Had Cyberknife in Sept for Breast Ca mets to Pit Gland

[NYDebbie]

Hi, I have a metastatic breast cancer tumor on my pituitary gland. I had surgery that removed 1/4th in Aug, then 5 cyberknife treatments in Sept...1st MRI after in Nov showed a little shrinkage, and my vision bluriness went away....but recently my vision has gotten blurry again and my headaches/nausea is slowly returning....Anyone else have something like this??? I just started chemo again. Doxil once every 3 weeks...
I am 34yrs old, single mom from LI, NY....

[rumpled]

Keep an eye on your sodium and potassium levels. The whole deal with the loss of cortocosteroids is that you will not longer be able to balance sodium which in turn balances potassium. Pred is not the best for that as it has no mineralcoricosteroid (florinef) to hold the salt. So if you feel like you crave salt, go for it. Get some salt tablets, preferably unbuffered (they buffer them with potassium) so you have them handy or just eat a pickle or some chips. A crisis occurs when sodium drops and potassium spikes typically - did your doc give you an emergency shot to carry around? Read up on Addison's sites re what to do in emergency etc.

As your pituitary changes, you may have to take other hormones like DDAVP so if you find that you are thirsty or if you are tired, make sure  you report that to the doctor.

[NYDebbie]

I never heard of florinef..I have to ask about it! My BP is normal...sometimes a lil low...but usually 120/80.My cancer is estrogen positive, so none of that...and never heard of T3 either....Ill ask :0)

[rumpled]

You are on pred - for nausea and headaches but NOT for any corticosteroid replacement, Now pred is my personal NON-favorite for replacements... I noticed that you are also not taking any florinef - which would help you hold on to salt. That would help you with the nausea. Pred lasts too long - kills bone, eyes, muscle...

If you have a non-functioning pit, then you are not taking enough replacements. I know you will not get GH due to cancer, but what about florinef, salt tablets (is your BP low or high?), estrogen or testosterone, T3 (pit people don't convert T4 to T3 well so need some T3)...

[NYDebbie]

Im on Prednisone for the nausea and headaches, Desomopression for diabetus Insipitus, and synthroid for hypothroidism. Thats from the pit tumor....
Then im on aromison for the cancer part. And Doxil for chemo IV....
My neurosurg removed most of the gland during the surgery...so its not functioning...

I see the opthomologist on the 13th.

I also go for my 3 month post cyberknife next week...

[rumpled]

Wow... I have not heard of metastatic cancer to the pituitary...
What replacements are you taking? It may be that you need corticosteroids - nausea signals that you need something. Are you taking thyroid etc? Have you been rendered panhypopituitary? I am, but from surgeries.

Have you had a follow up with a neuro-opthomolagist so that  your visual fields can be tracked and your optic nerve can be monitored to make sure all is well?