Living with a Pituitary Tumor: Part 1

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Living with a Pituitary Tumor: Part 1

I was 17 and had been complaining about migraines for about two years to my doctor. She never once ran a test. She just said “You’re a teen in high school and it’s probably just stress related’. I would say, “But there’s nothing I’m stressed about.” No medicine for the migraines, which really made me mad. I felt like she was brushing me off.

As a child, I never had anything majorly wrong with my health. I was a pretty healthy kid. I felt like I had no energy and was tired all the time. I seriously felt like I had the body of an eighty-year-old.  The migraines went from once a month to weekly. I had passed out cold a few times as well. Everything just went dark and I would be out on the floor or ground. I was at work one day and a friend says, “Did you lean on something wet?” I looked down and my shirt was soaked around my breast. We went to the bathroom and saw that my breast was leaking.  She says, “OMG, you are pregnant!” To which I replied,” it’s impossible I have not been sleeping with anyone!”  I went home and told my mom, whom had the same reaction and after drilling in her head that was not the case I went to my doctor.

I also had a migraine when I went and I ended up with a different doctor whom I had never seen. I walked in and explained everything and she said, “Honey I believe you have a pituitary tumor let’s run some tests.” My prolactin level was in the hundreds, my growth hormone was low and I was scared to death. I didn’t understand what they were telling me. They said I was probably one of the youngest to have it. I got second opinions and they said the same thing. Every time I was in a sitting room I was surrounded by people in their fifties and up. I was thinking, how did I get this when they say normally people don’t even find out until they are so much older? I went to Dr. Mary Vance at UVA in Charlottesville, VA. She was my second opinion; about five feet tall and she put it straight. She did not BS about anything and put everything in terms I understood. We tried different medicines for a few years and nothing worked. That dang prolactin level was growing or standing still and nothing was working for me.

She was adamant that she was not going to try to do surgery.  If my pituitary gland had to be removed I would never have a baby. Unfortunately, the time came when I was 22 years old and none of the medicines had worked. We were very patient and waited so long. It was time to have the surgery.

I had just gotten engaged and was about to start planning a wedding. I was working at apartments and just finding out that I wanted to make a career out of being a property manager. This was so stressful. That appointment was harder than finding out I had the tumor in the first place. I was coming home to make sure my future husband still wanted to marry me knowing he may never have kids.

Thanks Ms. Ireland for a very emotional and informative post. WE are so glad to have you as part of the Ms.MommyHH6 team.  Stay tuned for the next The Sunday Post for more from Ms. Ireland.

Coming up on They Sunday Post with Ms. Ireland:

• Struggling with Conceiving
• Living with a Pituitary Tumor: Part 2
• Making your own Laundry Detergent
• DIY Fabric Softener
• And so much more!

Live, Love & Learn,

Ms. MommyHH6