mass on adrenaline gland

[paul8]

do anyone have a mass on their adrenaline gland? i was told that i have one and i dont know enough about it and would like to know. someone told me that it is the same as a tumor, is this true?

[borninquisitive]

First thought: Pheochromocytoma

See here:
http://www.endocrineweb.com/tenpercent.html

What are your symptoms that lead you to seek medical attention?

[borninquisitive]

In greater depth(pheo): http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1816.htm

[paul8]

thanks for the information. i went for a cat scan on my lungs because i had a breathing problem and the doctor said that cat scans pick up things that they were not even looking for. the lungs were fine and now i have the mass on the adrenaline gland and i have a widening of the main blood vessel to the heart and i am told that means an aneurysm of the heart, neither is good. i am 45 years old.

[borninquisitive]

Nothing outside of "normal" isn't good per-sey. However, many things are correctable (surgery) and/or controllable.

I hope you find more answers and better yet, eventual "relief."
I don't know much about either, only what I've read as of late.

Best to you,
~Kate

[paul8]

unfortunately i am a chronic worrier and i have alot of stress in my life right now, plus i am a smoker and i drink pepsi one after the other all day long and my diet is just terrible so i have alot of strikes against me. thanks for your help.

[borninquisitive]

I understand perfectly and think many here would too.
As for me, I too am a smoker, drink caffeine and...have problems (undiagnosed as of yet.)

I should imagine that you have a follow-up appointment to your diagnosis. Finding out the problem is half the battle. It sounds like that part is figured out.
Take it one day at a time. If Pheo, from what I understand-90% are not malignant. As for the aneurysm, did the doc have a plan of action?

Hang tight.

Best,
~Kate

[paul8]

i have to have another cat scan in three months time and a 24 hour urine test this week and more blood work to see if the mass on the adrenaline gland is causing me to be tired all of the time. it might be the caffeine in the pepsi/ to much sugar. i think the doctor went and made it look like it was not serious because he knows i am stressed out and i worry constantly every day. i hope you have some luck with your problem. why in this day and age cant they find out whats wrong with you.

[paul8]

i should tell you that i was not thinking when i used a guys name as a nickname for this forum because i am a women. i used the nickname because it is my best friends name.

[nannieof2]

I too have a mass on my adrinal gland and all I got out of the doctor is===don't bother it unless it starts bothering me. But I can tell by the pain that it is geting worse. But im like 60 % of people these days NO INSURANCE  and cant get nothing done about it. Im also a smoker and a coffee drinker and lots of stress but the doctor didnt mention any of those things he just said that it is because of blood counts being too low. Like I said he didnt say much. SO ANY THING YOU COULD TELL ME WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL thankyou

[kritty2009]

Do you have any other symptoms? Are you overweight? Always thirsty? Is the pain mild- does it occur when your doing light lifting? Back pain?  Besides having a mass, are you sick in any way?

[doctornee medical]

Hi
Welcome to the forum!
As far as I can understand, you were being evaluated for pain (may be in the abdomen). During a scan an adrenal mass was found. Generally a mass more than 6 cm in greatest diameter on adrenal gland is considered for further evaluation. Smaller masses are left as such and are generally not the cause for any symptoms.
A 24-hour urinary free cortisol measurement to evaluate for Cushing's syndrome is done for bigger masses along with other hormone essays for pheochromocytoma; and a serum potassium level for hyperaldosteronism.
It is difficult to comment beyond this without further information.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[nannieof2]

i have severe pain . thirsty yes sometimes i can drink and drink and i have to urinenate alot it doesnt matter how much i lift which i dont do alot of. and im under weight that is why a cat scan was done cause of a huge weight lose, im always sick. which i am now.  my potassium level is usually low right along with my blood cells and all. anything you can fill me in on would be of great help. good or bad please let me know. thankyou so much

[kritty2009]

because you haven't gained a lot of weight and a cat scan would show problems with the pituitary gland, my suspicions of cushing's seem unlikely.  i would follow the advice of doctornee^^.  how large is your adrenal mass? do you know what type of mass it is? what kind of pain are you experiencing? your blood cells are low-- which ones?
let me first say that i am not a doctor, but an increase in potassium rich foods is recommended for the restoration of adrenal gland function.  whether or not your adrenal gland is impaired, i don't know; but low potassium isn't helping, so take those supplements.  if the mass is affecting your cortisol levels (stress!), that would explain an increased likelihood of getting infections, like you were saying.  if you are fatigued, know that sometimes thyroid problems overlap adrenal problems.  in this case,  you should have your adrenal and TSH levels assessed (especially if you experienced massive weight loss).  next time you see your doctor, ask questions.  come with a written list of concerns (including whether or not you should get that mass biopsied).  hope you get this resolved!

[doctornee medical]

Hi
Very thirsty, drinking a lot of water and urinating a lot along with losing weight—you must get evaluated both for diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mellitus is a disease of pancreas with these symptoms. Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a disease of adrenal gland  and/or of pituitary in the brain. Both the problems can co-exist in a person. In DI the kidney is unable to concentrate urine. Potassium levels are low in the blood.
It would be good if you could see an endocrine specialist. Maybe your PCP can help get a referral.
It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!