Officially it's called an adenoma

You can Google Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma if you want detailed information but in a nutshell it’s a benign tumor in my pituitary gland.

Three times, it's grown to the point where it affected my optic nerves and pituitary function. Surgery was performed Feb. 2007 again in Feb. 2009 and yet again Nov. 11, 2010 to remove as much of it as possible.

My vision was preserved in each case however I've lost Growth Hormone production and am on thyroid medication to help those levels.

I had radiation after my last surgery. The risk is I could over time loose all pituitary function. The hope is it will slow or stop the persistent tumor's aggressive growth.

12/17/09

Had the GH test

My appointment was at 8am, which meant leaving the house at 5:30. Yuck. Chris drove me because he worried I might have side effects from the medication I'd be given, because he knows I hate driving in heavy traffic and he loves me. It's always good to have his support.

The test wasn't difficult. The worst part was the waiting. We arrived on time but as last time had an hour and a half wait before they started. That office is seriously overbooking. It’s frustrating but right now, we're willing to deal with it for their expertise.

At 9:30, the nurse put in an IV port and drew some blood. Next I was given a bottle of Arginine, a medication that is supposed to stimulate growth hormone, through IV. It took a half hour to pump into me. For the next two hours, we sat in the waiting room. The nurse called me back every half hour so he could draw a new vial of blood. Easy on my part just boring since I'd read all the books I'd had the previous week while I was sick :)

I'll get the results in seven to ten days.
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