Confused...

[molleym]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone can help me, I have just had a request from the dr's surgery that they need me to repeat my blood test that was done last week, on the request they want just prolactin, recently my breasts have got tender and sore and rather lumpy... no secretions though. I also have hypothyroidism, and depression, am taking 100mcg thyroid tablets and mochlobemide antidepressents as well as Kliovance for HRT. To cut a very long story short, I had my ovaries removed after a laparoscopy punctured my bowel in they found them adhered to my abdominal wall, I had a hysterectomy some 15 years ago due to heavy periods. I have several awful bouts of stomach upset, I also suffer from IBS, and have also been told I have adhesions... This episode of stomach trouble was more localized to under my rib cage on the right hand side, I have had a recnt scan for this and get the results on Monday 7th June, I also get the occasional headaches although not everyday. This recent lab test has completely thrown me and I am worried that I may have this tumour in my pituary galnd... any answers or theories wouldbe greatly appreciated.  I guess my case is quite complex in that taking antidepressants and thyroid could throw prolactin levels out on there own ???? just concerns me as to why now when I have thyroid tests every six months and nothing come up before in the 5 years I've had it ?

[rumpled]

Mine did. I still had a prolactinoma. Doctors find that very hard to understand that hormones cycle or fluctuate (hello, period?) but they can.
Besides, other hormones can raise prolactin like cortisol, and cortisol does cycle.

Just because they did not do adequate testing does not mean you have no issue.

[molleym]

went to dr's prolactin back to normal range, is that possible for it to fluctuate ??

[rumpled]

It is totally unknown what to expect unless you know what you have.
You need to get to an endocrinologist and get proper testing. Just testing one hormone is not adequate. At least test all the androgens. But if they were smart, they would go further and test you more thoroughly and do pituitary, androgens and adrenals to cover a lot more and rule things in and out.

Even though your ovaries are gone, your adrenals produce a hormone called dhea (best test, dhea sulfate) that is a precursor hormone to both testosterone and estrogen. Those hormones can easily convert into each other. So you have them - and the pituitary is communicating with them in a feedback loop, so you need testing.

You may need other thyroid testing - T3? Free T3?

[molleym]

Thanks for your response. I am seeing a GP and to be honest I have had so many non plussed comments and reactions like its nothing,  its beginning to weigh heavily I really don't know what to think.  I just know I am not imagining any of it. I do not have periods anymore as I had a hysterectomy 15 yrs ago, also do not have ovaries,as they were removed when I ahd a laparoscopy and they punctured by bowel, so ended up having a total oophrectomy and bowel repair, which was horrendous,I was in ITU for 4 days and took me six months minimum to recover, been on anti depressants for 2 yrs, and HRT for 5 years so who knows would just like to know what to expect really...

[rumpled]

It is possible.

Sadly, you have actually shown symptoms of hormonal imbalance before, so just running a prolactin test is kinda IMHO, inadequate, but I am just a patient who is rather impatient. I had a prolactinoma. It can be treated with medication and it can cause a lot of period, mood, breast and other issues. Other hormones can impact the gastric system and cause depression as well so they really should be running a full pituitary panel not just one of them but perhaps that will give part of the story.

Are you seeing an endo, a neuro-endo or GP? The good thing is that if you get the pituitary treated well, the depression tabs can go! It is a symptom, not anything in of itself. Thyroid disease can cause high prolactin too.