Acromegaly

Symptoms of acromegaly

Symptoms of acromegaly can develop slowly. They may include:

• swollen hands and feet
• tiredness or difficulty sleeping
• sleep apnoea
• sweating
• numbness and weakness in your hands
• abnormal height growth in children and teenagers (gigantism)
• body growth – feet, fingers, head, tongue and neck may increase in size
• headaches
• joint pain
• thicker, more oily skin
• a deeper voice
• irregular periods
• erection problems

You usually get acromegaly between the ages of 30 and 50 years old, but you can get symptoms at any age.

Causes of acromegaly

Acromegaly is usually caused by an adenoma (a non-cancerous tumour) in the pituitary gland. This is a pea-sized gland at the back of your brain. An adenoma can cause you to produce too much growth hormone.

Acromegaly is not usually passed on from your parents (inherited).

What happens at your appointment

Acromegaly may take time to be diagnosed.

If the GP thinks you have it, they may ask to see photographs of you from the past couple of years to check any changes.

They may also refer you to a specialist for tests, including:

• blood tests
• an MRI scan of your brain to see if you have a tumour

Treatments for acromegaly

Treatments for acromegaly can include:

• surgery to remove the tumour
• radiotherapy to target the tumour and reduce growth hormone levels
• injections or tablets to reduce growth hormone levels

Treatment usually stops your body producing too much growth hormone and usually improves your symptoms.

After treatment, you'll continue to have appointments with a specialist. They can monitor how well your pituitary gland is working and check that your treatment is right for you.

Complications of acromegaly

Acromegaly can increase your risk of:

• type 2 diabetes
• high blood pressure (hypertension)
• heart disease
• bowel polyps

You'll have regular health checks to monitor these conditions, including colonoscopy screenings to check for bowel polyps.

Recording information about you and your condition

If you have acromegaly, your care team will pass information on to the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS).

This helps scientists find better ways to treat and prevent this condition. You can opt out of the register at any time.