Disturbed Body Image - Acromegaly Care Plan

Acromegaly is at the top of the list of side effects resulting from the abuse of HGH. This is a condition wherein the bone grows excessively therefore making the facial features and other parts of the body coarse looking. It is usually manifested by protruding jaw, large hands and feet. This can lead to an overgrowth of many of the vital organs, as well as a huge increase in hair and bone tissue. If not treated so, acromegaly can actually lead to death.

Acromegaly is hard to diagnose in early and as a result, the growth hormone is hypersecreted for a prolonged period. In some rare cases, the condition may also result from tumors of the adrenal glands, lungs and pancreas.

A person suffering from Acromegaly may also show symptoms like headaches, weakness, fatigue, excessive sweating and body odor and impaired vision. In women, it may also lead to breast discharge and disruptions in the menstrual cycle. In men, it could cause impotence. Acromegaly is also known to cause hypertension, diabetes, and increased chances of getting a cardiovascular disease.
Having acromegaly can definitely affect one's body image and self-esteem.

Symptoms of Acromegaly :

• Profused sweating
• Body hair increases
• Calcium increases in the urine
• Skin becomes Oily
• Blood Pressure increases
• Swelling of thyroid glands
• Risk of Gallstones increases
• Patients often suffer from headache.

The most common means of treating Acromegaly is radiation therapy which might be used as a primary treatment or it may be combined with drugs and surgery. The therapy is given in doses that are given over a period of four to five weeks.


Nursing Care Plan for Acromegaly 

Disturbed Body Image related to the disease at the stage of development.

Goal:
Within 2-3 weeks the client will have returned positive body image.

Intervention:

1. Encourage clients to want to express their thoughts and feelings about body appearance changes.
Rationale: Information from the client can determine the location of the discomfort as well as to determine the next action.

2. Help clients identify the strengths and positive aspects that can be developed by the client.
Rationale: Positive Aspects of the client is able to foster confidence in the client.

3. Collaboration of drugs.
Rationale: Given the client with acromegaly, to reduce the size of the tumor.

4. Observation of the side effects of drug delivery.
Rational: Orthostatic hypotension, gastric irritation, nausea, abdominal cramps, and constipation.