Bellevue woman diagnosed with rare pituitary disorder

Volunteering once a week at the gift shop in Overlake Hospital becomes harder and harder for Sharon Zuvula. The 75-year-old Bellevue resident copes day by day with symptoms related to Acromegaly, a hormonal disorder caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland.

Zuvula recently joined a large group of patients and their family members for the Seattle Pituitary Center Patient Education Day, a day-long symposium at Swedish Medical Center on the hospital's Cherry Hill Campus in Seattle. The symposium gave Zuvula and others a chance to share their story and to connect with others living with Acromegaly and other pituitary-related diseases.

Acromegaly, often referred to as Pituitary Gigantism, can result in abnormal growth of hands and feet, enlarged facial features, weight gain and decreased muscle strength. Acromegaly affects an estimated three to four people out of every million people.

Sandy Hadfield of Kirkland was diagnosed with a pituitary disease after seeing a doctor in Bellevue who thought her symptoms may point to something more than a thyroid condition. At the symposium, she shared the importance of support when living with a life-changing disease.

"It's been a very tough journey," she said. "My husband has been my rock who has helped me get through this day by day. I don't know what I would have done without him. It's so important to find that support."

Acromegaly, the often misdiagnosed hormonal disorder, has left Zuvula with extreme fatigue, joint pain, and a constant struggle to make it through the day.

"People ask me all the time how I'm feeling and I just tell them I'm doing okay because it's hard to explain Acromegaly to someone who has never heard of it," she said. "I smile and do my best to keep going."

When Zuvula first began noticing various symptoms of the disease over the years, she brushed it off as age-related issues.

"I thought I was just getting older and of course I was going to feel more tired and things were going to ache," she explained. As months went by, Zuvula began to notice her rings no longer fit on her fingers and she could no longer fit into her shoes.

It wasn't until a chronic headache prompted her to go to a doctor that she began to wonder if her headaches were caused by something more serious. On her own initiative, Zuvula went in for a MRI. Her physician noticed a large tumor on her pituitary gland.

Zuvula was referred to Swedish Medical Center for treatment. About three months ago, she had surgery to remove the tumor. Since then, her hands, feet and facial features have begun to return to what they were prior to the disease. She still suffers from the aftermath of the disease that has left her drained of energy.

"I'm very lucky I was diagnosed when I was and that a place like Swedish Medical is so nearby," she said. "The doctors here are amazing and they took really good care of me. I'm very thankful."

Dr. William Ludlam, director of the Seattle Pituitary Center at Swedish, sees roughly 200 to 250 patients a year to either rule out or diagnosis a pituitary-related disease.

"Having a center like this one at Swedish is a huge advantage for this area," Dr. Ludlam said. "People travel from all over the country to receive treatment at Swedish, yet we have it in our own backyard. This center is invaluable."

To learn more about the Seattle Pituitary Center at Swedish Medical, visit www.swedish.org.

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