Aa
Sept. pituitary MRI results
I got a letter from the endocrinologist today, but I didn't trust him because he was not a very nice acting person towards me, so I called after learning MRI dept. was actually open on Saturdays and learned other than a deviated pituitary stalk, they saw no clinically significant abnormality regarding my pituitary! So, it would seem my tumor is gone! Once I see the full report, I might want to get another radiologist's opinion to make sure before discontinuing follow up, as the endocrinologist suggests.
only thing i really dont like is he says buy refundable plane tickets..how inconsiderate. im sure the wait to see him is prob atleast a YEAR, then to buy plane tickets from nj, and be told to go home...that would steam me up...then they prob make you wwait another year.
as for the insurance bill,we all know they wouldnt pay it lol. i dont have out of network benefits
still id love to go to him!
as for the insurance bill,we all know they wouldnt pay it lol. i dont have out of network benefits
still id love to go to him!
He does not take insurance but the bill he gives you can be presented to insurance for you to get an out of network payment. While you can go to a doctor in network (I went to many), they tend to spend about 15 minutes with you. This doctor will spend a full hour with you.
He used to have lower prices and just recently raised them. He is primarily a research doctor, only sees people once a week and only had one person working for him, hence why he does not do insurance - his practice is not what he does, research is what he does. He came out of very good schools, and he tests very well, and will look for many things. If he thinks you don't have an endocrine disorder as well, he will be frank with you.
Like any doctor, there are pros and cons - so you just have to decide if this is worth it to you or not. It was to me, but it may not be to you.
I have paid the same or more for other doctors - and gotten less for the appointment. Usually residents handle most of the appointment and I see the doc for just a couple of minutes. I have not been as reluctant as others, I guess, to go out of network to get what I need - or at least try to get what I need, but now that I don't work, going out of network is more limited as funds are more limited!
He used to have lower prices and just recently raised them. He is primarily a research doctor, only sees people once a week and only had one person working for him, hence why he does not do insurance - his practice is not what he does, research is what he does. He came out of very good schools, and he tests very well, and will look for many things. If he thinks you don't have an endocrine disorder as well, he will be frank with you.
Like any doctor, there are pros and cons - so you just have to decide if this is worth it to you or not. It was to me, but it may not be to you.
I have paid the same or more for other doctors - and gotten less for the appointment. Usually residents handle most of the appointment and I see the doc for just a couple of minutes. I have not been as reluctant as others, I guess, to go out of network to get what I need - or at least try to get what I need, but now that I don't work, going out of network is more limited as funds are more limited!
well remember, this guy is a research doctor, and rumpeld seems to like him. a lot of doctors turned rumpled off. I have looked into him and supposedly he thinks outside the box and can diagnose things that stump most doctors who are clueless9whioch is nearly all doctors so not saying much -p)
no,they expect cash or check, and he doesnt take insurance. one thing that bothered me, was they say to buy refundable airplane tickets,as their schedule can change anytime. thats very inconsiderate.
no,they expect cash or check, and he doesnt take insurance. one thing that bothered me, was they say to buy refundable airplane tickets,as their schedule can change anytime. thats very inconsiderate.
Five hundred fifty sounds like a rip-off to me- do they give a discount for cash?
if columbia fails,im not really sure what to do next lol. i was rerading an automatic email i got from friedman...sheesh 550 an appointment..and hes such a busy guy,you need to find a local doctor who understands you anyway. although , i suppose i could try barentsky..but he doesnt take my insurance, which is why i havent gone to him
as long as your symptoms are resolved as well, then that would be great if the tumor dissapeared. For me personally, I dont care if I havea tumor or not, I just care about the symptoms. As rumpled stated, her 5mm tumor hides a lot. 5mm is on the upper limits of small, and lower of large...i think atleast.
im confused though,she said her 5mm tumor did show up at one point, but now doesnt.(atleast thats what ive gathered) Thats gotta be how they diagnosed it. but now it doesnt show up in any mris anymore. either the slices miss it each time which is unlikely, or it moved?
