Anyone else with a chronically drippy "dog nose"?

[StumpedRN]

I'm stumped and I've stumped by Endo NP, who has never seen a case like mine.  Originally presented as hypothyroid, now have had weight loss and other symptoms that we wouldn't expect to see with my constantly DECLINING thyroid levels.  I'm severely hypo but with weight loss, very dry, dehydrated looking skin, orthostatic hypotension, very rare headaches, some vision issues intermittently, and a chronically runny, drippy "dog nose" that has become the source of many jokes and nicknames over the last year.  As far as my extremely dehydrated looking skin and appearance in general, I really wonder about Diabetes Insipidus.  

Can anyone relate?  I'm hoping that there is no tumor and that my current (and last) attempt at ruling out that my low FT3 could be due to synthetic meds will be successful - going to do Armour instead of Cytomel and Synthroid for the next month.  I'm an RN and I know enough to have suspected pituitary involvement for a while, but felt that there were many avenues to explore before chalking it up to something lurking inside my noggin.  Wishful thinking, perhaps?!  

I'd appreciate any advice or sharing of experiences.  I am so relieved to have found this forum - it took quite some time and some really determined hunting!

[rumpled]

It sounds like you may be hypo pit or panhypopit. I am panhypopit (that being all my hormones being low, except ADH in my case).

If you had a child, you may have Sheehan's syndrome, or you just may have a tumor or rathke's cleft cyst. So until they do imaging and testing, you won't know.

Whatever you do - keep drinking. BTW most of us are low in D, iron and other vitamins as well. so check those out as well.

[StumpedRN]

Exactly, I've joked about and then later truly began to suspect that the fluid that has been so persistent about exiting my head is quite probably CSF.  I'm now having nosebleeds, which is new.  

I believe you're right on about the DI concept.  I am known for (and teased fairly relentlessly about) two things - my "dog nose" and my incessant use of the restroom.  Heck, we factor the "first trip" in when leaving for church! This would be the only thing I can imagine that would explain the look of EXTREME dehydration with which I've been plagued.  I just look like there is zero fluid in my body.  I drink water constantly, though - however, I have since I was a kid.  I can't say I often feel thirsty; in fact, I hardly ever am.  

Another oddity that has really, really worried me for a while is that my muscle mass has completely wasted away, and I've always been an athlete and very much into fitness and nutrition.  My diet is pristine and has been for at least 4 years, it was ridiculously healthy even before that.  I just can't figure it out - I'm weak, I my muscles tire easily and I have crappy stamina.  I read on the UCLA Pituitary Tumor page that this could be explained by a lack of GH, which does occur in some patients with tumors.  

My oddness doesn't stop there!  ;)  I've had a somewhat non-existent sense of smell for close to a year and a half now, and sometimes can't taste anything, either.  

I have an apt with my GP on Monday and will be begging for an order for a (STAT!) MRI.  

Thanks so much for the welcome and for the reply, Rumpled.  I truly appreciate it.  

[rumpled]

Drippy nose to me would make me think a CSF leak? But you don't have the severed headaches associated with it.

DI is drink/pee drink/pee drink/pee and repeat.

With the weight loss and hypotension - any tests on renin and aldosterone? How are you sodium and potassium?

Not every pit person gets headaches - when was  your last eye exam with visual fields?