How to Identify Hypopituitarism

Hypopituitarism is a condition where in the pituitary gland is unable to produce the appropriate amount of one or more of its hormones needed by the body. The pituitary gland is a small reddish-gray organ that secretes essential hormones to help stimulate and control the functions of almost all endocrine glands. When this gland is damaged due to a head tumor, injury or trauma, faulty surgery, exposure to radiation, or infections, its ability to secrete important hormones fails. This will lead to manifestations of symptoms that is often gradual and is dependent on which pituitary hormones are deficient.

Instructions

• 1

  Check for deficiency of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). This hormone stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol; which is a substance that controls blood pressure, blood sugar, functions of the heart and also helps the body’s immune system in coping up with stress. In hypopituitarism, decrease secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone occurs. This will result to excessive fatigue, low blood pressure (hypotension), abnormal decrease of blood sugar (hypoglycemia), anorexia and weight loss, headache, abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting, and impaired consciousness, which may lead to shock.

• 2

  Observe an abnormal growth pattern. Depletion of growth hormones (GH) will result to retardation of growth (short stature) in children. In adults, deficiency of growth hormones may not affect height since the patient’s bones may already be fully grown when hypopituitarism occur. However, adults will still experience symptoms such as imbalance in the distribution of fat and muscle tissues--fat accumulation increases while muscle tissues are reduced, decrease tolerance in doing exercise due to a reduced energy or generalized weakness, wound healing is poor and reduced social functioning.

• 3

  Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you have secondary hypothyroidism. When secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is decreased, it will lead to an impaired function of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Secondary hypothyroidism manifests the same symptoms of the primary disease in the thyroid, but only less severe. Its symptoms include: impaired mental status resulting to confusion and altered memory, fatigue and general weakness, reduced tolerance to cold temperature, constipation, hair loss and dry skin, and anemia (decrease in red blood cells or hemoglobin count).

• 4

  Notice your water intake and output. Antidiuretic hormone (ADH) controls the balance of water in the body by regulating the production of urine. Deficiency of this hormone due to hypopituitarism, causes the distal tubules of the kidney to ineffectively absorb water, resulting to a condition known as diabetes insipidus. This is characterized by manifestations of excessive urine secretion (polyuria) and abnormal thirst (polydipsia). If in an instance where water output (urine) is greater than water intake, the blood pressure of the patients becomes abnormally low. There will also be decrease in the volume of the circulating blood (hypovolemia) associated with an elevated amount of sodium in the blood (hypernatremia).

• 5

  Try to observe if you have decreased secretion of gonadotropins. Gonadotropins serve as a collective term for the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Deficiency of these hormones in hypopituitarism, will result to occurrence of symptoms common to both men and women including increase in the risk of having osteoporosis (decreased in bone density), decrease in libido or sex drive, infertility, and decrease hair growth in the armpits, pubic area, and body hair. Specific symptoms in women are abnormal absence or suppression of menstrual cycle (amenorrhea), vaginal dryness, hot flashes, decrease in the size of the breasts (breast atrophy), and difficult or painful intercourse (dyspareunia). Symptoms that are specific in men are erectile dysfunction, decreased erection and ejaculation, wasting away of the testes (testicular atrophy), decrease facial hair, soft testes, abnormal development of male breasts (gynecomastia), muscle weakness, and fatigue. Children may develop eunuchoidism which is marked by lack of sexual development and by the presence of certain characteristics that are typical to those of the opposite sex.

• 6

  Try to observe if there is decrease lactation. A reduced production of breast milk is typical if secretion of hormones prolactin and oxytocin are affected. Another function of oxytocin is to help in contracting the uterus during labor. This type of function is amazingly preserved since women who lack oxytocin are still capable of having a normal delivery.

• 7

  Consult your doctor if you have undergone symptoms of pan-hypopituitarism. This is a condition where in there is a complete malfunction of the entire pituitary gland. As a result, the patient will experience all the symptoms mentioned above because every single secretion of the hormones are affected. In addition to all hormone deficiency symptoms, the patient will also have pale and dry skin and existence of fine wrinkles surrounding the face.