Hashimoto thyroditis and High Prolactin level

I have been going through severe depression for last two days so i thought it check with my thyroid friends to see if anyone out there has some kind of similar thing happening.

My new Endo decided to check few more things , which include testosterones level /prolactin level/ LH/FSH  and cortisol level , by the way i am male .
She found my prolactin level is 24 (range 3-18) and all other hormones in low normal range . As i have been complaining headaches /some times vision disturbance / eye floaters , she thinks i may have pituary gland  tumor  which may compress the optic nerve , i am schedule to do MRI on 31st Dec .
I did lot of search on Google and found Hypothyroidism could be because of that reason although i have +ve  TPO antibody. she thinks most of my problem is because of high prolactin level.
I am wondering is anyone out there seeing similar issue or can share some information with me.
I am really stressing out please reply back as many people as they can.

[rohit_786]

Please reply , i am really nervour

[rohit_786]

Guys common reply, there is no one who has high prolactin level ?

[Jennifer1987]

No but Im very very depressed today!!!! Im hypo and feel really crappy!!!! I feel your pain!

[rohit_786]

I can feel your pain , in thyroid some days are really creepy and you just can't do anything .hang in you will be fine ..

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

your prolactin level is slightly high, but not terribly considering it is only just above range.  So good that your doc is going to check things out, but possibly nothing to worry about.

I have a pituitary microadenoma, but my prolactin levels were in their thousands (I am female).

I also have hypothyroid.  So they can be related.  But in the case they are related normally one would see low TSH as well as low FT3 and FT4.  Given that you have thyroid antibodies, I would think that the thyroid issues are probably separate.  What has been your experience with your TSH, FT3 and FT4 levels?

Ask some more qs and I'll do my best to answer (however, I'll be out for the next 3 days - going on package tour to china for holiday), so please check back later or send me a message directly.

Best wishes

[rohit_786]

Thanks for your response about prolactin level. My TSH/FT3/FT4 took about 3 years to get normalize, do you think other make hormone like FSH.LH and testosterones level are also low normal range , do you think prolactin is responsible for those levels to go low normal ?. For last two times my tsh is kind of in range of 1.0-2.0 otherwise it has been bouncing for 3 years since i diagnose. I am worried about Tumor also , as i have headaches /some vision issues like some time blurry and eye floaters , that can be because of that.

[Kipp44]

Prolactin slightly above normal is not anything too concerning and your endo is doing the right thing checking it out. Prolactin can also be increased with certain medications - such as depots and risperdal - so all those things needs to be taken into account.

[rohit_786]

So that means with this slightly high prolactin level , it should not be tumor , correct ?.Anyways i will be doing MRI tomorrow but kind of scare.
My other hormones like Testosterone level is low normal , FSH is low normal and  LH is also low normal , Do you have optimum numbers for those hormones or do you know where i can find ?.
I have headaches, slight headedness and some time blurry vision /eye floaters, the more i read on internet it seems like i have tumor which will be clear after MRI .

Is there any connection of prolactin level and hashimoto thyroditis ?.

[rumpled]

Elevated prolactin can be from the thryoid, from medications or from a pituitary tumor - so your doctor is just being prudent.

Up to 40% of pituitary tumors do not show up so a normal report can still mean something is there but your tests are pretty low. However, mine were low and my doctors said oh, for sure you do not have one blah blah blah and 12 years later, I had surgery and sure enough, it was there. I am not telling you this to scare you - but just so that if after your thyroid gets all straight and you still do not feel right, so you keep looking for answers. It ended up that I had two different types of tumors but that is really rare.

Get your doc to also test DHEA - that also influences the male and female hormones as well as what is called sex binding hormone and bio-available testosterone which will test all forms. Every lab has different ranges so you have to get copies of your reports - always do that. Optimum ranges depend on the hormone - some you want to be in the middle (most) some you want to be on the high, some the low.

to Kipp 44 -There is no connection between Hashimoto's and high prolactin. See an eye doctor for visual fields.

