Dear Dr. Gott: Fifteen years ago, I was diagnosed with a pituitary prolactin producing adenoma. I was told it is not cancerous and isn’t operable. I was on a medication called Permax for 13 years until it was taken off the market. My endocrinologist then prescribed bromocriptine, 2.5 milligrams, that I took for a year even though it made me sick. She then came up with the idea of having the pill crushed and placed in a suppository, which I inserted in my vagina at bedtime nightly. After using it for four months, it brought my prolactin down from 156 to 124, but I had yeast infections, got sore, and experienced a burning sensation.
I’m now off my medication and have blood work every two months to check my prolactin. I suffer from headaches at times and don’t know whether it is some sort of swelling of my pituitary. For 15 years, my doctor has had me taking 30 milligrams of Hydrocort daily for inflammation.
I’m hoping you may know more than my doctor. I have thought about going to Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, but I want to know what you think first.
Dear Reader: Prolactinomas are the most common form of benign tumor of the pituitary gland. The pituitary is located in the base of the brain and plays an important role in metabolism, reproduction, growth and development. A hormone known as prolactin in the pituitary stimulates the breasts to produce milk during pregnancy. Symptoms of prolactinoma are caused by pressure of the tumor on surrounding tissue