Thursday, May 15, 2008

Someone from the DailyStrength.com website emailed me this about her tumor. So, now I don't know what any of this means and it's all new. but, I'm going to look it up:

"Please understand, ANY Pituitary Tumor, regardless if it is associated with Prolactin can venture outside the normal confines of the Sella Tursica... (styled like a Turkish Saddle), the Pituitary suspends in the Sella from the base of the brain, between the Optic Nerves, where they innersect.
As in my first Tumor, it was not confined to the Sella, it had pushed the Pituitary outside the Sella and grew into the Caverous, Sphenoid and Transverse Sinuses. Not all of the cells from the Tumor were extracted at the time of my initial surgery.

It would ADVISABLE to seek additional testing from a Neuro Opthamologist.. this of course could be discussed with your Endocrinologist."

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Today's VA Appointment with the Endocrinologist

The doctor he saw at the VA center this morning said they probably should have started him on the other medicine and not Cabergoline. His headaches shouldn't be related to his pituitary pressure, it might be bad eyesight. He's sticking with the Cabergoline and if it's effective, he will have to take it twice a week for the rest of his life. With his condition, the doctor said they probably should have started with the other meds and if that was ineffective, gone to the Cabergoline. But, now that they started him on the Cabergoline, he can't go back to the other medicine. For some reason it won't work.

He has to go in tomorrow to have blood work done. She doesn't even want to do another MRI for 6 months to 1 year. The tumor could also be splitting (that's new). The type of medication he will have to take depends on where the tumor is, whether it's on his pituitary gland or on the stem where it produces the prolactin. if it's pressing on a stem, they could be treating it incorrectly. They also could have other problems they haven't even recognized yet.

Not that either physician is wrong...right now, they're just different opinions.

He has to go back tomorrow morning to get some blood work. Today, he has to go to St. Vincent and the Endocrinologist to get all his tests, paperwork, etc., to give them back to the Endocrinologist tomorrow.