Aa
Questions About Symptoms I've Experienced
Hi all,
I am currently waiting to see my GP next week about some headaches and a slew of other symptoms that have come up over the last year. I'm hoping you wouldn't mind looking at my symptoms and telling me if any are similar to your experience with pituitary tumors.
To start off, I'm 25 and in relatively good health. I take synthroid hormone for hypothyroidism. Almost 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Graves' disease and chose the radioactive iodine treatment which explains why I'm now hypo.
In Nov 2014, I had a routine appt with my endo and we discovered that my TSH had risen to an all time high of 17! I've never been that hypo and it baffled my doctor. He kept having to increase my dosage and even stated I was taking a larger dose than most people my size, but he never researched why my tsh was so high. A few months after that, in January 2014, I started getting this particular type of headache that would come and go for a few days at a time. It is occurring daily now, and is more painful as of recent. It's pain that starts on the top, near the back of my head that quickly moves into my forehead and behind my eyes. I have a lot of pressure/pain/fullness in my head and eye area. I've had episodes of dizziness and nausea (with and without headaches) and intermittent vision changes (black spots, slight blurring, sometimes double). My eyes have become increasingly sensitive to light. Last spring I developed an insatiable appetite that will not go away. As a result, I've gained about 50 pounds in roughly a year, but it felt like it came on quickly. Most of the weight gained took to my midsection and breasts. My breasts feel much fuller than ever before and are sometimes tender in the upper part of the breast where they meet the chest wall. Over the summer, I became very moody, anxious and just felt on edge all the time. It reminded me of my days being hyperthyroid. My T4 levels were slightly elevated, and we drew back my synthroid some and my levels were fine as of Oct 2014. As of the last few months, my headaches have worsened, I have sore muscles and joints, I'm incredibly tired, unmotivated, VERY emotional, moody, apathetic, forgetful, having trouble concentrating and just feel like there's a wall in my forehead that nothing can get past. I'm having trouble processing thoughts, it's effecting my schooling. I'm a college student and have always had a sharp mind and very good memory and the changes I've noticed over the last 2-3 months have me pretty concerned, but also make me feel like I'm going crazy. I know something is not right and I am looking for any guidance. My biggest fear is not getting any answers when I do get to the doctor next week. I am hoping for an MRI to be ordered to make sure there is nothing in my head/brain, but from what I've read, I'm becoming more suspicious that it could be a pituitary tumor. Any thoughts?
I am currently waiting to see my GP next week about some headaches and a slew of other symptoms that have come up over the last year. I'm hoping you wouldn't mind looking at my symptoms and telling me if any are similar to your experience with pituitary tumors.
To start off, I'm 25 and in relatively good health. I take synthroid hormone for hypothyroidism. Almost 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Graves' disease and chose the radioactive iodine treatment which explains why I'm now hypo.
In Nov 2014, I had a routine appt with my endo and we discovered that my TSH had risen to an all time high of 17! I've never been that hypo and it baffled my doctor. He kept having to increase my dosage and even stated I was taking a larger dose than most people my size, but he never researched why my tsh was so high. A few months after that, in January 2014, I started getting this particular type of headache that would come and go for a few days at a time. It is occurring daily now, and is more painful as of recent. It's pain that starts on the top, near the back of my head that quickly moves into my forehead and behind my eyes. I have a lot of pressure/pain/fullness in my head and eye area. I've had episodes of dizziness and nausea (with and without headaches) and intermittent vision changes (black spots, slight blurring, sometimes double). My eyes have become increasingly sensitive to light. Last spring I developed an insatiable appetite that will not go away. As a result, I've gained about 50 pounds in roughly a year, but it felt like it came on quickly. Most of the weight gained took to my midsection and breasts. My breasts feel much fuller than ever before and are sometimes tender in the upper part of the breast where they meet the chest wall. Over the summer, I became very moody, anxious and just felt on edge all the time. It reminded me of my days being hyperthyroid. My T4 levels were slightly elevated, and we drew back my synthroid some and my levels were fine as of Oct 2014. As of the last few months, my headaches have worsened, I have sore muscles and joints, I'm incredibly tired, unmotivated, VERY emotional, moody, apathetic, forgetful, having trouble concentrating and just feel like there's a wall in my forehead that nothing can get past. I'm having trouble processing thoughts, it's effecting my schooling. I'm a college student and have always had a sharp mind and very good memory and the changes I've noticed over the last 2-3 months have me pretty concerned, but also make me feel like I'm going crazy. I know something is not right and I am looking for any guidance. My biggest fear is not getting any answers when I do get to the doctor next week. I am hoping for an MRI to be ordered to make sure there is nothing in my head/brain, but from what I've read, I'm becoming more suspicious that it could be a pituitary tumor. Any thoughts?
