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...

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lindilou 02/23/2013

Hi Everyone,
I was diagnosed almost 4 years ago with a macro prolactinoma. I have been taking Cabergoline since. At the time I was warned that if the tumour shrinks it may cause a leak of brain fluid, as i've always suffered from sinus problems (as the tumour is growing into my sinuses) the last few weeks I have been having very strange sensations in my head and a continual drip down my throat. Does anyone know how to determine a brain fluid leak, what would be the symptoms?
Kind reagrds Linda

deleted_user 02/24/2013

Sounds like sinus drainage.

I think you'd have a lot of other collateral symptoms were it to be a spinal fluid leak.

Good to see you...it's been a while since we saw you last.

geewiz 02/25/2013

I asked my endo the exact same question a while ago and she said that the chance of a leak after a period of time was very slim. The most dangerous time is when you begin cabergoline treatment, as it can cause rapid shrinkage, which leaves the body no time to repair or close the space. If it was a csf leak it would be a constant drip out of the nose if you tilt your head forward with your chin on your chest.
I'm no expert, it's just what I've been told by my endo, as I have had similar concerns in the past.

Testing wise, I believe there is no way of testing at home, or nothing they would tell me about anyway. You would need to have the doc or nurse do it.

All the best.

lindilou 02/25/2013

Thank you Tigertales and Geewiz, for your response. It is worrying when you are not told by the endo what to expect, my next appointment is not untill April 10th, it seems they are just leaving me to get on with it, but Im really getting some strange feeling in my head, and that awful foggyness is driving me mad. How often do you guys get a MRI scan, mine is around every 9 months.

Linda

crystals83 02/28/2013

I actually read that you can test on a glucometer, like a blood sugar tester. If the leakage that is coming out of the nose is CSF then it will contain glucose, and snot/mucous will not. That is if its even coming out the nose.

geewiz 03/03/2013

A glucometer, very interesting, crystals83. That does make a lot of sense. Thanks for that, it's a good one to remember.
lindilou, I usually have an MRI scan every 6 months.

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