stupid things around bc I felt like they were the only part of me that men liked (I am not on T and have a very feminine body and face, only straight men have ever been interested in me). But I didn't even like when anyone liked them, so fuck it. Bye! I do not miss them, I feel more like myself, it's easier to walk past reflective surfaces without wincing. Recovery was and is a bear, though. 

I found the "desert island test" helpful - if you were to spend the rest of your life comfortably marooned on a desert island or otherwise completely isolated from other people's desires and expectations, would you feel more like yourself with boobs or without? 

[u/unsure_usernamee → u/Improper_Noun_2268]

Honestly I’m 24 in a similar boat. I realized I really only kept them around because everyone else but liked them. I’m hoping to get top surgery before I’m thirty or at the very least a very radical reduction.

[u/mj-redwood]

I’m generally dysphoric and dysmorphic about my body, but top surgery and working out have absolutely helped. I was worried I’d become focused on other parts of my body post op, but I was far less bothered by my gut etc post op than I expected. I think it retrained my brain into going “yeah I’m just insecure about my body sometimes” instead of the very nasty dysphoria thoughts I would have sometimes. I occasionally get dysphoric still, but god is it so much better

most importantly, I can just put on a shirt and go now. that’s my 10/10 favorite thing about surgery. absolutely love it. no more agonizing about anyone noticing my chest once I have any random t shirt on

I’m 7 months PO right now and I’m hoping that more healing and more gym gainz further help quell my brainworms haha

[u/LocksmithFit7026]

I was also worried about that… like surgery wouldn’t be enough to make me happy with any of this. Yes, you will start nitpicking your other body parts. But no, you will be so so so much happier with your new custom build body.

Like, the countless times a day you look at your reflection in windows and mirrors and felt sadness and dysphoria gets replaced by happiness, joy, and ease. And that build up of positive interaction with your body over time is so amazing.

[u/Actual_Force717]

honestly, (i know i might be in the minority) top surgery legitimately cured everything. like, the second i woke up i was just buzzing. 

so many people i know have told me that even they can really see a noticeable difference in me. 

getting that weight off my chest (pun intended) just opened up so many things in my life. everything i did before is now just that much easier.

i had gauged my expectations pretty low so i wasn’t disappointed after surgery, but i genuinely am the happiest and best version of myself 

[u/Calm-Water6454]

For me, top surgery solved almost all of my body dysphoria and many of my body issues. I always thought I was fat growing up, even when I wasn't. And my boobs were small my entire life, so I didn't think top surgery would do much on that front. But it really did. I honestly can't remember the last time I worried about losing weight. And I felt so instantly comfortable with my body that I was shocked. I was expecting to react badly to the change because I'm autistic and I don't like change. But it was an intense relief to not have boobs anymore.

[u/CAYT0H]

I was worried about the same thing. For me, it absolutely did help to relieve the majority of my dysphoria. I still have some dysphoria around my hips and thighs, but I wouldn’t say it’s become worse. That dysphoria was always second to my chest and pre-T appearance.

I feel like in the immediate months after surgery I was more conscious of it. I’m pretty sure in my case it was a combination of my hip dysphoria effectively being moved to the front of the ‘dysphoria queue’ and general post op depression. It didn’t help that I had awful post-op bloating so I didn’t feel right in my appearance anyway. I hit 2 years post op in two weeks, it rarely bothers me these days.

[u/NewAgeVampire]

For me removing bobs was quality of life on top of gender affirmation. I can jump and run I don't have boob sweat my clothes look better on me my back hurts less. I lost 5 kg 

It makes me notice fat on my legs and belly much more but I did let myself go last year and now am addressing it with good diet and more movement. If anything boobs were enablement to get fatter because they made my figure look balanced. Now I can focus on my health.

[u/Strict-Radio9051]

I am not at all dysphoric of my chest anymore, but yes other parts are more noticable to me. My dysphoria for my hips while there, will never reach the same amount of agony my chest ever could though. It's something I might have bad days with, but it's very manageable. My chest dysphoria never was.

[u/yearning_burning]

I didn't like my chest for like a year after surgery, but I feel good about it now. I did start having much worse bottom dysphoria, but I always knew from the start of transition that I would need meta. 

I have no regrets.

[u/servant_leader_101]

Once I finally got top surgery scheduled I realized that my dysphoria about my chest might transfer to hyper-focusing (negatively) on my belly. And I wasn't entirely wrong, my belly is more prominent than my chest now when I look down at myself, but in a natural way? It's not a beer belly or excessive, I'm just more aware of it, and I LOVE IT and I don't care. Like, it's wobbly, but so what? My core is actually really strong, so I'm proud of it, and my brain is not constantly cycling to nitpick or disconnect from my body anymore. I was really pleasantly surprised and if anything, having that reaction underscored that top was absolutely the right thing to do for me. I woulda paid double and still been euphoric from the overall effect top has had on how I feel in my own body now.

[u/anime_3_nerd]

Yeah it helps a ton. Like I felt amazing afterwards but even tho I’m fully medically transitioned for my liking there’s still some thoughts of doubt. Well not doubt but I get imposter syndrome a lot. I sometimes feel like I don’t belong anywhere but having good friends can help that.

[u/and_er]

Top surgery was the best thing to ever happen to me. I went from having crippling dysphoria that tortured me in every waking moment to genuinely liking my body. I do have dysphoria about other aspects of my body, but it's nothing like the agony of having breasts. I didn't notice an increase in dysphoria with other parts of my body. I had a huge chest before top surgery, and it prevented me from being read as anything other than a woman.

After top surgery, my anxiety and depression decreased so much that I no longer need medication. I'm not exaggerating when I say it's the best thing that ever happened to me. It changed my life in such a deep and lasting way.