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Enlarged Pituitary Gland
Hi everyone,
This is my first time posting on a forum (of any kind). I've been having headaches for as long as I could remember. Longer than six years. They would fluctuate from every day of the week to 4-5 times a week. Last year, I went to a neurologist who ordered an MRI of my brain. Apparently the radiologist made a note for the doctor to look at my pituitary gland so another MRI was ordered with contrast. The neurologist told me that my pituitary gland was on the "larger side of normal." Also, he ordered blood work which revealed that my b12 was on the "lower side of normal." He wanted to put me on small dose of blood pressure medicine for my headaches. I didn't take the medicine and I never went back.
Fast forward exactly one year. I went to an endocrinologist for a second opinion. He, too, ordered an MRI with contrast. My results came back yesterday. My pituitary gland has grown slightly since my last MRI. The scan did not reveal a tumor. The doctor pretty much said that there's nothing to do except let it keep growing. He said surgery and radiology would be too drastic (and I agree) so he prescribed me Dostinex because its been proven to shrink pituitary glands. However, my prolactin level was normal. He said he felt "iffy" about one of my levels, I think it may have been cortisol. Its was 10. But that's in the range of normal. I don't know, maybe it was something else. It was a lot of info to take in at once. Anyways, after that he ordered more blood work for ferritin and prolactin again.
Basically, my question is: Does anyone else have this going on? My headaches are getting severe (although less frequent) and my vision is starting to change. Not double vision or anything, but it just hurts to look. Hard to explain. Does anyone know what I should do? Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.
This is my first time posting on a forum (of any kind). I've been having headaches for as long as I could remember. Longer than six years. They would fluctuate from every day of the week to 4-5 times a week. Last year, I went to a neurologist who ordered an MRI of my brain. Apparently the radiologist made a note for the doctor to look at my pituitary gland so another MRI was ordered with contrast. The neurologist told me that my pituitary gland was on the "larger side of normal." Also, he ordered blood work which revealed that my b12 was on the "lower side of normal." He wanted to put me on small dose of blood pressure medicine for my headaches. I didn't take the medicine and I never went back.
Fast forward exactly one year. I went to an endocrinologist for a second opinion. He, too, ordered an MRI with contrast. My results came back yesterday. My pituitary gland has grown slightly since my last MRI. The scan did not reveal a tumor. The doctor pretty much said that there's nothing to do except let it keep growing. He said surgery and radiology would be too drastic (and I agree) so he prescribed me Dostinex because its been proven to shrink pituitary glands. However, my prolactin level was normal. He said he felt "iffy" about one of my levels, I think it may have been cortisol. Its was 10. But that's in the range of normal. I don't know, maybe it was something else. It was a lot of info to take in at once. Anyways, after that he ordered more blood work for ferritin and prolactin again.
Basically, my question is: Does anyone else have this going on? My headaches are getting severe (although less frequent) and my vision is starting to change. Not double vision or anything, but it just hurts to look. Hard to explain. Does anyone know what I should do? Any help is appreciated.
Thank you.
Sorry I should have been more specific. My prolactin levels were normal before I took the dostinex. It was at 9. I think the endo that prescribed it didn't know what else to do since all my hormones that he tested came back normal so he just gave me dostinex. This endo doesn't let people take medicine that they don't need. He wants the get to the bottom of what is causing my enlarged pituitary and not just treat it with medicine hoping that it decreases. I never liked the dostinex. It made my headaches worse. They were excruciating. So I'm glad he took me off them.
Uh, the levels are normal because of the dostinex normally and one is usually on the repression med for long times, sometimes lifetimes. That is not normal.
IS this a neuro-endo? If so, find another. And the doc should not ignore a bulky pit, it is well known to potentially be an issue.
IS this a neuro-endo? If so, find another. And the doc should not ignore a bulky pit, it is well known to potentially be an issue.
Well, this endo had me stop both my b12 shots and dostinex. He says that my prolactin is normal so no need for me to take it. He (in his words) "treats causes not symptoms" so he wants me to stop taking those two medications. He took my blood and put one vial in a thing that began spinning and the other vial in a fridge/freezer looking thing. so I think that's what you guys mention earlier. I go back September 2nd for results.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I'm seeing another endocrinologist tomorrow so hopefully he will be able to give me some answers. Or at least order more tests to get to the answers.
Reading your results... they pretty much seem normal...but they havnt checked a 1/3 of what i had checked...not that i can see.
Your Pituitary is mildly enlarged 11mmx13mmx10mm. A normal gland can be 9mm. There is no evidence of adenoma. So im guessing you have a bulky gland like i did. There is no evidence of anything else on your scan which is a good thing :).
Just to give you an idea... this is what they checked of mine after they found i had a Bulky gland...
FBC ( full blood count)
ACTH
8am Cortisol
Midnight saliva cortisol
24hr UFC
U E &C ( Urea Electrolytes and creatinine )
urine steriod profile
Glucose
Prolactin
TFT (thyroid function test )
plasma lipid study
FSH (follicle stimulating hormone )
LH ( lutinising hormone )
Progesterone
E2
Somatomedin-c
serum Androgenic hormone investigation
ESR
LFT ( liver function test )
Then i had MRI Head
CT from neck to pelvis
Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus sample
That just gives you an idea of how many tests are done to check a Pituitary gland fully
By the way i had like 4 rounds of testing one lot each month for 4 months, just to confirm findings.
Your Pituitary is mildly enlarged 11mmx13mmx10mm. A normal gland can be 9mm. There is no evidence of adenoma. So im guessing you have a bulky gland like i did. There is no evidence of anything else on your scan which is a good thing :).
Just to give you an idea... this is what they checked of mine after they found i had a Bulky gland...
FBC ( full blood count)
ACTH
8am Cortisol
Midnight saliva cortisol
24hr UFC
U E &C ( Urea Electrolytes and creatinine )
urine steriod profile
Glucose
Prolactin
TFT (thyroid function test )
plasma lipid study
FSH (follicle stimulating hormone )
LH ( lutinising hormone )
Progesterone
E2
Somatomedin-c
serum Androgenic hormone investigation
ESR
LFT ( liver function test )
Then i had MRI Head
CT from neck to pelvis
Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus sample
That just gives you an idea of how many tests are done to check a Pituitary gland fully
By the way i had like 4 rounds of testing one lot each month for 4 months, just to confirm findings.
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