[rohit_786]

I will post my test results tomorrow , which include FSH,LG, Prolactin,Testosterones level ,Bio available  and others as well .

I believe if i remember correctly my Total Testosterones is 250 (350-1080).
Prolactin is 24 (3-18)

LH and FSH are in low normal range i remember which is probably 2.5(1.7-9.1)  and 3.7 (2.1-10.1). I believe Bio available is 59 (52-160). I will verify in report post again.

I have MRI tomorrow to see where i stand with this tumor thing.

I heard if you have tumor your prolactin must be some where around in thousands or atleast 5 times higher then normal range , any thought here  ?  

[rumpled]

Was your estrodial tested (men have estrogen too)? DHEA sulfate? I would really get a complete look at your thyroid too. I changed my estrogen and had to adjust my thyroid and growth hormone. In my case, I am panhypopituitary and must manage all my medications and levels by taking meds so luckily I found a doctor who looks out for the ramifications of the changes of one can have on other hormones.

Test levels do not necessarily correlate to a tumor. Some doctors think that way but bodies just vary too much.

[rohit_786]

I just got call from my doctor about my MRI result, she confirm that i have pittuary tumor with size of 4/5/6 mm , and that can be reason of my high prolactin level/low testosterone level as per my doctor. I need some more help as doctor did not explain lot to me , she was kind of in rush , she said with Bromocriptine medicine the tumor can shrink or may not shrink i need to schedule time with Neurosurgon and discuss my options. I am really nervous, please guys right back and let me know where i stand and what do i do. is the size of tumor is big?

[rohit_786]

I am just checking if there is any one else out there who is dealing with high prolactin/low testosterone also . I found yestarday that i have Pittuary gland tumor with size of 4x5x6  and probably that is the reason of my high prolactin level . I am going through deep stress from last 3  days so please write back with some stories or search anyone has done in past , this internet is giving me all kinds of things which make me more depress and stressful.

[rumpled]

Your tumor is a microadenoma. It is not considered large. I had one the same size.

Usually it is treated with bromocriptine or as well there is another medication called dostinex. So there can be two options for medications.

Usually surgery is a last resort so... it is unusual to see a surgeon at this point. Usually one takes the medications for a period of time and sees if there is a decline in symptoms, and follow up MRIs are done at regular intervals. Only if the tumor is not controlled by the medication or the side effects are too much to take is surgery done. I am not sure your doctor is experienced with pituitary disorders. You may want to find a neuro-endocrinologist or a different one if this one is one...

I had the surgery. It is done through one nostril so there is no scar. I have had 12 surgeries and I have to say my pituitary surgery was not bad compared to a lot of my other ones!

If you do end up having surgery, pick a surgeon very carefully - one who is very experienced and who has done more than 500 surgeries in his lifetime, 50 in a year. Make sure he has done plenty of your particular tumor as they differ.

Yes, you can really freak yourself out by reading things - that is because people rarely post or talk about the neutral or good stuff.

[Smilerdeb]

Read all you can, research all you can but DONT believe everything you read.
Thats my advice.
Good luck with the meds.

[rohit_786]

Thanks rumpled for your response. My endo is PHd doctor  in endocrinology field , but still not sure if he has any experience in nero side .
Do you know , how soon i expect to see result of Bromocriptine ? have you used the sam e med ,why did you go for surgery ? was your med not working out ?.
Does low testosterone level also responsible for muscles loss/ache ?.I know it shows low libido or low sex drive but does that effect other things also like muscles pain/ weight gain /loss muscles mass ?

Smilerdeb,You are right about read everything but don't believe , i guess it is not working out same way with me . More i read more anxiety increase plus more stress that i may have some un- cureable disease i don't know i am just uphill with my anxiety.

