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This month marks seven years since
my Proton Beam Radiotherapy and
14 years of living with pituitary disease. Dealing with hypopituitarism (caused by radiation treatment)
continues to be a challenge, but hormone replacement has successfully returned my energy and overall sense of well-being. I'm taking medication for secondary hypothyroidism and still have mild adrenal insufficiency. I do not take steroids unless I'm sick (flu) or need surgery. My ACTH levels are stable, and my AM Cortisol levels are, too. Whether I am in menopause due to my dysfunctional pituitary gland is a toss-up. My symptoms match the diagnosis, but my FSH is too low for the GYN to call it (I suspect it will never be high - time will tell). Also, I've been having problems with my right ovary due to recurrent and persistent hemorrhagic/sometimes complex cysts for which I have been referred to surgery. As a last-ditch effort, I began HRT this summer to see if it resolves the problem without surgical intervention.
My IGF-1 levels have remained low. My prolactin levels vary, but have stayed in the normal range. In 2017
my MRI report said tumor was not seen, so unless my labs differ from what is the norm for me, or my endo suggests it, I've opted to wait on any further MRI screenings for tumor.
