Incredible Shrinking Woman

Acromegaly causes your soft tissue to enlarge. This includes your feet, hands, ears, throat, tongues, ears, joints, just about all parts of your body are potentiality affected and swell, look puffy or as if the person is retaining loads of water. Well, the tumor produces growth hormone, the growth hormone impacts soft tissue, the disease is Acromegaly.  If left undetected, the Acromegaly attacks the organs, enlarging your liver, heart, etc.

You got that, right? Not confusing?

Once the tumor is removed, there is nothing that is chugging away producing insane amounts of growth hormone, unless there was residual tumor left behind due to serious risk of removing it. Dr Sullivan was able to successfully removed 100% of my peapod, so other that residual CELLS, nothing should be getting in the way of progress.

Normal ranges vary depending on age, gender and other factors of the patient AND by lab results. According to U of M Health, my normal range for Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) is 94-252 ng/mL. On 04/13/16, my IGF-1 was 1334. All the swelling, puffiness was incredibly evidence when you looked at me. Unfortunately, I can't recheck my IGF-1 again I until June 30th when I go back for my follow-up visit, so I'll be in the dark until then. (Which is killing me!)

Additionally, Acro increases the space between your vertebrae, actually making you taller, albeit temporarily. When the inflammation decreases or increases, your height can fluctuate severally times throughout a week until the tumor is removed.

The staff at U of M Hotel Acro (hospital) were ticking me to death. They rarely see patients with Acromegaly on their floor long enough to see any changes. Since I was there 16 days, they got to watch my hands slim down, my cheek bones come back, my jaw line become evident... they would pop in and just look me up and down for a brief moment before administering medications. Dr Sullivan, my neurosurgeon, and Dr McKean, his wife and my ENT, would come and always remark on my "transformation".

I will be posting before and after pictures after my June 30th follow-up appointment. I will also be posting my "transformation" stats, more for me that for you!

Here's where I stand to date:

May 24, 2016
24lbs Loss - I won't tell you what I weighed on 5/9/16!
Back to 5' 6" - On 2/29/16, I was 5' 7.5"

May 25, 2016
GH level: 3.4 - Normal range is 0-4.0. On 2/29/16, I was 9x the high normal at 39.1

May 27, 2016
2.0 lbs Loss