How to Reduce the Size of a Prolactinoma Tumor

A prolactinoma is a benign tumor that appears to grow on the pituitary gland. It can either secrete the hormone prolactin, or it can press on a part of the pituitary that creates prolactin. Most people don't know they have the tumor until they try to get pregnant. If left to grow larger, vision can be impaired, libido can diminish, migraine headaches can become frequent or irregular periods in women. Women can also experience a discharge from the breasts and painful intercourse due to vaginal dryness. Men can experience a loss in body hair, erectile dysfunction and enlarged breasts.

Instructions

1. Find an endocrinologist that specializes in pituitary health. They will run various blood tests and an MRI to determine the course of action to decrease your Prolactinoma. The MRI will determine the size of your tumor and the blood tests will analyze your hormone levels.

2. Discuss with your endocrinologist about taking oral medications to reduce your prolactinoma. Medications have been known to shrink the tumor, but the treatment is often long-term and frequent blood tests to monitor the hormone levels are needed. Your doctor will prescribe a dopamine agonists to treat prolactinoma. The most commonly subscribed medications are bromocriptine and cabergoline. Both these drugs are designed to decrease the production of prolactin. If the medicine is effective and shrinks the tumor, you may be able to stop taking the medicine.

3. Decide if you want to take Bromocriptine or Cabergoline to reduce the tumor. If you choose Bromocriptine, be aware of side effects like nausea and dizziness. To diminish these side effects, doctors might slower introduce you to the new medicine by subscribing a lower amount before giving you the full subscription. Never stop the medicine unless talking to a qualified doctor or endocrinologist.

4. Take Cabergoline if your doctor recommends this medicine. Side effects of this medicine are nausea and dizziness, but recent trials have shown these effects are less severe than bromocriptine.

5. Keep close communication with your doctor about how you feel while taking these medicines. Make sure you have an endocrinologist that will let you call them to ask questions between appointments.

Tips & Warnings

• To find a qualified endocrinologist, ask for referrals or log on to the web and search for endocrinologist with pituitary specialty.

• Always consult with a doctor about starting or stopping a new prescription.

• Consult with a physician if you experience any severe side effects.