im just confused how a 5-6mm tumor could esscape mris with 2-3 mm slices. oh well, atleast her hormone results proved it was there!!!
im confused though,she said her 5mm tumor did show up at one point, but now doesnt.(atleast thats what ive gathered) Thats gotta be how they diagnosed it. but now it doesnt show up in any mris anymore. either the slices miss it each time which is unlikely, or it moved?
im just confused how a 5-6mm tumor could esscape mris with 2-3 mm slices. oh well, atleast her hormone results proved it was there!!!
Hi!
I got the actual MRI report the radiologist did of the pituitary in the mail today. The pituitary is at the upward limits of normal size, but not a change from last year's size. Also, no convincing abnormality to demonstrate a microadenoma (no definite foci of hypoenhancement). The stalk is deviated to the left (but was before too), and I understand from my research can be found in nearly half of patients without pituitary disease. I also spoke with a radiologist about that this morning.
There may be a small pineal cyst. "May be" sounds like they aren't sure a pineal cyst is there, but perhaps I should ask my doctor for melatonin testing? I got this report after I had seen a non-endocrine doctor here in this city. That doctor felt for peace of mind about the pituitary, it would be worth it to get a f/up MRI in one year. Yeah, the endocrinologist didn't feel it was worth any more time and money to follow up on the pituitary.
I have had most (if not all) the basic endocrine tests for the pituitary. I guess ADH maybe isn't one of the basics, which I haven't had testing for. However, I have normal blood sodium and my amount of urine, though more than once has been over 3000 ml in 24 hours, isn't really extreme I don't think and is likely P.O.T.S. related. Most likely, the microadenoma was a prolactinoma that has either resolved completely are at least gotten so small that an MRI doesn't pick it up- this would be an excellent & wonderful development for me!
I got the actual MRI report the radiologist did of the pituitary in the mail today. The pituitary is at the upward limits of normal size, but not a change from last year's size. Also, no convincing abnormality to demonstrate a microadenoma (no definite foci of hypoenhancement). The stalk is deviated to the left (but was before too), and I understand from my research can be found in nearly half of patients without pituitary disease. I also spoke with a radiologist about that this morning.
There may be a small pineal cyst. "May be" sounds like they aren't sure a pineal cyst is there, but perhaps I should ask my doctor for melatonin testing? I got this report after I had seen a non-endocrine doctor here in this city. That doctor felt for peace of mind about the pituitary, it would be worth it to get a f/up MRI in one year. Yeah, the endocrinologist didn't feel it was worth any more time and money to follow up on the pituitary.
I have had most (if not all) the basic endocrine tests for the pituitary. I guess ADH maybe isn't one of the basics, which I haven't had testing for. However, I have normal blood sodium and my amount of urine, though more than once has been over 3000 ml in 24 hours, isn't really extreme I don't think and is likely P.O.T.S. related. Most likely, the microadenoma was a prolactinoma that has either resolved completely are at least gotten so small that an MRI doesn't pick it up- this would be an excellent & wonderful development for me!
It showed up as a shadow only. The radiologist did not comment on it at all, the surgeon could see the shadow.
Columbia may or may not look at the entire picture. They will also run tests of their own.
I still have a tumor there - it does not show up on an MRI, but testing shows it is there.
Columbia may or may not look at the entire picture. They will also run tests of their own.
