Pituitary Gland Tumor

[xmelax35]

I have a question about the following:  I was diagnosed over 11 years ago with a brain tumor. At the time, they said it could grow & keep an eye on it, have a MRI every yr. I really haven't every yr.  At the time it was like 1 mm.  Now it is 5 mm.  It is on the right side.  It is in the posterior aspect of the suprasellar cistern.  They say it is stable and likely benign.  That is what the radiologist states.  I was told before on other reports and by other doctors it is on the pituatary gland?  I wondered if this is too small to be operated on?  Because I am having tremendous headaches, that is why it was found to start with, but my symptoms have only worsened.  Headaches front and back, dizziness, passed out, tremendous right facial pain and right eye pain.  Neck pain.  Then separate neck pain when having the eye pain and facial pain. Slurring of speech at times.  Clear watery drainage out my nose when bending over or leaning over - this is not mucous - I know the difference, having chronic sinus problems. I know when I have sinus problems. I have gotten used to knowing when and when not. I also have ct scans to find out when and when not. I have other symptoms too - numbness in face and extremities - tingling.  I am in a lot of pain. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks. P.S. There are other things, but this is my main question.

[xmelax35]

My boyfriend said I need to switch and that he is about to say something to him, himself about me.  I am able to switch in April.  There is a doctor that is accepting new patients, but not until April.  I guess she is fairly new around here.  Everywhere I called the doctors were full of patients and were no longer accepting new patients.   I don't live in a big city.  I live in a fairly small one....sort of.

Thanks.

[rumpled]

Are you permitted to make changes to primary care doctor? I would do so, promptly.
I would also make a compliant to the state medical board as well as his actions are not in keeping with your health. You have the documentation.

I had a disease where a symptom is depression - and so many times the doctors fixate on that and ignore the fact that some other real stuff is out of wack and fail to look for the source of the depression or the source of other symptoms. I had a pituitary tumor - all was explained once it came to light but before that, to the doctors I was a liar, fat and non-compliant with treatment, Funny though, at work, I was reliable, honest and a hard worker, following rules (I was a compliance officer). It was horrid. What is that, the ninth circle of ....?

[xmelax35]

No, my primary doctor will not help. Kinda a long story.  I iwll make short. My insurance company made a complaint to the hospital about my care, then they contacted my neuro at the time who was involved and he in turn wrote my primary doctor a letter.  The neuro isn't my neuro anymore, but my primary is, but says it is all in my head and it is psychiatric - despite the MRI reports.  Even my ENG came out abnormal and the audiologist showed me this and my primary doctor called me with the results not knowing I already knew and said they looked great everything was perfectly normal.  It stated on the report "abnormal results" and went on to explain.

Anyway, the hospital situation should have never left the hospital, the doctor there should have never involved my neuro and the  neuro should have never involved my primary doctor.  I was treated like **** at the hospital - again, long story.
Thanks again.

[rumpled]

Halo-like rings  is not a good sign.
CSF will test positive for sugar. If the doctor is not paying attention, contact your nurse line and get another doctor. You can get meningitis as you have an opening to the brain. Why he thinks that is not significant is beyond me.
Will your primary care doctor help?

[xmelax35]

P.S. my doctor will not refer me to an endocrinologist or opthomologist.  I have to have a referral from my doctor through the insurance company.

[xmelax35]

I have actually done the ring test and my boyfriend and I checked it and it is clearly in a ring/ halo like.  I will try the glucose thing though.  So CSF has sugar, correct?

Thank you again,

[rumpled]

Have you been to an endocrinologist for hormone testing?
Have you been to a neuro-opthomologist for vision testing?

Is the fluid coming out CSF? There are a couple of ways to tell at home - test it with a glucometer if you have one or put some of the fluid on a clean coffee filter and see if it spreads out in rings. Mucus does not have sugar while CSF does not and CSF will spread out in a pattern and mucus will not. Either way, you need to get to a doctor and have them test it as you can get meningitis and since you had surgery already, you are at risk.

The tumor is not too small - size is not a factor in pituitary tumors - since imaging is not all that accurate anyway. Testing is what you need. I ended up with two of them - one on the right and on of the left. Check out pituitary.org for info as well.

I hope that helps.

[xmelax35]

P.S. I had Arnold Chiari Malformation and had a Suboccipital Decompression Laminectomy C1, over a year ago, if that helps.

Thanks again.