Pituitary tumour?

[allycat06]

My 20 year old BIL has one. It was only discovered about a year ago when his vision started going a bit funny. Turns out it was the size of a golf ball and pushing on his optic nerve. They aren't exactly sure how long he's had it for but it pretty obvious it hindered his development in some way. Once he started getting it treated it was like he suddenly went through puberty. His is being treated with drugs to shrink it, no surgery...by a neurologist I believe.

[*star*]

Hey MD - I know nothing on this one, but wanted to give you a hug - is it you that has this or someone close to you? Hope it can all be managed easily.

[Sammiejane]

Hi MD,
I am a Neuro nurse so have looked after stacks of people with these, will read the post later as i am about to put MJ down for a sleep and will come back.
replying so i subscribe and can find this later!
If you ahev any specific questions i will try and answer.
xx

[~TT40~]

Prolactin! thats what my friend has high levels off. sorry i couldnt remember it before.

[Maruschke]

em - I can still get foremilk and hindmilk now, and haven't bf for 17 months (it's not much, but enough to know it's there). Did it make you subfertile? Sorry to be so nosey, but it's inhibiting ovulation of mature eggs in me.

[AnyDream]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I understand prolactinomas are quite common and are usually treated with medication rather than surgery.

It's my DH. Returned a high IGF-1 level when they screened his blood for bone/athritis disorders because he has a persistant foot injury. They referred him for an MRI straight away and he appears to have a microadenoma. 1-3 mm.

Sammiejane - because this is causing a functional effect (ie altered blood chemistry) do you think they are more likely to do a bit more screening then watch & wait, or give medication, or proceed straight to surgery?

Also - with the patients you see, do many of them show the excessive growth signs? I'm really wondering about this because DH has always had very large & wide hands and feet, pronounced brow, big mouth/lips. I freaked out when I saw a picture of an acromegaly hand. But his hand has always looked like that. I'm wondering if this isn't something he's had all along.

[Eenee]

Marydean that's what mine was a micropituitary adenoma and it wasn't a prolactinoma- but I had crappy Dr's so not sure what they do for treatment when it's the right way. Not sure what the measurements were either sorry. Hope your DH is ok and it can be resolved easily.

[Sammiejane]

Sammiejane - because this is causing a functional effect (ie altered blood chemistry) do you think they are more likely to do a bit more screening then watch & wait, or give medication, or proceed straight to surgery?

Also - with the patients you see, do many of them show the excessive growth signs? I'm really wondering about this because DH has always had very large & wide hands and feet, pronounced brow, big mouth/lips. I freaked out when I saw a picture of an acromegaly hand. But his hand has always looked like that. I'm wondering if this isn't something he's had all along.

Hi MD, sorry it has taken me so long to get back online.
It really depends on the position of the 'tumour' as to what they would do. In most cases they try steroids to shrink it initially, but they do not always respond. Its good that your DH has not had any physical symptoms that lead to the diagnosis, usually this will lead to surgery almost immediately.
In saying all this, all cases that I see end up in surgery, because i work in Neurosurgery, so i obviously dont see the patients that are medically managed.

Regarding the Acromegaly, yes most of them do, depending on the tumour type, so not in a prolatinoma (men have more feminine features, less hair growth and can develop breasts)...
Most family members also say that they have always looked like that, but if they go back 20 years through photos they can see that changes have taken place. Most pit tumour develop over a long period of time, so the changes are not as noticable to the patient, family or friends, unless there has been a long absence.

I agree with em, dont let a GP manage this, you need a Neuro and endo consult if it has not already happened, not because its really really serious, but because you need an expert so that misdiagnosis or treatment doesnt occur...
Not sure if you have read up on it much, but these types of things are rarely something that would cause a patient to represent to hospital, unless it is a surgery related problem (CSF leak) or endo problem, sometimes patients would need a synthetic hormone to regulate urine production post surgery (most temporary, but some people need a nasal spray for life).

I am not sure that this helps, obviously i am speaking from my experiences on the ward where i work, im not a doctor or an expert...

Let me know if you want anything else answered

[Sammiejane]

Double post