Pituitary Tumor Help!!!!!!

[Dre14]

Hi my 32 year old husband was diagnosed in December with a 1.6cm pituitary tumor. Since then our Urologist referred us to a brain surgeon and he referred us to the Endocrinologist who was gonna promptly put him on bromocriptine. And I had read up on that drug and the side effects didn't sound good so we wanted it to be surgically removed. So we told her we had to think about it first. She could hardly believe we didn't want the drug. She also said he could be having to take the drug all his life (which is something we DONT want if we can help it). And she said it would SHRINK the tumor. Not take it all away. So ya that is our story. Oh and I should mention that we are trying to conceive our first baby so that makes me even more scared about him having to take drugs.... So does anyone have any ideas of where to go from here?? IS there a surgeon that would operate?? Another thing about the Endocrinologist is that there were only posters and stuff on the walls on diabetes and nothing on pituitary tumors... ok THANKS for your in put...

[Andrew John Rynne, MD]

Most Pituitary Tumors are benign as you know. Their management is not a subject for a form like this. It sounds to me like you have been given some very good advice and I think you might be foolish to ignore it.

[solace21]

Hi,
    It is generally said that pituitary tumor is not of much problem for men unless they are of large size that they can affect the near by optic nerves and interfere with vision. Unless the tumor is seen to grow during repeated tests, they are left without any treatment.

Also, when treatment is done, medication is the first line of choice, because of the possible complications of a brain surgery. Cabergoline and bromocriptine are the two drugs used for treatment, and of these cabergoline is said to have less side effects, but it appears, only bromocriptine is approved in US ?

Here are two links which compares the side effects of these two drugs :  

1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16932285    
2. http://pituitary.mgh.harvard.edu/E-S-962.HTM  

Please discuss with your doctor regarding the possible side effects on the
foetus and if required, postpone the treatment till child birth.

Take care,

Solace

[vvs09]

I'm sorry to hear that your husband has a tumor.  I've been reading about pit. tumors and doctors will prescribe bromocriptine to see if it shrinks the tumor so surgery might not be necessary.  Hormone or tumor reductions will indicate the drug is effective against the tumor.  Pituitary surgeries are usually done through the nasal passages where I believe they drill through sinus cavities.  So at least it wouldn't involve cutting the skull open.

An endocrinologist, a hormone doctor, specializes in pituitary glands.  It's a pea sized master gland that is located at the base of the brain, that releases hormones that stimulate the release of other hormones from the body.  An endo will be involved in tumors that interfere or are a part of the gland.  They specialize in diabetes as well.

Please tell me what symptoms your husband has/had.  I'm going in for an MRI soon to check for a tumor.