Possible Pituitary Tumor - TRT History

I am just looking for any advice or experience any of you have had with this. I started TRT around 3 years ago. I didn’t know anything about it, my Doctor suggested we check my test level since I was showing a few symptoms and I agreed. He only checked test level and a few other things that probably don’t matter, level was low and I started androgel 1.62 at three pumps a day. I did feel better but eventually didn’t notice much change, got discouraged, and quit going to Dr and stopped Androgel. In the last 5 months I became desperate, my mood and lack of libido was killing my marriage. I went back to the same Dr. had more blood work done, test level came back at 245, so I asked if I could start doing injections. He agreed and started me at 200mg Test Cyp every two weeks, that was about the time I found this site and realized that my Doc didn’t know what he was talking about.

I starting injecting myself once per week at 100mg, I did notice a difference and felt much better, but I thought I was still missing something. So after much reading on here I made an appointment with another Dr. They ran several more things when doing blood work. I can provide detailed info if anyone is interested, but this is more about my Pituitary. Anyways after my latest Dr. got my results back, my Test level came back at 431, Estrogen was 22. Dr decided to up my injections to 100mg every 4 days, hoping to get my level around 750.

The day after I saw the Dr, around 5 days ago. I woke up with a weird feeling, a mild headache, and my vision was off. That is the best way I know how to describe it, basically feels like I am drunk as far as my vision is. It is not blurred or double vision, more like tunnel vision I guess. It hasn’t gotten any worse or better in the 5 days, headaches are mild and come and go, I think mainly due to my vision being off. I have seen the Dr and he suggested that I have an MRI done tomorrow morning.

In the meantime I am worrying myself thinking about if this could be something really serious, possibly cancer. I have read all about pituitary growths and the symptoms they cause, and it seems like I have all the symptoms. I am just asking for advice from anyone who has experienced this and how it was for you? Is there anything in my blood work that could point to this being a pituitary tumor? I would list everything but there are hundreds of things listed on results, if you need anything specific other than the basics I list, I can see if I have it on results.

Thanks for you time.

Total test 431.1 Range 196-782

TSH 2.31 Range .35-3.71

Free T3 3.40 Range 1.71-3.71

Free T4 .95 Range .70-1.48

Parathyroid Hormone 40 Range 15-65

Estradiol 22 Range 11-44

LH 0.09 Range .57-12.07

FSH 0.05 Range .95-11.95

DHEA-Sulfate 156 Range 168-592

I just had a 7mm pituitary microadenoma removed 2.5 weeks ago. Mine secreted Growth Hormone, and was discovered with a high IGF1 blood test, as well as being visible on MRI. I’m still on TRT while I recover from surgery, but at some point I’m going to try coming off TRT (probably using HCG to start before I discontinue TRT, and then clomid).

Most pituitary tumors are NOT cancerous. I think they are commonly non-secreting, or secrete prolactin, so it’d be good to get a prolactin blood test if you haven’t already. Impaired peripheral vision is a possible sign of a pituitary tumor that impinges on the optic nerves.

Good info on wikipedia: Pituitary adenoma - Wikipedia

No need to repeat LH/FSH again, TRT should zero out, unless a FSH secreting tumor.

TSH should be near 1.0.

Read the thyroid basics sticky, check body temps and eval iodine intake.

Pituitary adinomas that press on the optic nerves have a tendency to reduce peripheral vision, as you report.

Are you young? Low T at a younger age raises the possibility of a pituitary adinoma as a cause. Docs need to be aggressive about this to avoid other serious outcomes. Prolactin is tested as it can tip one off that a prolactin secreting adinoma is active. So prolactin should be tested ASAP as part of your diagnostic work. If prolactin is up, then a MRI is diagnostically justified. But your visual disturbances and TRT are also sufficient. [With old guys, age related T losses do not create a clear cut situation.]

A prolactin secreting adinoma can be treated/shrunk with 0.5mg/week Dostinex/cabergoline. But perhaps not sufficient by itself in all cases.