MIAMI – When Anthony Bucher's ring size went from a 10 to a 16, he didn't know what to think.
It turns out that Bucher suffers from acromegaly, the same condition that afflicted the famous wrestler Andre the Giant.
"My hands and feet started growing over time. I would look at my face and wonder why my jaw was pushing out and my cheekbones were growing," Bucher said.
Years went by before Bucher was diagnosed with acromegaly.
"Patients with this disorder typically present with changes in their hands and their feet as well as in their facial features," said Dr. Atil Kargi, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Kargi said the condition is caused by an excess of growth hormone.
"It's almost always due to a pituitary tumor that's secreting high levels of growth hormone affecting all parts of the body," Kargi said.
Symptoms may also include headaches, sweating, fatigue and hypertension.
"Patients with acromegaly, if left untreated, have a life expectancy that's about 10 years shorter than average," Kargi said.
The good news is if acromegaly is caught early, doctors can remove the tumor.
"A neurosurgeon will actually go through the nose and right underneath the brain, remove the pituitary tumor," Kargi said.
Up to 90 percent of patients are cured of symptoms associated with acromegaly.
Bucher's tumor could only be partially removed, so he also underwent radiation.
"Radiation actually takes three to five years to take effect," Bucher said.
Bucher gives himself a daily shot to reduce his growth hormone. He said the medication is costly: up to $20,000 a month.
Insurance and a grant from Pfizer is helping Bucher cover most of the cost.
Although rare, children can also suffer from acromegaly.
For more information on clinical trials for acromegaly and other pituitary problems, click here.