Possible Pituitary Tumor?

Hey all! I'm new to the forums. I've had several chronic problems for about 4 years now. I am now 22 years old, and have slowly deteriorated with many bizarre symptoms. Doctors have not checked me with an MRI to the brain or any possible thyroid/adrenal gland problems, although oddly I suspect pituitary.

My symptoms, to sum things up are as follows: A bit of ear pressure ( right side only ), very bad headaches that come and go and they are not migraines, Corners of both eyes are tinged yellow ( this is unusual for me and doctors have noticed it ), extremely strange vivid dreams of which I usually don't remember, lethargy/fatigue/, Unable to gain weight no matter WHAT I do ( I currently weigh 90 lbs and am 15 lbs under weight ), acne on scalp, Hormonal "surges" when I lay down at night that seem to fly up my leg/abdomen ( a tingling hormonal sensation ), extreme hot flashes/ inability to sleep a week before menstral cycle due to brain feeling so active and floaty, Extremely painful menstrual periods, ABSOLUTE intolerance to cold.

Welcome to the weirdest symptom for me though: White stuff comes out of my breasts, and never has before. I am not pregnant, I am a virgin and I have never engaged in any sexual activity.

At times, it feels like something it surging pure hormones through my body and it drives me crazy.

A brief history of me as follows: Many years ago I was in the hospital with what they  suspected was "meningitis" although to this day they were unable to tell me if that what it really was, yet I still had to be hospitalized a while on antibiotics with doctors clueless. I was rushed to the hospital due to "the most painful headache in the world" shall we say, neck stiffness and other symptoms like bad fever and chills. Most of this came suddenly. They would not release me for almost two weeks and finally I could go home.

My question is, does this sound like pituitary tumor or endocrine related? It seems it messes with my hormones the most at times and during my menstral cycle which does NOT feel normal I am virtually non-functioning. Even when I am no where near my period I will sometimes feel this "surge" of hormones.

Thanks for your time

-Natalie

[enzymelover]

Definitely sounds endocrine related to me! The breast issue is probably excessive prolactin. Your pituitary hormones need to be tested. Make an appointment with an endocrinologist, preferably one with pituitary experience. Don't put it off.

[rumpled]

The breast issue can be thyroid or prolactin as well as other issues.

Your previous health issue sounds like it was meningitis - the stiff neck being the basis of that. It can be viral or bacterial, and can be very dangerous. My brother had it.

Why have you not been able to get any doc to check you out? For this issue, it would take a couple of basic blood tests and they could at least get a baseline on a few tests and send you on to an endocrinologist or a neuro-endocrinologist. If you get an MRI, read up on other posts in regards to a dynamic MRI as you want that.

Being underweight, though, it sounds like other issues could be going on - so I hope they do a thorough check.

[lumaluma]

Thank you both for your responses. Is there a specific blood test I can ask about? I have not been able to get a doctor to check me out yet due to time constraints ( bad, I know ) but now i am making time for myself. I also was afraid a doctor would not take me seriously due to the fact well, they usually don't.

[testdeprived]

ask for the pit hormones to be tested.

[rumpled]

What testing have you had?

[LivingInHope]

With the yellow in your eyes, liver function should be checked- ask for bilirubin testing.  And for the lactation, ask for a prolactin test.  With your weight issue, ask for thyroid function testing.  You can tell them why you want these tests- yellow in the eyes, milk when you aren't pregnant or breast-feeding, and inability to gain weight & underweight.

When my prolactin came back high (though number was skewed), my primary care doctor at the time ordered a pituitary MRI.  If they do this, make sure the radiology department knows what  a dynamic pituitary MRI is and that they do them.  If you can get it ordered for the newer 3 Tesla MRI machine, those have a stronger magnet and are supposed to give more detailed pictures, which can be important with the small pituitary gland.

[LivingInHope]

Regarding your extremely painful menses, it is very possible you have endometriosis, which can cause a lot of pain.  I had severe endometriosis myself and painful menses prior to a complete hysterectomy a few years back.  You might get a gyn to test your female hormones, like your estrogen levels at certain time during your menstrual cycle for instance.  But they try to push the birth control pills on you and if they think you have endometriosis, they may try to push depo-lupron on you.  Yuck!

[ph62767]

I to am having these same issues.  Just last Friday I finally went in to see my FCP.  She has been doing lots of test and have more scheduled. My TSH is 237.

[lumaluma]

Thanks for your comments. I will try to get tested soon if time allows. Excuse me, but what are pit hormones?

[Kimmi1565]

TSH, FSH, LH, Prolactin, GH, ACTH, ADH

Explanation on what each is can be found here

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Pituitary.html

or

http://neurosurgery.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=432


Hope this helps!

[lumaluma]

Thanks for your help everyone. I wish you all well. =)

[LivingInHope]

You're welcome!  Please come back w/an update?

[lumaluma]

Yes, I'll come back with an update. I do not have a car yet, but will be going out to get tested the week after this.

I'll let you know what I find out. =)

[lumaluma]

Update: I'm still trying to find an Endocrinologist. Every single one of them wants a "referral" and won't let me see them, but I feel in going to a general practitioner, I'm wasting my time with two appointments. Quite frustrating.

Does anyone have some advice in a doctor that I can see where I will not need a referral?

[LivingInHope]

I think you are going to have to bite the bullet as they say and get your primary care doctor to do the referral.  These endocrinologists guard their appointments to try to get only patients they believe really need their expertise.  Your primary care doctor will likely be willing to order tests such as prolactin due to your lactating breast milk, TSH and free T 4 (thyroid related tests), and liver function with your yellow tinged whites of your eyes.  That should get the ball rolling.  If something alarms your primary care doctor, they might even order your dynamic MRI of your pituitary- I had a primary care doctor order mine!  If something's abnormal with the endocrine system, I don't think they would hesitate to refer you to an endocrinologist if you ask them to.

A gyn doctor would be maybe better than the primary care doctor to go to for ordering tests related to your menstrual cycle, as timing on FSH testing, for example is important and that's who knew when I should get tested for that- a gyn doctor.  If your estrogen is going crazy, that could be an explanation for your sweating potentially.  A gyn doctor would also likely be willing to order a prolactin test for you and probably even thyroid function, as that can affect menses.  Usually, a gyn doctor requires no referral.  But if certain of those numbers are abnormal, they might refer you to an endocrinologist.  

[rumpled]

bump