I was told something for the first time today: I might have gigantism...

[mikeofaustin]

I was talking to a good friend of mine today and we were talking about T-shirt sizes. I was surprised he was at a 'large' and I told him that I'm a 2X. He told me, "Mike, you are a very big guy". And that's when the conversation started... To me, 2X is 'normal' for my size.
Now, personally, when I experience my surroundings, I don't feel gigantic, but I do have this sense [for as long as I can remember] that everyone around me seems to be 'made' for a lot smaller person than I am. For example, everywhere I go, seats in a restaurants seem to be made for 'small' people. Baseball caps are always made for small people and kids (I've never had one that fit my head). Even shoes, drinking glasses, seats on an airplane, garden gloves sold at Home Depot... Everything seems made for very small people, and I've always explained that to myself as "Oh, those companies are just cheap and don't want to put a lot of material into making a superior product".

But again, low and behold today... he tells me that I might have gigantism. He then clarifies and says, "Yes, you might be a few pounds heavy, but even if you dropped that weight, you would still be a huge guy". Then the group that I'm with starts talking about how people with this problem die early, etc, etc... that thought alone made me think... But truth be told... I'm now, for the first time, thinking that everyone else just might not be 'small'. But, maybe I'm just 'big' and didn't see it from my perspective. I guess it would explain why I seem to break a lot of chairs I sit in...

I've done this all my life... I've ALWAYs thought that everything in this world is made cheaply and for small people.... But the strange thing is, I don't 'feel' big at all. I've got some thinking to do. (for the record, I weight 265, and I'm about 20 pounds overweight. 235 and I'm slim(!)).

[spartacus53]

You would really be unable to tell if you had gigantism unless diagnosed by a doctor. Question: Are your feet, hands, and head still growing? 265lbs is a good amount of weight to be toting around unless you are over 6' 5", even then it may be a little much. In a real case of gigantism, your bones continue to grow over your lifetime, so if you've gone from a size 10 to 14+ shoe, there is a good chance you have it

I have what I call yo-yo syndrome.... Over the past few months I have gone from 240 to 225, back to 240 and have finally dropped to 185 and I am just over 6' 1"

[FarmerChick]

that is a real medical problem. it is excessive growth hormone. usually a tumor on the pit. gland etc.

and you would have skeletal problems also.


it is probably you are a big guy. people are bigger now. food/med care/easier lives etc. make people more stout than olden days. and if those bigger genes are in the family, good chance you are going to be a big person also.

we are tall. my bros are 6'2 and 6'4. one is on the slim side and one is on the big boned guy side.
the big guy even if he loses weight still seems big. go figure? lol


if you must know, go to a dr. and get checked.

[mikeofaustin]

You would really be unable to tell if you had gigantism unless diagnosed by a doctor. Question: Are your feet, hands, and head still growing? 265lbs is a good amount of weight to be toting around unless you are over 6' 5", even then it may be a little much. In a real case of gigantism, your bones continue to grow over your lifetime, so if you've gone from a size 10 to 14+ shoe, there is a good chance you have it

I have what I call yo-yo syndrome.... Over the past few months I have gone from 240 to 225, back to 240 and have finally dropped to 185 and I am just over 6' 1"

I'm now at size 17 shoe... about 5 years ago, I was at size 16.

[spartacus53]

That is a large shoe size...

Maybe you should get some wood and build your own shoes, or wear the box they came in

[The Beep Goes On]

* Note to self: Don't make Mike mad.

This might help: http://www.medstudents.com.br/endoc/endoc8.htm

A trip to the doc may be in order, but take it easy bro; odds are you're ok.

[ivan salis]

try being 50 year old -- 6 foot 1 -- 64 x 32 pants - size 6 xxxxxx shirt size 13 EEE wide shoe and size 13 ring finger - 410 lbs --life is hard when your "huge"

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Hmm mi pappy and all of his bros and his sister were over 6'5", he was 6'6", but ME, sniff 5'8" -- OK, ok, enough of the jokes. sheesh. He was mi pappy honest, my off spring well shows this, 6' +.

Mike are you definitely still growing in size? maybe yer just a late grower in your second childhood similar to me, except for the growing. Another thing Mike, were you a fastidious dresser before? Dress for style, instead of comfort, as now?

Here in Mexico in just one generation of better eating and gov supplements, the average is climbing to 5'10" - 6' , yet when I first came here, it was about 5.7, 5.8"In any event a simple med check will clarify it up for you .

Don Jose de La Mancha

[RGINN]

If you're comfortable with how you feel, then don't worry about it.

[rockhound]

I saw a picture of this Dutch woman a while back that had gigantism. She was 8 foot plus, and weighed over 300 pounds. A beautiful woman with blonde hair and hourglass figure, but when she was shown with some of her girlfriends walking down the street, they were dwarfed by her size. You would think that she would have been disproportioned, but she looked normal, but huge. Good Luck. rockhound

[mikeofaustin]

You would really be unable to tell if you had gigantism unless diagnosed by a doctor. Question: Are your feet, hands, and head still growing? 265lbs is a good amount of weight to be toting around unless you are over 6' 5", even then it may be a little much. In a real case of gigantism, your bones continue to grow over your lifetime, so if you've gone from a size 10 to 14+ shoe, there is a good chance you have it

I have what I call yo-yo syndrome.... Over the past few months I have gone from 240 to 225, back to 240 and have finally dropped to 185 and I am just over 6' 1"

Funny you should say this. In my early thirties, I was shoe size 15... ten years later today, I'm now at 17, and they are tight now. My hands have always 'been huge. In fact, when I need a reference of a 1-foot length, I stretch my hand out and measure between my thumb tip and pinky tip... that's right at 11 inches., and I just add in and extra inch for a full foot.

[The Beep Goes On]

The article I posted will tell you if you have it or not if you can wade through the medical jargon.

[rockhound]

I was watching a documentary a while back where thry were exploring the gigantism phenomena. One woman, who was Dutch, had a different type of gigantism. She was over 8 feet tall, and weighed over 300 pounds, but was not dispropotionate in any areas. She was a beautiful blonde haired woman with an hourglass figure, but when seen walking along the streets among other people, she dwarfed them. Standing shoulders above even the tallest men and women there. They didn't say what the average height of the Dutch were, but she was a giant. rockhound