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Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Hi, Im a 26 yo female with history of Graves' Disease and hyperthyroidism (now hypo- with radiation treatment). I have multiple symptoms that I think may actually point to an enlarged pituitary gland. Please tell me if I'm wrong, or if I'm close on this.
I have headaches and migraines, yes both, and my endocrinologist had said that she thinks my pituitary gland is releasing too much hormore because my TSH levels were not what she would expect after radiation therapy. I have symptoms of hypothyroidism, ie losing TONS of hair and being cold. I read somewhere on medscape and intellihealth that antipsychotic meds mixed with psychosis can enlarge the pituitary gland by 30%. I also read that pregnancy (which I have 4 children) enlarges it to 136% the size. If the pituitary gland is enlarged, can it press on other regions of the brain to cause things such as mood instability, dizziness, headaches, migraines, nausea, and passing out spells? And if the pituitary gland enlarges, does it ever go back to normal size, or does it continue to grow while using antipsychotic medicines? Someone at one point tried to say I have epilepsy, but I am leaning more towards this pituitary gland. I know what it's function in the body is, and I know my thyroid problems stem from it, but can pressure from the gland on the brain cause other symptoms like explained above?
Thank you!
Answer:
Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Is this the wrong forum for this? I understand the pituitary gland is not part of the brain, but because of its location, I felt it may have compression on the brain. Does that make sense? Should I post this in another forum? One for glandular problems?
Answer:
Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Hi, you posted quite on the right forum. Thanks for your question.
Graves disease is an autoimmune disease, and is not caused by the pituitary gland. Also, it seems your hypothyroidism is caused by the radiation treatment so based on your description I would guess that the pituitary is largerly irrelevant to your thyroid problems. Of course, I don't have all the details so do ask your own doctor about this.
The symptoms you describe could be caused by a number of things, but an enlarged pituitary gland as a cause for the symptoms you describe seems at first unlikely. An enlarged pituitary gland is usually due to a tumor, but other causes exist also, including bleeding, and some diseases such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis may cause enlargement. Enlargement of the pituitary gland is sometimes seen in patients suffering from psychosis, regardless of whether they are using antipsychotic medication or not, although the effects of antipsychotic drugs on the prolactin-secreting cells may result in further enlargement. If the pituitary gland is substantially enlarged, it may compress the optic nerve, resulting in visual defects. Headaches can also occur. If there is suspicion of pituitary gland pathology, endocrinological (hormonal) work-up is needed.
However, in order to properly evaluate your problems, a thorough history+ physical examination, possibly labwork is needed. If after these examinations there is suspicion that the symptoms are caused by brain pathology, a brain MRI is needed.
Good luck, and keep us posted
Answer:
Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Thank you for clearing that up. I am going to suggest a work-up on just about everything I can to try to get to the bottom of this. My symptoms have become worse over the last 36 hours. To the point of actually fainting. if that is what you want to call it. I've lost conciousness, you could say. I had a CAT-scan that showed no pituitary tumors, but they were not looking to compare any size of anything. I am, and have previously, suffer from psychosis. I am, at the moment, considered clinically psychosis and manic. I think this may be having an effect on the new symptoms that I have. The ER doctor didn't like the fact that I had all these thoughts in my head, which I should have just not said anything, but it made him treat me like I am in psychosis, instead of taking my symptoms seriously. I even fainted while at the hospital. He told me to take Tylenol and go home. He gave me some kind of medicine through the IV called, pardon the spelling, hydromorphone. This relieved a part of the pain, but not all of it. It still hurts at the crown of my head. Yet, he told me not to worry about it and take the Tylenol. So I'm going to the family doctor tomorrow and going to try to get the work-up on my pituitary gland, because I have had problems with it affecting my Free T4 and TSH (which the TSH is 0.12L, first time it has been detectable). I just think the pituitary gland is causing the headaches and fainting spells and hope to find the root of the problem soon. With everything else that is going on with me, this is the icing on the cake, ya know. Thanks again Dr. J, I really have a great appreciation for doctors who care about their patients as you do. And thanks for understanding about me making this a little long, I am, remember, delusional and under psychosis, so things seem to run on for me lately.
= )
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Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Prolactin levels are normal. Going for an MRI tomorrow...still having dizziness and headaches. Hands and legs go tingly. If my prolactin levels are normal, would that mean that it is more likely something other than the pituitary gland? What could cause this? I have "fainting" spells and it is making me nervous because I had such a bad headache yesterday, I actually was incoherent. I couldn't move my body at all, legs arms, head, nothing. What should we be on the look-out for to be causing these symptoms? I'm getting to my wits end trying to fight through this, but I know if I keep at it, we will figure out what is wrong. Thank you for your continued support!
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Enlarged Pituitary Gland?
Thanks for the update - I'm glad you're getting proper care. Keep us posted on the findings.