Can a pituitary microadenoma shrink all by itself without medications?

[iCeNN]

Can a pituitary microadenoma shrink all by itself without medications that shrink adenomas? I was diagnosed with a microadenoma measuring 7 x 4 x 4 mm in 2009. However recently earlier this year I had a routine MRI done that showed the "Adenoma" 4 x 3 x 3 mm. I had an MRI done in late 2012 that showed the adenoma to be 7 x 4 x 4 mm just like in 2009. Is that even possible? I have not taken any medications prescribed to treat/shrink this adenoma. I do however take Abilify(antipsychotic) and Lexapro(SSRI). Could these meds have shrunk my adenoma? And also is there a chance that I do not have a mciroadenoma, and that the "microadenoma" is just a shadow? All my pituitary hormones have been tested since 2009 and all have been normal, except my testosterone has been low normal. Thank you!

[c7859f]

Is it possible for a pituitary adenoma to cause Grave's disease?

[rumpled]

It is more beneficial to start a new thread than to mix stories with another person...

Pituitary tumors are very confusing. Is your son being treated by a neuro-endo? Had he had an increase in headaches recently? Does he see an neuro-optho?

It is not common for a tumor to suddenly stop like that and your doctor should have sent him in for a MRI IMHO. What size is your son's tumor? Is he being treated with the medication to reduce the levels and is he compliant with the medication? Did he have surgery? It can happen, not commonly, that tumors can enlarge and explode - it is called pituitary apoplexy - and a radical change in his tests should signal that the doc should run imaging to check just to make sure. Please make sure that your son is compliant with his medications.

As for replacements for life, yes. I am also on replacing for life. It is not fun - and it also does not stay stable forever so I see the doc every 4 months to make sure my levels are ok. You really need a super skilled doctor and a on the ball patient to make sure things are going well.

[Skidamarink69]

my son was diagnosed with a pituitary tumor after having signs of acromegaly which has caused him to gain in height and ad inches to his chest breadth. He has low thyroid and testosterone but his cortisol levels seem to be normal. They now say the tumor has gone dormant. Can that happen? Will he have to take thyroid, testosterone and progesterone for the rest of his life. It is very confusing!!

[rumpled]

Omg! You are not non-functioning which typically have very large fast growing tumors but rather it sounds like you are hypopituitary.  Which means your pituitary function is low for one hormone.

You need a better doctor and on replacement, I would bet your depression and anxiety would lessen or go away.  It is a symptom, not only a stand alone disease. Those meds can interfere but you would have to go back and see levels before.

Do you get copies? What time do they do testing?

[iCeNN]

It seems that my adenoma is non-functioning except for possibly reducing my LH and FSH hormones. Besides that, everything else is normal-Prolactin, TSH(and T4/T3), ACTH, Growth Hormone, IGF-1. That's why I'm suspecting that I *may* not even have an adenoma. The low normal LH and FSH may be due to years of taking Antipsychotics which are known for reducing testosterone levels. So I mean who knows for sure, right? Unless if they stick a camera through my nose to look at my pituitary gland, I think the pendulum could swing both ways. I am however very curious if it's possible for a shadow to appear on the pituitary mimicking the look of a microadenoma. Thank you so much for replying!!

[rumpled]

To the best of my layman knowledge, those medications cannot shrink a pit tumor.

I do know that MRIs have a 3mm slice, so tumors can vary in size when they are rather tiny, like pit tumors are, as portions fall between the slices - so just different machines and positions can make your tumor appear different.

What type of tumor do you have - what tests have been done to determine the type? Do you get copies, and do you read up so you get the tests done at the right time etc?