Prolactinoma Support Group
A prolactinoma is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland that produces a hormone called prolactin. It is the most common type of pituitary tumor. Symptoms of prolactinoma are caused by too much prolactin in the blood or by pressure of the tumor on surrounding tissues. Prolactin stimulates the breast to produce milk during pregnancy. After delivery of the baby, a mother's...
I have a theory about how my prolactinoma came to be from my own research and lots and lots of it.
I have a 4mm prolactinoma and before i was diagnosed I took combination birth control pills for a number of years.
From what l researched:
Increased estrogen levels can cause prolactinomas to form. Excess estrogen unbalances with progesterone. Progesterone is normal, but estrogen is unopposed.
Progesterone inhibits prolactin and prolactin inhibits the production of progesterone. Which can cause heavy painful periods, which I have.
Progesterone is a precurser to serotonin, so if a person has inhibited progesterone from elevated prolactin/prolactinoma, it also causes a deficiency to serotonin and causes depression.
Dopamine is a prolactin inhibitor, and therefore, I believe all my body's dopamine is going to my prolactinoma instead of where it needs to go. So I have been suffering with depression symptoms from low serotonin and low dopamine.
I think that there are two different directions a prolactinoma can go:
It can inhibit progesterone and estrogen causing missed periods, but since I had excess estrogen levels (normal as of now) it was being unopposed with deficient progesterone causing me to have regular periods, which are very heavy and painful.....
So I believe that the combination birth control pill that I took for almost 12 years actually caused the prolactinoma because I was consuming too much estrogen.
I really, really hope that this makes sense because I kind of needed to write it out so I could understand it as well, but it makes sense to me.
I would like to know as well how many women out there took birth control pills before they were diagnosed with a prolactinoma and how long did you take them?
I have a 4mm prolactinoma and before i was diagnosed I took combination birth control pills for a number of years.
From what l researched:
Increased estrogen levels can cause prolactinomas to form. Excess estrogen unbalances with progesterone. Progesterone is normal, but estrogen is unopposed.
Progesterone inhibits prolactin and prolactin inhibits the production of progesterone. Which can cause heavy painful periods, which I have.
Progesterone is a precurser to serotonin, so if a person has inhibited progesterone from elevated prolactin/prolactinoma, it also causes a deficiency to serotonin and causes depression.
Dopamine is a prolactin inhibitor, and therefore, I believe all my body's dopamine is going to my prolactinoma instead of where it needs to go. So I have been suffering with depression symptoms from low serotonin and low dopamine.
I think that there are two different directions a prolactinoma can go:
It can inhibit progesterone and estrogen causing missed periods, but since I had excess estrogen levels (normal as of now) it was being unopposed with deficient progesterone causing me to have regular periods, which are very heavy and painful.....
So I believe that the combination birth control pill that I took for almost 12 years actually caused the prolactinoma because I was consuming too much estrogen.
I really, really hope that this makes sense because I kind of needed to write it out so I could understand it as well, but it makes sense to me.
I would like to know as well how many women out there took birth control pills before they were diagnosed with a prolactinoma and how long did you take them?
Im really starting to like this thread. Im getting alot of info and encouragement from all of you guys.
Now that the doctors believe that I ACTUALLY have a prolactinoma, l actually think that they are starting to agree with some of the tests that I want to have done (like my progesterone). I think that I may actually have a good General Practitioner because he usually believes me and doesnt deny everything that I say.
So on that note-For everyone who has followed this thread, I had my progesterone tested and well the results are shocking and it seems to prove some of my theory correct.
I actually skipped my period this month for the first time in a year so checking the progesterone at this time was perfect. My results were this:
Well awesome I cant find them but anyways my progesterone was showing as postmenopausal in the leuteal phase at .64. That also explains why some people have symptoms of menopause (like hot flashes) when thay have a prolactinoma. And that does also prove that prolactinoma doesnt just effect estrogen because all of my other pituitary hormones are normal except prolactin, so obviously its effecting my ovarian hormones. How could it not? So Im now contending with low progesterone symptoms like water weight gain which is horrible. I actually had to go get diuretics. I have never gained this much water weight from this. Usually it goes away when my period starts, but I didnt have one so now l have almost 10 pounds of water packed on to me. YAY.....
Anyways.....
Catrianna:
The birth control that I was taking was Alesse (Sronyx-generic) and the ingredients are: Levoenorgestrel 0.1mg/Ethinyl Estradiol 0.02mg. I dont know if yours or other peoples pills have the same ingredients.
Also, if you do take cabergoline, your prolactin will go down and you do have a chance of becoming pregnant because your hormones will get back to normal ranges, so if you do believe birth control caused all of your problems like I do, you should probably use back up.....
musbnet:
You are very welcome and Thanks!!!!!
My last MRI was in May of 2012 and as of then my prolactinoma was 4mm.
I just looked up the birth control that you guys were taking and the ingredient are the same as what was in mine. BUT l still believe that my birth control caused this evil little thing.....