Adrenal Tumor - Pheochromocytoma

[Luvlaughlin]

Word just got to me that my father (who I haven't spoken to in many years) has an adrenal tumor called Pheochromocytoma and he also has severe thyroid disease. Has anyone heard of or does anyone here have this type of adrenal tumor?  

[Rite760]

Hi, I'm currently being tested for a Pheochromocytoma also, which is an extremely rare condition. It is a tumour that can grow on one or both of your adrenal glands, 90% of them are benign and very treatable by surgery. The classic symptoms are very high hypertension (although a few people do present with a normal BP), spurts of adrenalin which cause hot & cold flushes, palpitations, anxiety, in other words very similiar to a panic attack. These attacks can happen several times a day or once a week or even once a month. I can sympathasise as if your dad has these symptoms they are very uncomfortable. Surgery involves removing the tumour(s), and in the benign cases results are instantaneous, with full cure, although you do have to be monitored in the future in case of recurrence. It is very rare for it to be malignant, but treatment in this case depends on the stage of the disease, but will also involve surgery and either chemotherapy or radiotherapy afterwards. I also have just begun to suffer from an underactive thyroid. Hope this is of help to you.