Pituitary Adenomas
Background
Pituitary adenomas are small benign growths in the pituitary. They do NOT become cancer.
Key Concerns
The key concerns are if the growths become large enough to:
Push on the optic nerve
Pushing the optic nerve can cause a loss of peripheral vision. This is uncommon, but your physician will do simple visual field screening tests to monitor for this.
Cause problems with pituitary/hormonal function
The adenoma can cause significant hormone problems — and can even cause fatigue, CFS and fibromyalgia — even if your blood tests look fine (see Problems with Lab Testing).
Raised prolactin hormone levels
Elevation of this breast milk producing hormone can cause treatable infertility and mood issues.
Treatments
Therapies & Advice
Monitor for vision loss
If you feel well, the adenoma simply needs to be monitored (usually by your eye doctor) to be sure it is not causing peripheral vision loss.
S.H.I.N.E.
If you have fatigue, insomnia or achiness (see CFS/fibromyalgia) from the adenoma, simply optimize hormone function based on symptoms (using the labs to check that they are in the normal range for safety AFTER you find the optimal hormone levels as discussed in my books The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution and From Fatigued to Fantastic!) and treat with the rest of the S.H.I.N.E. Protocol.
Be cautious of surgery
Removing the adenoma will NOT help the symptoms and is generally NOT needed (unless it is endangering vision — if the adenoma expert recommends surgery, get a second opinion if you feel it is needed, and then do it).
Find a CFS/FM physician
Specialists will do a good job of evaluating your adenoma for whether it is affecting vision (they are very good at this) but may be clueless about its relation to CFS/fibromyalgia if you have fatigue, insomnia and achiness. So thank them when they say the adenoma is OK and has nothing to do with your other symptoms, follow their instructions for monitoring the adenoma, but then go to a CFS/FMS expert to get well (see CFS/Fibromyalgia Practitioner Referral List at Vitality101.com).
Recommended Treatments
Try Bromocriptine (by prescription) if the elevated prolactin causes problems.