MicroAdenoma Pituitary Tumor

[Shannon5245]

I have been diagnosed with a MicroAdenoma Tumor it is only 3.7 mm in size..I do not have any symptoms that i know of..I am tired alot but i figured it was from raising a 4 year old by myself. My doctor is a local small town doctor and i fear that he does not deal with these much. He has not offered medicine or any kind of treatment. he just says we will monitor it and see if it does anything . Is this a normal response or should i be looking for a second opinion for medicine or other options...

[rumpled]

I had a prolactinoma and my levels were normal - my tumor was there, but the tests varied. It can happen.

As well other hormones can raise prolactin - cortisol being one of them and that is a hormone that is known to cycle. I bet that was not tested at all. That makes you tired too - tired, depressed, acne - lots of non-specific things and lots of other things like diabetes and high blood pressure can come from it.

If you look up non-functioning tumors (lousy name) they are large, and have mass effect symptoms and actually require surgery immediately. What he meant to say is that you have an incidentaloma. I am not found any real people with an incidentaloma, just docs that say that. I was told mine was that - and I am disabled for my tumors. I am so happy they said to ignore mine... not.

[Shannon5245]

Thank you for the advice. My prolactin level was 12.8 when i first found out and now it is within normal range. He says it is a non functioning tumor. I just know that in such a small town he doesn't deal with this much and wanted some enlightment on what i need to do to keep me well. He says it is only 3.7 mm so it is a Micro but it is not secreting anything .. I don't know if i should wait the six months for the next blood test and see if it is still not doing anything or should i react now and get a second opinion. I think i am driving myself crazy over this thing.The doctor tells me i shouldn't have even found out i have it and that most women live their full lives and never know that they had it.

[horselip]

Hi Shannon-
Being tired a lot could be hormonal. That's why the lab tests are important. Only a neuroendo really will know all of the hormones that should be checked. They tend to be at larger Medical Centers that are linked with medical schools. Houston or Dallas should have these types of facilities.
Horselip

[rumpled]

Size is not a factor in these tumors. You have to have had some sort of symptom in order to have had the scan. Waiting and monitoring in most cases does little - you need to have lab testing to determine the type of adenoma. While 99.9% are benign (which your doctor learned in medical school so he thinks there is no urgency) the action of the hormones that some of them secrete can do a lot of damage up to and including death. You are clearly not near death, but you need to still know what type it is as if it is one of the dangerous types, it can be treated and should be - and should be monitored not with only MRIs (they tend not to grow much usually) but with lab testing.

A neuro-endo is best.

Your current doctor does not deal much with them and his skill lacks - that is fine but that does not mean your health should go down. Pituitary tumors have very subtle symptoms which make them very difficult to diagnose - mine took over 12  years.

Please do some research and find a different doctor for your hormones.