2 Pitutary Tumors?

[StephyD83]

Hi all-
I just had a MRI yesterday due to a dull headache for 7+days and I have a hysterical of Melanoma and they found 2 4 mm tumors on my gland that were cause a bluge in the gland and the stalk is tilted to the left. Has anyone heard of 2 tumors before? Any advise is welcome.

Thanks!
Stephanie

[sickandtired456]

Stephanie,
I had 2 pituitary tumors removed on Dec. 19th, 2014. One was a prolactinoma and the other tumor disintegrated in the suction bag. Surgeon seemed to think they were identical. I'll never know. Each were about 4mm x 9mm and growing. The cabergoline medicine was reducing the prolactin blood level, but not keeping the tumors from growing- so they had to be removed.

I too had headaches and hormonal problems for a bit under a year before surgery- depending on your tumor type your hormone symptoms will be different. My stalk progressively began shifting to the left as they grew. The location of my tumors were on the floor of the sella right where the surgeon breaks in from the sphenoid sinus, so my surgery was less complicated.

I have to say the trans nasal surgery was less dramatic than I thought. the first few days post op aren't fun and I had a bit of diabetes insipidus which eventually righted itself. I'm still healing, but I'd say it was a good surgery compared to others i've had. If Dr. says surgery- don't be afraid, I feel better for having done it. Good luck, keep us posted

[rumpled]

I am only a patient but I don't know of pituitary tumors being a location of spread. So I would think it is a new issues. Usually but not always stalk issues are seen in (if you read medical papers) auto-immune issues so some people get a deviated stalk with that.

Keep us posted.

[StephyD83]

Thanks again. Yes I had a mri to rule out brain metastases because of my new symptoms and that is where is tumors were seen...

[rumpled]

I did have headaches and was diagnosed with migraines. Some with pituitary have headaches but not all. The foggy is also common - many of the hormones mess with the thyroid and some of the hormones just mess with the entire body and you feel like a mess. So it can depend largely on the type of tumor(s).

I would hope that your doc is keeping an eye on you melanoma for any spread - Have you had a CT or MRI? I would assume you get regular checks on the melanoma so the doc should be aware if it is moving out. I hope not... Keep us posted. FYI pituitary lesions are for the most part benign - as in 99.9%.

[StephyD83]

Thank you for your response. Did you have headache and a foggy brain feeling? I was worried that it may be matestisis from my melanoma. Could that be possible?

[rumpled]

It is not common but I had 2 tumors, and I know a few others that had it as well. Most often they are the same type but a couple of us like me had two separate types (I had Cushing's and a prolactinoma).

I would find a highly rated pituitary center and get copies of all  your testing to make sure you are getting treated correctly. It takes more than one set of testing to know what type of tumor  you have (or types) and things change over time.