That is exactly what I have been battling for 3yrs now or longer. I also have really bad sweats day and night past the point of menopausal sweats. Mine were so bad my potassium levels have been really low. Read all the info you can and research about adenomas and pituitary tumors because the pituitary gland controls the secretion of your hormones. You really need them to do an MRI with contrast. I had just a regular MRI done in 2012 but it did not show what this one did about a week and a half ago. I have been having symptoms for over ten yrs. I have had so many different types of tests done and to the point of my Dr. Probably thinking I am a hypochondriac. I thought I was going crazy and have just been so frustrated but you have to keep complaining and stay on them till they listen or change Drs which I did. Hope you have better success and not as long to find out what is going on with you. God Bless you!
Not yet. My regular doctor doctor just saw me last week. She immediatly referred me to an MRI and to see an optometrist because I guess I failed the eye tracking test or something? Not totally sure. I think she plans on reffering me to a neurologist she just wanted to get an MRI first. Is this not normal? I know they did have to push it through my insurance as they were hesitant to cover it, but they are. I have seen an endo before but I just felt like it wasnt worth the extra money because my doctor always prescribed my synthroid and tested it for much cheaper. Then again I was never aware of my TSH being that high either.
I'm having almost identical symptoms, except sometimes I do pass out and shake. I'm not sure if it's a seizure but my right arm is always straight out when I do however I do loose consiousness for one second. I also (rarely) wake up in the middle of the night with my right arm straight up in the air. I have myoclonic jerks too. Sometimes I will get them so bad it pushes my chest or heads backwards. I am hypothyroid too, my tsh came at 43.23 but my t/3 and t/4 are normal. I have talked to two doctors, they feel strongly it might be a pituitary tumor. They have forwarded me to an eye doctor and to get an MRI in 3 days.
It is a typical response and you have to rule out the more common to get to the rarer disorders.
That is why it typically takes a while to get a diagnosis. You can help yourself by treating the tension headaches. Take an OTC pain reliever as directed and use heating pads etc. Journal what you did and report it back to the doctor. If you feel better, great, if not, report back with your journal and what you did.
This can also assist your endo. TSH is indicative of a pituitary tumor. Most issues knock the TSH up or down. It is great the endo does ft3 and ft4.
Do you know sodium and potassium? How is your BP?
That is why it typically takes a while to get a diagnosis. You can help yourself by treating the tension headaches. Take an OTC pain reliever as directed and use heating pads etc. Journal what you did and report it back to the doctor. If you feel better, great, if not, report back with your journal and what you did.
This can also assist your endo. TSH is indicative of a pituitary tumor. Most issues knock the TSH up or down. It is great the endo does ft3 and ft4.
Do you know sodium and potassium? How is your BP?
Thanks for the reply. I had an appt with my primary care doctor, which now feels like a waste of time. He said it's tension headache, and that maybe I need glasses, but didn't give me an explanation for ALL the other symptoms I brought up. I'm due for a follow up TSH lab draw this month, so I had that done today and my endo should have the results tomorrow. I'm thinking not much has changed with it since it's only been 3 months since my last lab. I'm going to bring up all my recent symptoms to my endo and hopefully have other hormone labs drawn. All we ever check is my TSH, ft4, and ft3.
I've been incredibly dizzy since late last week, and as of the last few days, I am experiencing uncontrollable crying for what feels like no reason. I can't explain it. I had to leave work early for it today because I couldn't function. I'm also experiencing more blurred vision lately too. I'm becoming pretty concerned.
I've been incredibly dizzy since late last week, and as of the last few days, I am experiencing uncontrollable crying for what feels like no reason. I can't explain it. I had to leave work early for it today because I couldn't function. I'm also experiencing more blurred vision lately too. I'm becoming pretty concerned.
It does sound like you should be checked - any other pituitary hormones checked other than the TSH?
Thyroid can make you a mess, but it really should not be that bad.
Thyroid can make you a mess, but it really should not be that bad.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Brain/Pituitary Tumors Community
Here are 15 ways to help prevent lung cancer.
New cervical cancer screening guidelines change when and how women should be tested for the disease.
They got it all wrong: Why the PSA test is imperative for saving lives from prostate cancer
Everything you wanted to know about colonoscopy but were afraid to ask
A quick primer on the different ways breast cancer can be treated.
Get the facts about this disease that affects more than 240,000 men each year.
