Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
First of all, I have no insurance and can't afford surgery. I need a non-surgical option to get rid of it.
I tried to enlist in the army but I was rejected due to Pectus Excavatum. Every guy who has ever been intimate with me has run away from it. I am embarrassed to wear my bikini and low cut shirts. It's making me depressed. I need to know what I can do to get rid of it. This deformity is always on my mind and has ruined everything that I tried to do.
The following user gives a hug of support to Ratties: tronhov (05-11-2011)
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
Really? Over 60 views and not 1 person can reply? I need to know what I can do to get rid of this condition so I'm not alone forever and so I can wear my swimsuits.
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
Hello
I'm so sorry to read your post. I can't advise on treatments though I have seen discussions on other sites which I found by googling. I am a 47 year old woman with mild PE and like you I'd say it's on my mind a huge amount of time. I have a very full and happy life but I feel I have this secret which is actually the thing that governs so much about me and means I've never even felt I've dressed as I want to. I get very very down about it though none of my friends would guess that (or even know about it)
I'd be really keen to talk to other women living with it and to know whether many women are brave enough to just wear what they want.
The Following User Says Thank You to tooshytosay For This Useful Post: Ratties (03-04-2011)
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
There is a support group, Google " Pectus Deformities Support Group", a non profit corporation. It might be helpful to see what others have and have had done.
James
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
Yeah I came across that support group, they want to charge a fee to join and I'm currently unemployed with no income. I just want to find a way to fix this so I'm not alone forever, my military career is over before it started and there is nothing I can do about that but that doesn't mean I want to be single forever. I won't date until I can find a way so that it's not noticeable, I'm tired of guys seeing the deformity and running for the hills like I'm some kind of monster. It feels horrible to know that you're not good enough for anyone.
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ratties
Yeah I came across that support group, they want to charge a fee to join and I'm currently unemployed with no income. I just want to find a way to fix this so I'm not alone forever, my military career is over before it started and there is nothing I can do about that but that doesn't mean I want to be single forever. I won't date until I can find a way so that it's not noticeable, I'm tired of guys seeing the deformity and running for the hills like I'm some kind of monster. It feels horrible to know that you're not good enough for anyone.
I am really sorry and I feel your pain. I also have pectus excavatum, I hate it and feel horrible about it because my breasts are uneven because of it. I wear padded bras because of that. But I wanted to ask you how do the guys you know run away from it, is it after you're intimate or can they tell before?
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
They leave after I'm intimate with them...if they are drunk they don't notice it but I can't get a boyfriend or husband and keep him constantly drunk..
the only other times they can tell is when I wear swimsuits so I have to get rid of my swimsuits...and other low cut shirts (gotta get rid of them too), I am going to be roasting during summertime.
The following user gives a hug of support to Ratties: cloudstrife (03-24-2011)
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
maybe you should look into getting breast implants, that's why I am planning/hoping to do. I thinks its safer than getting a repair procedure which can be really risky. Does your pectus affect only your chest or are your breasts asymmetrical as well? Is that why your boyfriends can tell? Also, how severe is your pectus?
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
I can't afford breast implants..I don't think they are asymmetrical...my chest just caves in...the MEPs nurse said my haller index is 3.7(I think Centimeters but I guess it could be in inches)...severe enough to see but not severe enough to cause trouble breathing.
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
As far as I know, surgery is the only remedy. It is usually done when the patient is still a child. I'm sorry your family didn't have the resources to deal with it then. The surgeon who invented the current "gold standard" for this procedure is at the children's hospital in Norfolk, VA. I forget his name - believe it begins with a "P" (a friend's son had the surgery there). Perhaps you could locate him and see if his office has any suggestions. Good luck.
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
I didn't know about it when I was a child...I only recently found out about it (at MEPs)...It's like it magically appeared to make my chances of having a happy future disappear...
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
No other suggestion other than Surgery?...I can't wear any low cut shirts, swimsuits, tank tops or any of that this summer...I can't date so any chance of getting married or having children is gone...this whole thing has gotten me depressed... I can't afford the surgery or I would get it just to have a chance at a life...when I was diagnosed with this condition, my whole life ended...
Re: Pectus Excavatum is ruining my life...what do I do?
I am a dude, had pectus surgery when I was a kid. It was embarrassing as a male so I imagine it would be much harder on you as a female. If you do some research there is info on the web about using weight lifting techniques to raise the chest wall with success. i think it depends on how severe your pectus excuvatum is. Mine was severe enough that my parents insurance covered it because my heart would have been beating against bone when I got older. If it is deemed cosmetic by your insurance you might also look into rolphing which is a method of resculpting the body by manipulating the facia or connective tissue running throuought the body. I'm looking into myself because even years after surgery my body tends to roll inward towards my chest and it causes pain where my ribs should be meeting my spine but don't. this is aggravated by the fact that I teach guitar for a living and have that wieght around my neck everyday. I don't know what version of the surgery mine would be called it was in 1992 and there was no bar involved. I was twelve then 31 now. In fact they went to my school and told all the kids not to bump into to me or push me because everything was just kind of floating around in their till I hit puberty and it turned into bone. Hope you find some good info don't give up hope the body remains elastic during your whole life contrary to popular belief. There are whole sites dedicated to curing pectus excavatum with exercise.
I can't afford the surgery or I would get it just to have a chance at a life...when I was diagnosed with this condition, my whole life ended...