I still have a tumor there - it does not show up on an MRI, but testing shows it is there.
wow, i didnt even realize. your endo says to discontinue followup?? That's what ive been scared will happen at my appointment with the columbia endo!!!! as rumpled says,you might have the tumor still. even a 3t could have its faults....thats 2-3mm of error right there!!!
rumpled was your 5-6mm tumor gone? or did it just not show up? im assuming you hadd future mris after that one, was it still inside your head> lol.?
rumpled was your 5-6mm tumor gone? or did it just not show up? im assuming you hadd future mris after that one, was it still inside your head> lol.?
barb(horselip said the same thing) she told me that the slices were 2 though, but i guess either way, she said the same thing. i should have mentioned that to surgi as well. it is possible they got caught up in the slices.
surgi i apologize iff you have told me before, but what tests have you had done(blood work wise).
are you planning on going to the neuro endo next? I know for me, I am going on the 14th to columbia,so itd be refreshing if she was nice and competent lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!
surgi i apologize iff you have told me before, but what tests have you had done(blood work wise).
are you planning on going to the neuro endo next? I know for me, I am going on the 14th to columbia,so itd be refreshing if she was nice and competent lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For both of you...
MRI slices are 3mm thick - so that make make a variation of up to 3mm right there as you probably never quite put your head in exactly the same point - so that can create size variations there.
If you see a good neuro-endo, they should treat you to the test, not to the MRI - as the tests are what are important. And they should test you pretty comprehensively. In my personal case, I had a second tumor not show up for 12 years until one scan suddenly showed it and oddly at that time my original 5-6mm tumor was gone - does this sound at all familiar?
If you have symptoms, be persistent, and go to a different doctor if need be - but make sure you see a good endo. It does take time - unfortunately, it does take years and years (silly! stupid! and other words I could put there) for pituitary patients to get diagnosed.
MRI slices are 3mm thick - so that make make a variation of up to 3mm right there as you probably never quite put your head in exactly the same point - so that can create size variations there.
If you see a good neuro-endo, they should treat you to the test, not to the MRI - as the tests are what are important. And they should test you pretty comprehensively. In my personal case, I had a second tumor not show up for 12 years until one scan suddenly showed it and oddly at that time my original 5-6mm tumor was gone - does this sound at all familiar?
If you have symptoms, be persistent, and go to a different doctor if need be - but make sure you see a good endo. It does take time - unfortunately, it does take years and years (silly! stupid! and other words I could put there) for pituitary patients to get diagnosed.
the doctors ive talked to didnt think it was a problem -_-. it was slightly out of the normal range by maybe 1-2 points.
my blood works in my thread on my profile if youre still curious.
my blood works in my thread on my profile if youre still curious.
well if he doesnt find out what is wrong, then i am at a loss here. she is my last hope. i dont know what ill do if she cant find my problem. all i know is im tired of feeling this way. and no im not gonna look to god, hes not helping.
No, no, and I don't think so in answer to your questions. If I may offer a suggestion? If you can, keep expectations low for the appointment, because if she doesn't find any abnormal hormone levels, I don't think she'll offer any treatment. Hopefully, if you had any abnormals in the recent past with your hormones, she'll order those tests again for you.
have you taken meds to reduce it? any surgeries? is it like mine and mysteriously hasnt shown up on your current mri????
im just worried my new mri will prove to be problematic when igo to the columbia neuroendo. she might refuse to help me.
im just worried my new mri will prove to be problematic when igo to the columbia neuroendo. she might refuse to help me.
approximately 6 mm to start with. Later, it was thought to be smaller- closer to 5 mm, and the other smaller dimensions in the previous one could not be measured. I thought after seeing from Rumpled what dynamic was that maybe my 2009 one, where it could be hardly seen and only the one dimension- closer to 5 mm seen, that maybe it wasn't done right. I'm thinking it may have been a prolactinoma that's gone now.
sounds like mine. was your tumor big to begin with? are you still experiencing symptoms
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Brain/Pituitary Tumors Community
Here are 15 ways to help prevent lung cancer.
New cervical cancer screening guidelines change when and how women should be tested for the disease.
They got it all wrong: Why the PSA test is imperative for saving lives from prostate cancer
Everything you wanted to know about colonoscopy but were afraid to ask
A quick primer on the different ways breast cancer can be treated.
Get the facts about this disease that affects more than 240,000 men each year.
