Woman’s self-esteem dropped after brain tumour caused nose and chin to grow

Rebecca's chin and nose on the left are much larger than in the right, since having the tumour removed.
Rebecca’s chin and nose on the left are much larger than in the right, since having the tumour removed (Picture: MDWfeatures / Rebecca Churan)

A woman who noticed that her facial features were changing was horrified to learn it was the result of a brain tumour.

Rebecca Churan from Ontario, Canada, said her self-esteem was at its lowest when she noticed her face was changing and becoming ‘ugly’.

The 29-year-old, who works with children in deprived areas, even broke down in tears after witnessing her nose and chin grow.

Despite no immediate changes in her diet, Rebecca noticed a change in the way she looked.

Over the years, she saw more than 10 doctors to address the signs, including weight gain, fatigue, rapid growth in her feet.

Various doctors misdiagnosed Rebecca with borderline diabetes, depression and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

But earlier this year, she was sent for a blood test which measures the quantity of insulin-like growth factor in the body.

The blood test confirmed that Rebecca had a pituitary tumour which was releasing the growth hormone.

Despite not knowing too much about it, Rebecca had surgery through her nose to remove it.

Woman pictured in her bedroom
Rebecca is happier with her features since having the tumour removed (Picture: MDWfeatures / Rebecca Churan)

Rebecca had questioned her unexplained growth for a few years, particularly after her feet grew by a size and a half to a size 10, and she was sure her chin and nose were growing.

She noticed that her face was smaller in old pictures of her.

Before going into surgery, Rebecca traced the outline of her hands to see if they changed size.

Since the surgery, her hands have shrunk by an inch, her feet have gone down a size and a half, she has lost 2st 5lb in weight and her nose and chin are smaller.

‘I told this doctor that my face was changing, and I was getting uglier, and that I didn’t understand why I was gaining weight since I was barely eating,’ said Rebecca.

‘There’s barely any awareness or tools to help people recognise the signs, so many cases are diagnosed as hormonal disorders.

‘I saw the scariest photos of Andre the giant and others who had not been treated early on during the process. I was mortified, scared, and hopeless.

‘I questioned my growth a few years ago when my feet shot up half a size, but I had gained weight too and I thought it must have been caused by water retention or my borderline diabetes diagnosis.’

Rebecca in hospital post surgery
The tumour was removed through her nasal cavity (Picture: MDWfeatures / Rebecca Churan)

The tumour in the brain was then taken out through the nasal cavity. Rebecca said she was petrified of surgery but it was a better option than letting her body continue becoming disfigured.

‘After having the tumour removed, my nose and chin have shrunk, while my feet are down a size and a half,’ she explained.

‘I’ve also lost two stone and five pounds effortlessly. I lost almost an inch off the tops of my fingers and the width of each finger has gone down by about half a centimetre.’

Rebecca hopes to encourage others with an unexplainable problem to stay positive and push for answers.

She was misdiagnosed for many years and was even led to believe she was developing diabetes, but a simple blood test was all it took to uncover the truth.

Rebecca's hand measurements before and shortly after surgery
Rebecca’s hand measurements before and shortly after surgery to remove the tumour which secreted excess growth hormone (Picture: MDWfeatures / Rebecca Churan)

‘Don’t just accept any diagnosis without digging deeper and asking if something else could be causing it.

‘Never judge a book by its cover because those covers can be redrawn, just like more pages can be added to a story.’

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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/30/womans-self-esteem-dropped-after-brain-tumour-caused-nose-and-chin-to-grow-11010983/
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