Question 1

read 3 online claims of indivs growing b/w 1.5-4 inches @ ages 33, 37, 41. does it really happen so late in life?if not acromegaly then what is cause?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly would be: the cause. People stop growing when they are in their early 20's, in general. Someone who is 41 and continues to grow has an endocrine problem,maybe an excess of growth hormone or   receiving shots of GH. I would be careful to describe this as normal. Maybe they need the services of an Endocrinologist.. I hope this helps.

Question 2

how to tell if these are acromegaly symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Check IGF-1: Hi. If we suspect acromegaly on clinical grounds, we check an IGF-1 (and I also get an IGFBP-3); I get a GH, but it's seldom helpful at the screening stage). If IGF-1 is elevated, then a growth hormone suppression test is done. If that's abnormal, we then do a pituitary MRI. Acromegaly tumors are usually big and easy to see. Good luck!

Question 3

i think i am suffering from acromegaly. help?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: You do not say why you think you have this relatively rare disease.  You should see your doctor about this.   An endocrinologist is a specialist in gland disorders and would be in the best position to work this up.

Question 4

what is the definition or description of: acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: Acromegaly =  secretion of excess growth hormone after adolescence leading to thickened skin , soft tissue &amp;  bones of  hands &amp; feet.

Question 5

what are signs and symptoms of acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: Widened and thickened nose, prominent cheekbones, bulging forehead and thickened overlying skin, thick lips, marked facial lines, large tongue, mandibular overgrowth, prognathism,  enlarged jaw (macrognathia), maxillary widening, teeth separation, jaw malocclusion, enlarged hands, elengated arms/legs, headache, visual problems, deepening of the voice, carpal tunnel, just to name a few.

Question 6

what are the side effects of disease acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Acromegaly: Complications are
severe headache
 arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome
 enlarged heart
 hypertension
 diabetes mellitus
 heart failure
 kidney failure
 compression of the optic chiasm leading to loss of vision in the outer visual fields (typically bitemporal hemianopia)
 increased palmar sweating and sebum production over the face (seborrhea).

Question 7

can the face puffiness be a symptom of acromegaly?

Accepted Answer

Possible, not likely: Puffiness suggests increased fluid in the soft tissue, or enlargement of the soft tissue itself.  While the latter could be due to acromegaly, edema, or increased fluid is much more likely, and would not be indicative of acromegaly.

Question 8

do acromegaly and plagiocephaly share any common symptoms?

Accepted Answer

Not really: Both involve changes in head shape, but nothing else. Acromegaly involves abnormal growth and/or thickening of the brow, jaw, and other bones due to gh excess.  More growth than thickening in children. It is a serious condition. Plagio is a flattening due to a constant position in a growing infant skull.  Like the flat (earthen) side of a pumpkin that has sat in a field.

Question 9

can the bony signs of acromegaly return to normal over time, if treated?

Accepted Answer

Not usually: Once bones have expended in size, they will generally not shrink, even if growth hormone (gh) and igf-1 levels are normalized.  However, much of the increase in size of hands & feet and the face is caused by soft tissue enlargement, which will shrink in response to treatment.

Question 10

is this ogtt gh supressiontest suggestive for acromegaly? 0.18/0.09/0.12/0.20/1.12  thank you very much for an answer.

Accepted Answer

Which test was done: It depends on what kind of immunoassay the laboratory you were at was doing.When a typical oggt GH suppression test is done, we generally look for any reading over 1ng/ml 2 hours after the glucose for the diagnosis.With the newer immunoradiometric assays, any readying over 0.3nl/ml is considered a positive diagnostic test.So without knowing which test was used,it's hard to say based on your values

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Doctor answers about:

Acromegaly life expectancy

A member asked:

Read 3 online claims of indivs growing b/w 1.5-4 inches @ ages 33, 37, 41. does it really happen so late in life?if not acromegaly then what is cause?

A member asked:

How to tell if these are acromegaly symptoms?

A member asked:

I think i am suffering from acromegaly. help?

A member asked:

What is the definition or description of: acromegaly?

A member asked:

What are signs and symptoms of acromegaly?

A member asked:

What are the side effects of disease acromegaly?

A member asked:

Can the face puffiness be a symptom of acromegaly?

A member asked:

Do acromegaly and plagiocephaly share any common symptoms?

A member asked:

Can the bony signs of acromegaly return to normal over time, if treated?

A member asked:

Is this ogtt gh supressiontest suggestive for acromegaly? 0.18/0.09/0.12/0.20/1.12 thank you very much for an answer.

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