Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Your body already thinks it is pregnant with high levels. If your prolactinoma is being controlled with medications, and your levels go back to normal, then provided you do not have any other hormonal issue, you may be able to. So, it is possible if it is treated.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Yes my prolactinoma is being controlled by meds. Well something like that, my prolatin level goes up and down. My other hormone levels are fine.
Im on bromocriptine. I've been on it for almost two years. However it makes me sick so my doctor is switching me to dostinex.
I just had a mri done last week and the tumor hasnt grown or got smaller. So i guess im with that glass half full half empty saying.
Im just amazed that i have been on this medicine for 2 yrs, and it hasnt got any smaller. Its 7mm. Is dat consider big, small, or normal idk. My doc. Is considering surgery because my vision has slightly gotten worst. But idk bout that. Im just frustrated. I would appreciate responses from ppl who have had the surgery.
Im happy i find this site cause my family try 2 b supportive but they know even least then i do. Its good to talk 2 ppl who are dealing with the same issue i am. ...............Thanks
Last edited by moderator2; 03-05-2008 at 05:49 PM.
Reason: please do not type in all capital letters - on the internet it is considered to be SHOUTING!
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
I had both a prolactinoma and cushing's disease.
Make sure that you research your surgeon carefully and the one you choose is very experienced (does more than 50 a year, done more than 500 already). There are different techniques for surgery so learn what they are and who does them and pros and cons of the techniques, outcomes, surgical recoveries etc. Do not fear travel if it means going to a better surgeon - this should be a one shot deal and espeically if it is effecting your eyes, you want someone really good. Mess ups can be bad or require more surgeries - although some tumors do just grow back (some cushing's tumors do that, not all do that). So ask if they go through the nose or mouth, if they use stents, if you have to go into the ICU, recovery times, in case of leaks, if you like the doctor, the hospital, the staff, the attention etc.
And after surgery, TSH usually will be suppressed and sometimes, growth hormone can be effected. Sometimes diabetes insipidis occurs temporarily or very rarely, permantly. Hormone damage is reduced by using a really great surgeon - hence why you really really want to hunt around.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Thanks for the tips. I have a few question if you dont mind answering them. First off what kind of surgery did you have? How long did it take u 2 recover? Has your tumors grown back? Do you still take medicine to prevent your tumors from growing back? Thats something i fear that i will have to take medicine the rest of my life. i read somewhere that even after the surgery some ppl still have 2 take medicine to prevent it from growing back. However their are others that dont. So i guess it depends on the person.
At first i didnt think bout the fact i have a tumor. Just pushed it out my mind. Cause the worst thing that was happening was that i wasnt having my period. But when it did come it would last almost a month. That wasnt fun at all. But over the pass two years it has become hard 2 ignore the fact i have one. Some of my sypthoms have gotten worst and some better. Some days im great and others im not. Sometimes i get really withdrawn from family and friends. To be honest sometimes i try to push them out of my life. During that time i feel alone and misunderstood and unappreicated so them being n my life is useless to me. then other times i need their love and their reassurance that everything is going to be ok. Did you ever get that way? I have become so emotional it doesnt make sense. the slightest thing hurts my feelings, or make me mad. i dont mean that normal mad i mean ova da top cut a person down mad.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
I had transpheniodal surgery done entirely via endoscopic through the nose. I only know of two surgeons that do it that way - or at least, at the time I had it done a few years ago, was fully endoscopic.
My prolactinoma was removed completely and did not re-occur. The Cushing's tumor did - however that was because it was a type that was a hyperplasia - a slime of cells - difficult for any surgeon to remove as even one single cell left behind meant it would return. The prolactin one was an adenoma - a developed nodule and could be removed entirely. So, depending on your surgeon, the nature of your nodule, its location - is how it can be removed and your chances of success.
Surgical recovery was about a month - usually stuff, no lifting, straining, etc. Hormonal recovery can vary. I would dare to hope that for prolactin, once your levels went down, it would be pretty soon, but someone who has only had that surgery has to tell you. Recovery from Cushing's, sadly, is not fun, and takes a lot of time.
