Table 3.

Treatment goals shared with health care professionals

Medical treatment goals	How are they achieved?
• Reducing GH and IGF-1 levels to normal – or as close to normal as possible	• Transsphenoidal surgery
	• Medication (if required)
	• Radiation (if required) – most push back against the idea of radiation because of worry about further damage to the pituitary gland, which could necessitate being on hormone replacement for rest of one’s life
• Dealing with any comorbidities that have arisen – high blood pressure, diabetes, weight gain, arthritis, poor vision, pain, sleep apnea, heart condition, jaw/teeth problems, headaches	• Regular blood tests to monitor levels and make certain medications are working
	• Hope/belief that symptoms will disappear or at least be tolerable if they consistently follow the treatment guidelines and protocols

Abbreviations: GH, growth hormone; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor-1.