[rumpled]

My case was... well, my docs flat out said I DID NOT HAVE A PROLACTINOMA. No way, No how. I was fully lactating out of both breasts. I had pain, I had all the symptoms. I had the pituitary tumor. But the doctor, who is listed as an expert, flat out told me that there was just no way, no how. My levels were only slightly high on the blood tests and that it was impossible for me to be lactating. He chose to believe the tests, and ignore my symptoms. You may come across that a lot.

I was very reluctantly given parlodel, which finally dried me up. I could finally shave my armpits and move my arms and not scream in pain when anything touched my chest. I even consulted other doctors and was told my tumor was an *incidentaloma* and that to ignore everything, I was fine now. I just had a thyroid problem.

In the end, I just got sicker and sicker and sicker and sicker - as the tumor that was showing was a Cushing's tumor and the prolactinoma that so many docs said was impossible was actually there, hiding on the other side. It showed itself in a dynamic MRI.

Any doc that dismisses the classic hormonal symptoms such low libido and weight gain and such is not doing you a service - you need to do research and find a doctor to get to the bottom of your issue. It may not be just one issue. With me, I had so many and the docs would just stop at one and it just was not good enough. I had thyroid, female, pituitary, adrenal, parathyroid and whatever - it all has messed up.

To answer your question - hormones effect everything. Muscles, libido, pain. For me it was cortisol.

[rohit_786]

That is how the doctors goes , I have been seeing many symptoms for 3 years , running back and forth with many doctors and no one wants to register my headaches complain any where , finally my last doctor wanted to do some hormone test then she discover i have high prolactin  and low testosterone level then MRI and found that tumor.
My main concern which bothers me every day and night , are my symptoms related to my testosterone low level because my thyroid is optimum according to last endo.
I am hitting my head to wall what else could be why do i have symoptoms, does low testosterone can cause all this or pituitary gland tumor.

[rumpled]

I found some articles (eliminate the spaces and then copy and paste)
http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com /labtests/ testosterone.htm where it talks about high prolactin and low testosterone...

http://docnews.diabetesjournals.org /cgi/ content/full/2/12/9

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/ analytes/ prolactin/test.html

Just to be contrary... I managed to have high testosterone levels... so I know it can go either way - most my friends went low but some of us went high. I have to be weird.  Just to add years on to my diagnosis.

[rohit_786]

Thanks for your reply , those links are pretty helpful. I guess for now i just have to wait for  some time to see if Bromocriptine is doing something for me.
I already started 10 days ago.so far no improvement i think it is a slower process.

[rumpled]

If the bromo is not working - and it should work within a couple of weeks to dry you up at least (but there are side effects), ask your doc for dostinex. Most people seem to like that med better. If you live outside the US, there is even another med to try.

Also, do you have copies of all your tests to make sure all the other hormones have been tested - and what are the results? What is your thyroid? All of this too can contribute to your feelings.

[rohit_786]

Yes i do have all my results since day first  and i live in CA . According to my Endo my thyroid now is doing good with following result
TSH 1.67
FT4 1.37
FT3 3.3

My hormone levels are low , which are testosterone level , FSH,LH and Free Testosterone level with Prolactin level.

I have been taking Bromocriptine for last 10 days , i takes in the night with meal and it does have some side effects like  dizziness /sleep disorder.

In MRI report they also found some sinus impression on left side also.

[rumpled]

Without the ranges... hard to say except for TSH which has a standard range.
A TSH like that would drive me nuts, personally. I felt better when mine was under 1.0

Usually my doc wants my TSH as low as possible and my T4 and T3 as high as possible.

I am not sure what sinus impression is. Is that what it said exactly?

[rohit_786]

Some simus impression shows in left side in my MRI. I believe my thyroid is doing lot better then before but may be some more improvement required.
Well i have been asking my doctor same approach to keep my Frees high and keep my TSH low around 1.0 but she thinks the way i am is looking good.
The range we have

FT4 1.37 (0.6-1.8)
FT3 3.3( 2.6-4.2)
TSH  1.67 (.6-3.0)

I am more worried right now is about tumor and hormone level  so i can back in life .

