7 Healthcast: Acromegaly

For decades Coleen Caster battled symptoms like headaches, dizziness, weight gain and severe anxiety with no diagnosis.

Coleen Caster, had acromegaly
"I had seen about 15 different specialists."

When she first noticed her teeth shifting in the early 1980's, she went to a specialist.

Coleen Caster, had acromegaly
"I went to an orthodontist and was given a retainer and it seemed to take care of the problem.

But ten years later her teeth started breaking.

And she also noticed other changes, like swelling of her tongue, hands and feet.

Coleen Caster, had acromegaly
"I noticed that my ring was getting really tight and my shoes were getting really small."

For years doctors were still stumped by her symptoms.

Finally, blood work done by Coleen's gynecologist showed she had abnormal hormone levels, and was diagnosed with acromegaly, a disease caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.

Dr. Anne Klibanski, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital "Many, many systems of the body will be affected by this particular disease, so the diagnosis can be difficult to make."

And after radiation and medication --she was eventually cured.

Now, a nurse at mass general, Colleen spreads the word about acromegaly so no one else has to go through what she did.

Coleen Caster, had acromegaly
"Every day to me is a blessing, I don't take anything for granted."

Doctors believe there are a number of patients that have acromegaly and don't know it simply because they've never heard about the disease. They say it often goes misdiagnosed because it can affect so many different parts of the body.

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