Pituitary tumour?

[PumpkinZulu]

My poppy had a pituitary tumour. I was young at the time so cannot recall heaps, but he had to have it removed. They removed it by going up through the nose. He was pretty uncomfortable afterwards, and had to see a doctor to make sure it didn't come back. Not a lot of info, sorry.

[luna moth]

My uncle's girlfriend and boss's son both have one, the same kind (name escapes me?) They haven't been removed, just managed.

[sloane]

one of my best friends had one and she had treatment, but it wasn't removed surgically as far as i'm aware.

[Tinks]

My dad was just diagnosed with one last week. He's unsure whether he has to have surgery or not at this stage.

[AnyDream]

Thanks for replies. When it was diagnosed, were they referred to a neurosurgeon or an endocrinologist in the first instance?

[Maruschke]

Yep I have one, a prolactinoma? I causes elevated levels of the hormone prolactin in the blood. Usually harmless, although macro prolactinomas (any tumour over 1 cm) can cause vision problems, headaches, and if left untreated, cause osteoporosis.

You can get meds to lower the prolactin (that's what I'm doing, only have a small tumour) or have surgery as a last resort.

These tumours aren't cancerous, but it still makes me feel a bit odd.

[Eenee]

I was diagnosed with one after I was sent for an MRI for high prolactin levels and a few other abnormal tests (which were missread) a few years back. This let to a heap of misdiagnoses. And a second MRI revealed it had dissappeared on it's own. I was sent to an endocrinologist, but not until I needed a second opinion- a local physician was trying to handle it on her own- made me very sick! So I would demand to get seen by an endocrinolgist, and secondly if no symptoms and tumour is tiny then I'd leave it be and get a re scan a month or so later. But if big you will definitely need to see an endocrinologist and they will refer you to to have surgery if need be, as they can shrink certain one's with drugs