I can totally relate to the denial. I did that as well for a while and I too, got worse. There is a huge emotional aspect to pituitary tumors that is very hard to deal with. I know that I got very paranoid and other times very depressed. Normal medications do not work either - the underlying problem has to be addressed and you will then, yes, you can go back to normal. I named my tumor Fred, tried to deal with it with humor as best I could and just found support boards with other that have the same issue. Good luck to you. You are not alone.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Thanks for sharing your story with me, I don't feel as crazy as i was feeling before I found this board.
I tryed the humor thing, well my families does and it just makes me mad cause i end up feeling like they don't understand and just down playing the situation. So i didn't bring up the tumor, i just held everything i was feeling and thinking within. That got old to cause i started stuffing from anxiety attacks which isn't fun. So now i try 2 at least talk 2 them and tell them how i'm feeling. Which is hard cause I don't want their pity just a little understanding. Well that is easier said then done cause i get more pity then understanding but their trying so im thankful for that. I definitely understand when u said you was depressed. i get that way myself. Guess I should tell my doctor but i dont want to take any more medicine. I take enough already.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
I went to a counselor. Families do not understand. Heck, most counselors do not understand so it may take a while to find one even remotely understanding of endocrine issues. Also, talk to others in the same boat. I have found several others with pit tumors in my area and we even had a lunch. The board prohibits contact but there are others who do not. I found my "tumor twin" (we started talking before surgery as we had many same symptoms - and then had almost identical pathology with both of us with same two types of tumors and now post op, are following a similar path!) in another state and help each other a lot. I travel to see her when I go out of state to see a doctor near her that she found.
Hang in there. I know it is not easy - I had 12 years of heck before I got help and now I am disabled for not getting the help I needed when I needed it. But be persistent, reach out to the right people - walk away if it does not feel right and you really can get better.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Hello.
Going to a counselor has crossed my mind, however I never followed thru with it. Probably will neva go now cause i found this.Speaking of message boards, Do you mind if I asked you what other message boards you go to?
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
You should find a sympathic ear. It can only help.
Rules here do not permit the posting of other boards or contact information - sorry you will have to find it on your own.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Hi
Hope you dont mind, but i too have this pituitary tumor for just around 18 months now. And going through some horrible experiences, i've only joined this site today just to look into other peoples symptons to see if i'm normal. But looking at yr posts i can see similar effects like depression, anxiety attacks. Im only 28 and feel like im going down hill.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
My tumor was first discovered when I was in my late 20's. You need to get to a specialist who will treat you appropriately and with great care. Do you know what type of tumor you have?
Do try to get help and not try to ignore this or go to an endocrinologist that is not a specialist that does mostly diabetes and thyroid... they often do not know what they are doing to your detriment.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Thanks for all of your help and advice. I found another board after some search. Havent found any one in my area. But its more a chatting atmosphere, so i kinda find that sympathic ear. However I think i am going to find a counselor cause over the past two weeks my mood swings, anxiety, and depresson has gotten worst. I havent really slept, and getting in touch with my doctor is almost impossible.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Can your PCP (or an ENT) send you for a sleep study? A lot of people with cortisol issues have interupted sleep, sleep apnea, sleep hypopnea - the diurnal rythym is messed up and if you are like some, the cortisol rises at night and is low during the day - hard to test for that but messes you up good. I was like that. 10 hour urinary free cortisol tests caught it well but not many docs are familiar with the protocol. Sometimes late night saliva tests or even blood draws get it. When I did 24 hour urine tests, my average was ok as I was so low during the day, it cancelled out my high nights!
Good luck to you...
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Idk if i have cortisol. I go back to the doctor in May, Ill have to let her know im having trouble sleeping and see what she say. This has been a really bad month for me. My period came on, on the 6th and its still on. It usually stay on longer then seven days but it almost two weeks and its showing no sign of lighting up. Between the head acks, cramps, and mood swings i dont want to be bothered with no one. I go to work and come home. What a life. This got to get better.
Re: can you get pregnant when you have a pituitary tumor
Im trying to hang in there but its hard sometimes. Taking it one day at a time. How have you been? i realized today I always talk bout myself and never ask about you.
