Sunday 18 January 2015

January 2015 - Pituitary bloggery update

For those of you interested in the pituitary side of things, I thought I'd update you on the following blog post I did last May (2014), which in turn was the one year anniversary of my Pituitary Adenoma removal.

http://chpituitarytumourblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/may-2014-anniversary-of-my-pituitary.html

In the above blog post, I posted some updates on things that had started or stopped since my Pituitary operation. I have been reflecting on these, and whether they still apply, so I thought I'd do an update for any 'pituitary' followers who might be interested. As a reminder, following my operation, I am short of both Cortisol and Testosterone and take replacements for both of these hormones. I am due a checkup next month with Dr. Kar, but all seems to be going well. So here goes with the update (I'll follow the same order as in the above blog post, for full details of the items below, refer back to earlier post):

Things that stopped after the operation
Black eyes
Still gone, not had the black eyes since the operation

Muscle spasms
Also still gone, in fact thinking back on this one they were very prevalent in the latter stages prior to my operation. This must be down to one hormone level or the other being correct now. Never had anything like it since.

Hip ache
I don't get night-time hip ache at all now, in fact I'm much more comfortable in bed at nights....notwithstanding the numb/tingly leg I get now that isn't related to Pituitary stuff at all

Fainting/sweating when exercising
Definitely gone, and hopefully gone for good. Much fitter, able to push myself physically and mentally now....definitely a hormone thing and definitely gone!

Funny vision
Well.....the original issue of patches missing from my vision, definitely gone. However, I have got fuzzy vision in my left eye and I have an eye specialist appointment later in January to start investigating this. I'm not sure whether it is just degeneration of my eyesight that would have happened anyway, or whether it is Pituitary related. I probably won't find out for a while either, will have to wait and see. I have a slight concern that it is optic nerve damage due to the tumour, but who knows....

Pale complexion
Gone. In fact frequently rosy cheeked (my facial cheeks that is!), and rosy cheeked is not a description you used to be able to give me.

Dry skin
This is a lot better, although I do still get a bit dry on my face. I also have much better skin since I stopped rubbing in the Testosterone gel, which used to dry my skin horribly.

Hayfever
Well I've been through my 2nd summer since the operation, and can definitely say it is a lot better. I had slightly itchy eyes during the worst pollen times, but not much of a runny nose. Definitely a hormone thing, fixed!

Being cold
Not any more, a much warmer person - I think this one is a combination of the right Cortisol and Testosterone. If anything, I am prone to being a touch too warm at times.

Mouth ulcers
Bizarre really, for so many years I couldn't bit the inside of my mouth without it turning into an ulcer. Since the operation, I haven't had one single mouth ulcer, and I still bite the inside of my mouth. It is simply sore for a couple of days until the skin heals, then that's it. No more mouth ulcers.

Things that started after the operation
Taste
My tastes did change after the operation and have stayed constant in that regard. Perhaps a bit more sugar-centric, love the fruit and beer/cider. Who knows why, but there you go.

Fingernails
These are definitely in much better condition now than before the operation...and my toenails. Must be a hormone balance thing.

Weight
Until relatively recently I had put on half a stone to my previous normal weight, and was 11 stone for most of 2014. However, in the last couple of months it has dropped a bit, and is about 10 and three quarter stone. I haven't been dieting, so not sure what's caused it. In any case, it isn't anything to worry about, it is nothing drastic either way.

Diebetes Insipidus
Gone, didn't come back.

Lost sensation/tingly foot and leg
Yes, still got it. Probably got it for life. I've annoyed/damaged a nerve somewhere in my lower back and if after getting on for 2 years it isn't entirely fixed, I guess it will never be. If it doesn't get any worse, then I guess I can't complain, although of course I do from time to time.

Cramp
Hardly ever get cramp now, so that's a big tick. I guess it was a settling period after the operation that caused some sort of imbalance that caused the cramp. Or maybe, as I have become more active with walking and Pilates, perhaps I have just exercised the cramp out of my system. Who knows, but in any case, good riddance!

Nervousness
Yep, definitely gone.

Mucky nose
Well all through the summer, the nose was totally fine. But as the winter has set in, my left nostril is once again off on a bit of a drip. It is different to how it ever used to be before the operation, but manageable and not as bad as it was directly after the operation.

Hair
The hair on my head has sorted itself out now, it is still a bit greasier that it used to be, but pretty much normal hair. As for the hair on the rest of my body, well I've grown a pretty normal set of furry places now!

Summary
I consider myself to be pretty normal now. But reflecting on the above does make me think about all these little things that I would have considered normal before, but in fact were just disparate symptoms of not having the correct hormones racing around inside me.

I'll do another update in a while once I've had my blood tests and Pituitary check-up to let you know how I'm doing. I'm also due another MRI to check that pesky adenoma is still at bay too, lets hope so!