Frequently Asked Questions by Adult GHD Patients

What is growth hormone, and what does it do?
Growth hormone is one of the many hormones produced by the human body. It signals your body to carry out many different functions, one of which is growth. Growth hormone also helps build muscle, strengthens bones, and increases exercise capacity.

What groups of people become growth hormone deficient?
In general, there are two groups of people who have growth hormone deficiency:
· One group consists of adults who developed growth hormone deficiency as children who received treatment until they reached their full adult height. They may continue to be deficient in growth hormone and to have the problems described above.
· Another group consists of adults who for any reason (such as brain injury, brain tumors, or radiation treatment of the head or brain) have damaged in their pituitary or hypothalamus glands in the brain. These are the glands that control the body's production of growth hormone.

What happens if I do not make enough growth hormone?
If you are growth hormone deficient you will be inclined to have more body fat and less lean muscle. You also will tend to have more cholesterol problems-too much of the so-called bad cholesterol and not enough good cholesterol. This can be a problem and may lead to a higher risk for heart disease. Another potentially harmful result of having growth hormone deficiency is soft bones, which may be more likely to fracture.

What are the signs and symptoms of growth hormone deficiency?
If you have growth hormone deficiency, you are likely to have other symptoms long
before you develop the more serious symptoms of increased risk for heart disease or soft bones. The self-diagnosed symptoms are fairly well defined as some of the following cluster of symptoms: fatigue, night sweats, poor memory, high blood pressure, fluid retention, mood swings, depression, increase in abdominal obesity, decrease in exercise tolerance, and/or skin changes such as dry, itching skin or water retention (swelling in the hands and feet).

How is growth hormone deficiency diagnosed?
If you show some of the signs of growth hormone deficiency, such as excess weight and excessive fatigue, and if you are also in one of the two groups mentioned above, your doctor is likely to recommend several diagnostic procedures. Some of these are aimed at ruling out other possible causes of your symptoms. The most important is a test, carried out in your doctor's office, to determine how much growth hormone your body is producing. These tests document growth hormone deficiency. Fran Ritter, R.N. is performs all of our Growth Hormone Simulation Tests.

How is growth hormone deficiency treated?
Treatment for growth hormone deficiency consists of a once-daily injection of growth hormone. This injection is similar to the insulin injections that diabetics give themselves, except that growth hormone is taken once a day while insulin is often taken several times per day. If you are taking growth hormone you must also be monitored regularly to make sure that the treatment is not only working properly but also is completely safe.

What benefits can the person with growth hormone deficiency expect as a result of treatment?
If you are receiving growth hormone replacement therapy, you will not always feel beneficial effects of treatment immediately. Certain laboratory tests will be able to determine within a week or two whether growth hormone is beginning to have the desired effect in your body; however, you will not be able to feel these effects for some time. After about two months, blood tests may show improvement in cholesterol levels. After six months, you are likely to feel less tired, more alert, and have greater exercise capacity. You may have gained some muscle mass and lost some body fat. These changes in your body may mean that you have reduced your risk of heart problems.

Are there any side effects that people being treated with growth hormone should expect?
Growth hormone replacement therapy causes infrequent side effects such as swelling in the extremities or muscle aches. If you do have side effects, they tend to occur early in the course of treatment and decrease as treatment continues, until they eventually disappear. All side effects disappear if treatment is discontinued; however, it is rarely necessary to discontinue treatment.

What is my role in managing this condition?
The patients who do best with their chronic diseases are the ones who have become highly knowledgeable about their illness. Therefore, the more you find out about growth hormone deficiency, the better you will do. You will not only give yourself daily injections of growth hormone, but also monitor yourself for signs of change or evidence of side effects. The most successful treatment outcomes are when you collaborate closely with your healthcare team and become an active participant in your care.

Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults

Link to Pituitary Tumor Network Association website