Can a 4mm Microadenoma cause symptoms?

[Blue727]

Can a 4mm non-functioning microadenoma cause symptoms?   If so, what are the most common?  My Prolactin was tested Monday and was normal, Wednesday was 20, Thursday was normal.

[pato652]

I got diagnosed with right pituitary microadenoma a week ago .Your symptoms are exactly the same like mine.

[TheresaJoan2]

Oh PLEASE SEE ANOTHER DOCTOR! You're getting horrible medical advice! You, like me, are not being heard. You have to be your own medical advocate. You have to educate yourself any way you can. And let me tell you something...a good endocrinologist is very hard to find! I've been to 3 so far and they don't listen. I have 2 other doctors asking ME why I'm not on medication for my thyroid and all I can say is "well, Dr. smith says to wait", DUH! When looking for an endocrinologist be very proactive. Look up the credentials, see where he/she went, what other patients have said and above all ALWAYS remember this is YOUR body! No one, I mean NO ONE, knows you better than YOU! DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES let ANY doctor undermine what you feel and how you feel! This advice is from experience. Take it or leave it, you know your body.

[TheresaJoan2]

You, my dear, are one of the few, not one of the many in feeling that "we're going to live. Enjoy life everyday and count your blessings". You're right that it's not fatal but the misery & sadness and pain that it's brought into my life certainly make me feel like I'd rather be dead. I am a (f), no sex drive, depressed,  migraines so intense I had to quit working. I'm on HIGH doses of narcotics and even THEY can't help the pain.My endocrinologist has told me that there are NO side affects to the prolactinoma!!! Hand to God, she said that. I am in the process of looking for a new doctor. I've been dealing w/ this since mid-year 2009 and the only thing that's changed are my prolactin levels. How sad is THAT!?

[rumpled]

I don't think Blue has complications - it is normal to have follow up. In fact, once you have a pituitary tumor, you will have to have constant follow up for hormone checks and on the tumor.

Things can change, it can grow back etc.

The more skilled the surgeon, the higher the odds of a good outcome.

[amr100]

Where do you live? Blue you will be ok, not everyone has problems after surgery. Like I said go to a experience surgeon and top notch pituitary center and your outcome will be better if not great than if you went to a someone/someplace that does not specialize in pituitary tumors.

[amr100]

I had a nonfunctioning Macro tumor. So mine was large your is small right now and typically will grow larger over time. I was told I didn't have a pituitary tumor because all my Pituitary panel/ blood work came back normal. The only problem I had was low estrogen and not having my period. One day I woke up with a headache and vision blurriness went to the hospital and they did a CT scan and low and behold I had a pituitary tumor. My sodium was low at this point. To make a short story long :) I was not comfortable with my neurosurgeon In Las vegas Nevada so I did some research and went to UCLA ranked 5th in the world. Dr. Bershnider has done over 4,000 of these procedures and also wrote the paperwork you get once you leave the hospital example what to expect, follow up appointments, medicine, phone numbers etc. I left the hospital on a steroid and thyroid medicine ( always a chance you may have to take it for life) I'm now off the steroids and it's very likely I will be able to stop taking the thyroid medicine. (waiting for blood work to come back) My point is you have a better chance at a better outcome with a experienced surgeon. I'm over a moth in a half out from surgery and going to UCLA was the best decision I've ever made. The only problem I have is going back in forth for check ups. I advise you to seek out someone that has done hundreds if not thousands pituitary surgeries to advise you what to do. If you should watch and wait are operate. Sometimes they will operate to prevent problems from arising.

[rumpled]

My idea is to find another doctor. Please find a pituitary center and get a full work up by doctors skilled in pituitary.

MRIs are ok and should be done - but the lab testing is what really needs to be done. These are typically slow growers anyway so waiting for it to grow is not the best tactic. They need to find out the type and treat it. Get copies of all your testing and make sure it is done correctly as well.

Yes, some meds do cause lactation, but once that has passed, it can be other things and you have a demonstrated tumor. Do they know your levels? If prolactin is normal - what are the other hormones?

Did you see an eye MD or an optician?

[mrsfleming091711]

I also have a microadenoma that is 5x5 mm, but the doctors don't want to do anything and say they will follow up in 6 months, which then became 12 months. This month they will be checking the size to see if it is growing or staying the same. What triggered me getting check was the fact I was have breast milk out of my breast and I haven't breast feed for 13 yrs. They check my hormones and said it was all normal but I still have breast milk and they said that is because I was on a certain type of medication that can possibly cause that; but I've been off that medication now for 3 yrs. and it still hasn't returned back to normal. Also my vision has change and is getting blurry but when I went to go see if I need to have my prescription changed for my glasses they said it was normal and nothing needed to change, also I've been feeling extremely tired and have been sleeping 10-12 hours and still feeling tired; I thought I was getting too much sleep so I then started to cut my sleep hours down to 7.5 -8 hrs and still feeling like I'd only had 4 hours of sleep a day. I have no idea what is going on but I feel like if I tell them every single symptom that their going to look at me like I'm crazy or something. Any ideas?

[rumpled]

That being thirst all the time may be ADH - has that been tested? It sounds like you have several abnormalities - and perhaps they all have not been discovered. It is odd that you have high libido - prolactin takes it down.

[MissYuki]

Also I'm always thristy! I'm not sure if its related through. I work with my neurologist and primary to keep the symptoms under control.

[MissYuki]

I too have a 4mm tumor. My prolactin levels are off the chart. I take cabergoline twice a week which makes me feel as bad as the tumor itself. I am tired, sad, and have intense headaches. The silver lining is that my sex drive is out of control. My poor husband cannot keep up. Another plus is its not fatal, were going to live. Enjoy life everyday and count your blessings. Much love!

[rumpled]

Well, think of it this way. Those that are happy do not go around posting their happiness, they go on with their happy lives. So that makes it skewed towards bad things - but you have to really reach down deep in yourself and realize that some of what you read is only part of the story.

There is another part.

All I can tell you is that leaving yourself UN-treated will have no resolution. I am sad that you stick with doctors that are not on your side. At this point, you must research, and find a place that will help you get back to you.

I don't know the percentages for your type of tumor - but right now it is small (which to me is small for a non-functioning tumor, as well as producing a lot of symptoms...). 100% you will will never get better if you stay where you are - and odds are only going to increase if you find a doctor to suit you.

[jlba1067]

blue,

Mine is also 4mm non-functioning microadenoma.I have some of your symptoms.Like you, i am also scared. Being in a country with all the advance medical facilities is your edge.

[Blue727]

Rumpled,

I am really scared, as I keep seeing all these horror stories written by people who had there microadenoma removed and it was much worse after the removal.  I don't know what to do.  I can't live like this anymore, but I don't want things to get worse.  I am tired all the time, no appetite at all, nervous, anxiety, depression, crying, headaches, eye pain, no sex drive and I am a 30 year old male.  I can't tolerate the cold or the heat, sweat really bad, left side of my head goes numb....but I really don't know what to do.  The Mayo Clinic and everyother doctor I saw doesn't think it's a problem.  Is there any percentages you can give me on what the outcome has been for people that have had one removed?  Thanks for all your help...I really need it.

[rumpled]

Yes it can.
Prolactinoma symptoms:
lactation
depression
period changes
headaches
vision changes
libido loss

Mine was 3mm - it was awful - and my tests were largely normal, and I had a large amount of symptoms, and was told that I was fine. However, I had a second tumor as well - but the first few years, only the prolactin tumor was active.