Height

ThailandTom

Just a quick random question, when are males meant to have stopped growing upwards in height? I am 23 now and in the last year I have grown out in the sense I have filled out, my shoulders are broader and have become more of a man than a boy type thing. But I am pretty certain I have gained some in height as well. I was under the assumption that guys stopped growing upwards when they were 19-21or something around there. I measured myself today for the first time in years, I cannot even remember how tall I was when I last measured myself, but I am now 181cms.

Tosh

You should've stopped growing in height now, Tom, but you will fill out as you get older (probably). I'm 42 and I've certainly 'filled out', so much so I'm having to run to lose some.

Telly03

I had my full height by 17

NomaDBuddha

@ThailandTom

By the age of 20-21. Judging by the height you've reached, that's not an abnormal height ( I am 1,87 m ). But, the fact that, at 23 years of age, the process of growth continues is a bit alarming ( go to the medic to have your STH levels measured ) .

ThailandTom

I am not 100% sure if I am still growing upwards, I seem to think I am and so does my partner. I have never heard of STH levels before, thanks for the advice though.

ThailandTom

Oh you mean TSH levels? My father has an underactove thyroid and my mother is on the line between normal and overactive. I am known to have built in central heating because I seem to be a radiator, so maybe there is something up with my thyroid. I went to the doctors maybe 3 months ago now about a problem with my throat where I thought I had some form of cancer, she was pretty certain I did not have it but because I mentioned my parents having issues with their thyroids, she took some blood to test my thyroid function. Funnily enough I never went back for the results.. :dunce:

NomaDBuddha

STH- > the growth hormone. Well this is the 'spelling' in Romanian I guess. GH is the English name :werr: :banghead: . This is what you have to check, for now. I don't think your growth process is thyroid related. The signs of thyroid disfunctions would be very, very clear to see.

ThailandTom

lol, thanks for that and don't go bashing your head around on that wall too much.

Cinorjer

Without knowing your actual height a year ago, and absent real evidence like all your pants from a year ago are now obviously shorter on you, you don't know if you're growing taller. People "fill out" and slim down as they gain muscle mass or get chunky and then lose it. From everything I've read, hyperthyroidism causes very noticible growth, so if you accurately measure your height now and in six months have gained an inch or more, you got a problem.

I'm curious, in Thailand would you be able to get the medical care and testing to find out and treat the problem?

NomaDBuddha

I couldn't find the 'facepalm' emoticon so I used the head-bashing one.

Dakini

I don't think everyone grows and changes exactly by the clock. Tom, measure yourself against a doorway, and mark off your height, and the year. Then see if by next year you've grown any. Your growth spurt may (and probably should be) over now, maybe this is the last of it. Are your pants any shorter this year, compared to last? Shirts?

ThailandTom

@Dakini that is a good point, I don't see any changes that are noticable in my clothes, but then again my pants are newer than 6 months old. I will have to measure myself again in half a year.

@Cinorjer I probably could get medical care here yes, but at a price. I do not have any travel insurance, I haven't had any for the 2+ years that I have been in SE Asia. So if there was a problem I most likely would hop back to the UK and make the most of my UK passport and get some good ol NHS treatment.

Tosh

Just for interest, I had a friend who went to the doctors with bad knees from playing rugby. My friend was called 'Buckets' because his hands were huge, like buckets.

The doctor noticed this as my mate rubbed his sore knees (his own, not the docs knees; the docs knees were fine presumably).

Turns out Buckets had a walnut sized tumour pressing against his pituatry gland (in his 'ead) and that affected the growth of his hands.

It was all sorted in the end, but wasn't looking good to begin with.

ThailandTom

lol, thanks for that Tosh. Nice to hear buckets was treated in the end, did his hands stay the same size? I assume they would have done. My hands seem to be normal, but I understand that pressure on that gland in specific can cause growth pretty much anywhere and not just your hands. Brain tumors often have common symptoms of headaches in the morning, mood swings, diet changes, halucinations and a few others if I can remember (I use to be a hypochondriac)