Oily/Greasy?

[Vlal]

Anyone found their hair was really, really greasy/oily when they were in the active acromegaly stage? I mean like so greasy it looks like you have stuck your head in a chip fat fryer. I am trying to see if there is some link.

[trys]

Acromegalics can have greasier skin (and also, so greasier hair too), it's a known symptom of the condition.

As the pores grow, so do the secretions.

There are lots of reasons for having oily hair though, so it can't in itself be used as a way in diagnosing oneself with acromegaly.

I have a good crop of hair, although not greasy as such it has kept dandruff away.

[Paul Clarke]

I have been tested for acromegaly and told I don't have it as I have a prolactinoma. My shoe sizr has gone up three sizes in 10 years / my dentist asked me how long I had acromegaly, I had to get my wedding band enlarged, my voice has noticably changed and my tongue no longer fits. I must wash my hair daily as otherwise, the grease makes me look like I havn't washed in weeks. I too have oily skin.

For what it's worth...

Paul

[trys]

If somebody tests negative random growth hormone (GH), negative to (modified) Oral Glucose Tolerance Test for GH, and negative to IGF-1 (age & gender adjusted) then that person does not clinically have acromegaly. That's it.

If however there is a positive in any one of these tests, then it needs investigation further. Some other conditions can alter the outcome of the other test, can result in false-positives (or indeed false-negatives).

Acromegaly "symptoms" apart from this (if presented as a 'constellation' of symptoms) are bundled into the rather nebulous category of pseudo-acromegaly.

Trys

PS Paul - it's worth noting that pituitary tumours can mutate from a certain type of secreting tumour to another (even to/from non-functioning tumour). GH and PRL (Prolactin) secreting tumours have a very close resemblance to each other, and it's common for these tumour to be co-secreting PRL/GH tumours. It may well be that you had a GH/PRL tumour at one point (in other words, you did have acromegaly, but when tested you didn't) which then changed to only a PRL tumour. Perhaps even a GH only tumour, mutating to a PRL-only tumour. Also it's worth noting that groups of tumour cells can just die off due to various physical factors such as competing for a blood supply. Histology of the tumours they take out can sometimes shed light on this.

[JohnwithanhD]

One of the joys of having had my op is that I do not have to change the bedsheets three to seven times a week because of my sweating and oily skin. I still change my pillowcase twice a week (Egyptian cotton, but you can see through it to the pillow because of oiliness), but that is much improved.

I now have, in some respects, the reverse -- lanreotide has given me dry itchy skin on my back!

John

[trys]

John,

You had it bad mate, if there's any plus side at least you are a lot better now. I suppose also, with all that practice, you're a dab hand at making the bed too.

Trys

[JohnwithanhD]

I just thought I had become a sweaty, greasy git. Never suffered from sweatiness much during the day though.

Now I must admit my girlfriend does have a propensity for duvets that Scott could have taken with him to the Antarctic. However, we compromised on the two duvets + hot water bottle on her side (more in winter) and one duvet on mine.

Make the bed? Nah. Use fitted sheets, they iron themselves.

John

[Vlal]

There are lots of reasons for having oily hair though, so it can't in itself be used as a way in diagnosing oneself with acromegaly.

I can't say that I had it in mind to diagnose myself with acromegaly based on my chip fat fryer hair.

[Vlal]

Acromegaly "symptoms" apart from this (if presented as a 'constellation' of symptoms) are bundled into the rather nebulous category of pseudo-acromegaly.

As far as I have read, pseudo acromegaly relates to patients with insulin resistance who have no elevation of GH or IGF-1. I know people who have acromegaly 'symptoms' and have not even remotely got insulin resistance issues.

[molehands]

I too am a greaseball I use gentle clarifying shampoo and end up oily looking within 24 hrs. Nice. With sweating I've had prescription deodorants and powder and pills which dry all secretions up including your eyeballs and mouth big time. All were pretty useless. Also get sick of the night sweats wake up cold and damp. I can get up and there is a damp shape of my body, head to toe. My skin is terribly greasy in morning on face and chest, and I've noticed just how coarse my complexion has become. Could do with sandblasting