Enlarged pituitary

[jjr124]

Well recently I was diagnosed with an enlarged pituitary and have an appointment to see an endo. I have been waiting 2 months now to see him and it is making me a little stressed. My regular doctor could tell me nothing, and I have been doing some research online and only finding bad things. I guess I just would like to know what I can expect the Dr. to say when I do see him. I have suffered for years with migraines and finally started having vision & memory problems and had to convince my doctor that there could be a real problem.  Should I be worried?

[rumpled]

I don't know where you are looking that only finds bad things.
Pituitary tumors yes, are benign typically - but depending on the type (there are many different kinds and not all are equal), some have more impact than others.

Your regular doctor knows nothing as pituitary tumors are not well known, are usually ignored, and are considered rare. You need to get to an expert. The second post is pretty much a good story as to why you need to get to experts - the person who is still undergoing personality issues and symptoms is probably having issues and needs more hormone replacements and needs more help. You see, once you are a pituitary patient, you are always a pituitary patient. You need monitoring forever. Things well change and after surgery, the hormones change as well as sometimes the tumors grow back.

As for the woman who is lactating, she can be treated with medications - that type can be treated with medications. Not all the types can be treated with meds right now so you need to get a lot of tests to know what is going on.

I had two pituitary tumors - Cushing's disease and a prolactinoma so I had to do a lot of research. Prolactinomas can be treated with meds but Cushing's must be treated, at this time, with surgery. Cushing's though, is hard to diagnose, so it took 12  years and now I am disabled. Cushing's is a very destructive disease and can be fatal. Acromegaly is the same even though the tumors may be small.

You need to make sure that you get a lot of hormonal testing to make sure that you are diagnosed correctly, that you are monitored, that you are not dissed (doctors may not understand an enlarged gland often means a tumor is present), so you may have to travel to get the proper help. I tried to get help locally but ended up going 3000 miles to get the help I needed.

As long as  you are treated properly, you need not be worried. Just get copies of everything and make sure that understand everything.

Encephalomalcia - your friend with the mood swings needs to see her doc or a specialist - she probably needs growth hormone, thryoid or some hormone adjustment to feel normal again. One cannot have surgery and just be left *alone*.

[Encephalomalcia]

If this is a tumor, the pituitary tumors are usually benign.  There is medication that can be taken to help shrink the tumor.  My friend had a pituitary tumor which was so large that if she did not have surgery, she would go blind.  She researched and found a surgeon.  She said it was hard finding a surgeon that would do the surgery.  The surgery was done through the nose.  The tumor was removed.  The bad part is her personality is completely different and she is very quiet and to herself.  She is not happy anymore and has mood swings.  It is almost like severe stroke like symptoms (how is affects the personality).  She used to be very happy, silly, and full of life.  It is very sad.  If you do have a tumor be very careful at what you decide.  Do your research.  My other friend also has a pituitary tumor.  She was lactating from her breasts and this is how she found out about the tumor.  That is one symptom along with mood swings.  She has choosen to take medication instead of surgery.  Her doctor does not recommend surgery for her.  She is doing fine.  Pituitary tumors are suppose to be rare, yet I have two friends that have them and I live in a small community.