[rumpled]

I know about the worry for tumors. It weighs on you.
Can you put the exact quote of what is in the MRI report? Is there something in the sinus?

[rohit_786]

There are two things in my MRI report ,

1. Pituitary Microadenoma with size of 4x5x6mm on right side.
2. Sinus inflammation on my left of skull. I forgot the exact word for that i will look tonight and post it again.

So i will be seeing ENT specialist , she has expertise in sinus side tomorrow. I would also check my vision with OPHTHALMOLOGY.

Please keep me in your prayer.

[vlewis]

Hi
I am going thru a perculiar time. My throid results (low) have been bouncing for 3 years. I saw the top endo, the one who writes all the books. He put me on 100 mil thyroixine and told me I was fine. I got sick about 6 months later and my regular doctor ordered a few tests and a thyroid test(which the top geezer said I was not to do and only should be teated once a year) my tests came back with thyroid at 45 when it should be around the 4 range. It was explained this meant my thryroid was very low and I now have to check prolaitin levels. I am very concerned. Am I still supposed to be functioning at all with such a score?

[rumpled]

Low thyroid levels can cause prolactin to rise. There can be several reasons.

But it sounds like you got on the losing end on the endo -wars - book guy sounds like a jerk. A year?

Sounds like you need more meds  - and need them now. And a proper endo.

[curiously_calm]

Hi.  I have a thyroid disorder... I don't have any of my results...but I know I have a multinodular goiter along with a casual diagnosis of Graves Disease that isn't being treated in any special way, just frequent visits to the Endo for bloodwork.... the nodule is a solid mass, and the doctor did a biopsy on it with good results that it is not cancerous.  For most of my life I have had irregular periods, I am told I have PCOS, and now the thyroid problems.  I do not take any medications at this point.

Recently I had two periods in one month.  The first period was very heavy, and second more what I am accustomed to.  I also noticed around this time that I have been really tired, and my breasts were producing milk.  I have been breaking out in really bad acne, and sorta stuck on the scale at 145 no matter what I try.  My doctor feels that I have a prolactin secreting tumor and now I am not sure what to think...  what would happen if I don't treat it?  Everything I read about these tumors makes them sound harmless for the most part and common.  Could the tumor be the cause of all of my other problems?  Has anyone else had this experience with the PCOS, thyroid problems, and then discovered they had a tumor?  I guess on a side note, my nose is always difficult to breath through and I have a nasal drip that is aggravating... but no head aches or visual problems.  Could the nasal issues be related to a tumor?  Thanks for your help

[Ella9]

I do not have a thyroid problem but I do have a prolactinoma tumor. Normal prolactin levels should be the maximum of 682 in counts but mine is 3800. My results called it critically high. I've been on two courses of bromine and this made the levels drop by 1000 points but I've been very sick. I have nausea and dizziness and have lost 10kg in 3 weeks. I went for a CT scan but they could not see anything but when I went for the MRI the saw that I had the tumor. I do cope well but I have these horrific headaches. I must get surgery now and the worst thing is that they are going through the skull because the tumor is to big for them to go through the nasal cavity. I'm not afraid but what I do fear is the thought that they are going to operate so close to my brain. I would like to say: To all of you going through this...may you be happy and believe in your medical practitioner and don't be afraid to ask questions. That's why they are there. Be angry if you feel they are not telling you everything and tell them that. That's what I did and I got results and answers in just 3 weeks. Trust in God and your family because there is no one out there who knows what you are going through so don't be afraid tell them so that they can understand and can assist you in your time of need. It works believe me. My daughter is only 4 and I need to be there for her and my husband they 2 are going through a hard time.
Get well soon and know that there are people who understands what you are going through.