No weight gain, but her wedding ring no longer fits, and shoe size rises from 5 to 7. Top doctor says hormonal disorder could be the reason

A rather strange report has emerged via Hyderabad neurologist Dr Sudhir Kumar. The doctor, who often shares insights about health, fitness, right food choices and other well-being tips on his X-handle, has come up with another medical story. In the post, Dr Kumar revealed that a 45-year-old woman presented with 2 unusual but seemingly common problems, which in reality shed light on a much more complex ailment. It hints that whenever we notice something unusual in our body, we should always book an appointment and check with the doctor.

When small changes point to a bigger health issue

As per the woman, in Dr Sudhir Kumar’s post, her wedding ring did not fit her anymore. What made the situation surprising was that she had been wearing the same piece of jewellery comfortably for over two decades. However, she recently noticed that it had become tight and difficult to slide on or off.


That was not all. The woman revealed that even her shoe size had made a significant increase. While previously she used to wear a size 5 pair of footwear, she now has to wear a size 7 pair because her feet have enlarged. What surprised the woman was the fact that despite these recent physical changes, there was absolutely no major fluctuation in her weight. She measured the same over the past 1.5 years.

What is acromegaly

According to Dr Sudhir Kumar, the woman’s condition could have four possible causes. They were hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis, acromegaly and diabetes Mellitus. No, you do not need to scratch your head, searching for answers, as the health expert has shared it himself in the follow-up post.

As per Dr Sudhir Kumar, the woman was most likely suffering from acromegaly, a type of hormone disorder. Explaining further, he highlighted that a key clue in identifying the condition is the progressive increase in ring and shoe size during adulthood. He noted that acromegaly is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone, most often due to a pituitary adenoma, a benign tumour in the brain, which leads to elevated levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the bloodstream.

Why acromegaly is often diagnosed late

The doctor further pointed out that early signs of the condition often include gradual enlargement of the hands and feet, rings becoming tighter, the need for bigger shoes, and subtle changes in facial features that may go unnoticed initially.

Despite these signs, Dr Sudhir Kumar emphasised that acromegaly is frequently diagnosed late. This is largely because the progression is slow and gradual, often described as ‘creeping,’ which can result in a delay of five to ten years between the onset of symptoms and an accurate clinical diagnosis.