22, have had PC since I was 12.

As the title states, I’ve had it since around 12 years old. My dad had it and I guess genetically I have it. My older brother doesn’t have it so maybe it skips generations lol. My dads PC went away and he said it was because of swimming. He swam in high school and I’m guessing since it’s kinda like working out it got covered up and never showed up again. I’ve been to insecure to swim so I never learned

A 12 year old with body insecurity isn’t cool and shouldn’t be a thing. I used to walk with a slouch so people wouldn’t notice it sticking out of my shirt. I did a presentation and some girl said I looked like iron man once (and it made me feel more okay with it). I’ve actually been thinking about getting the arc reactor tattood over it but since it’s all bone idk how that would feel

Went to the doctors and my barely getting by parents got me the brace (shit was like 500 bucks and insurance didn’t cover it). I wore it for a couple months but fuckin hated it. Not knowing how much it costed, I stopped wearing it. Didn’t want to wear it in school as I thought kids would make fun of me. Reading this sub made me realize how it was more of a blessing and how I should have just worn it and I wouldn’t be dealing with PC right now.

I worked out and it never really covered up but it made it less noticeable until I stopped working out. I gained weight and again it was less noticeable, I hit 200 pounds and had a dad bod so I lost 30 pounds in a couple months to be at a healthy weight and the pc is right back to where it was when I was 17. My girlfriend doesn’t care at all about it, and no girls I’ve messed around with in the past seemed to care about it either (if that makes anyone feel better about getting into relationships), and that made me a lot less insecure about it.

But why do I still feel insecure if I take my shirt off at the beach? Or insecure when I walk around work with my shoulders straight up, I think it’s just imbedded into my brain. Nobody really cares what’s on your body except you. Unless your a doctor and they spot a lump I guess

Anyways like I said, i don’t wear my brace, haven’t touched it in years. I’m going to ask my mom if she has it still and hopefully I’ll be able to give it out to somebody in this sub ( but only if it was recommended by a doctor cause some people with PC cannot wear the brace as it can cause damage to organs)