A pituitary adenoma is a tumor on the pituitary gland that secretes prolactin (also called a prolactinoma). For some people these tumors can be harmless and go unnoticed, but for others it can cause severe symptoms. For Andi it caused extreme hormone dysregulation, exhaustion and mental health challenges, including depression, intrusive thoughts and a spike in her OCD.

Andi first discussed her pituitary adenoma on the Major Pain podcast two and a half years ago. Since then she has tried to control her prolactin level through medication (first cabergoline and then bromocriptine), but the dosage required caused side effects even worse than the symptoms of her adenoma. After reaching a breaking point with the medication, she decided to move forward with surgery.

On this episode of Major Pain, Andi returns to the podcast to discuss her pituitary adenoma surgery. Deciding that surgery was her best course of action was an extremely difficult decision, in fact she had not fully decided to go through with it when first scheduling the procedure. She shares her experience with the surgery itself, the recovery process, and how she is feeling post recovery. Hopefully her lived experience can help others make an informed choice if they are considering pituitary adenoma surgery.

Andi's original episode can be found here: https://majorpainpodcast.com/living-with-a-pituitary-adenoma/