My dear Mother has been on thyroid replacement for decades. She's never had a reaction, any trouble at all, starting medication or changing dosage. I tease her that she sucked up all my tolerances.
Unlike my mom when I start thyroid or change thyroid dosage I feel like I have a slight flu, excessively tired, achy, headaches, basically feel like crud for weeks to a month. Once I adjust concentration improves, its easier to think and energy level increases a little. Definitely worth it but I hate the process
GH is worse. When I start it, I have horrible daily headaches for a month or more. It's a miserable time. Slowly I adjust, it starts to help. Over time fatigue lessens a little, moods level and the odd feeling of feeling withdrawn from the world fades. The first couple weeks there were times I questioned if the misery was worth it. Now though the pain in my head is gone, Chris assures me he sees some improvement so I'm willing to go on.
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.
5/3/12
3/23/12
March 2012 testing result
Once again I had an unremarkable MRI. Two sentences highlight the important findings. The pituitary lesion, compatible with pituitary adenoma is unchanged. The last line of the report is the same as last time, stable left lateral ventricle atrial lesion likely representing intraventricular meningioma. Which means both tumors remain as they were. That's what was expected. It's good news.
I also had blood work to check on my pituitary and I haven't lost any further function.
My TSH was on the low end and I'm still experiencing fatigue so my thyroid replacement is being increased.
Dr. Fuss has approved my restarting growth hormone replacement. I'll have to return in July to check my blood levels on just the GH and thyroid to monitor the changes, see if the medication dosage needs adjustments.
9/9/11
MRI results
As expected this MRI was undramatic. The report is only a couple paragraphs and ends with this summery. A stable examination compatible with pituitary adenoma. Translation the tumor remains the same. According to Dr. Fuss, my oncologist these kind of tumors rarely shrink all that much but turn into scar tissue. The last line of the report is stable left lateral ventricle atrial lesion likely representing intraventricular meningioma. Translation my other tumor that has had the good manners not to trouble me remains the same.
In December I've a blood work appt. to check on my pituitary function. Since I had radiation I can gradually lost function over the course of years so they'll continue to monitor me. I hope my TSH is within normal range then so Dr. doesn't decrease my thyroid med. I still tired way too easy IMHO and the thought of even less energy doesn't thrill me. Doctors say be patient. I'm still working on that.
In December I've a blood work appt. to check on my pituitary function. Since I had radiation I can gradually lost function over the course of years so they'll continue to monitor me. I hope my TSH is within normal range then so Dr. doesn't decrease my thyroid med. I still tired way too easy IMHO and the thought of even less energy doesn't thrill me. Doctors say be patient. I'm still working on that.
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