It's NOT a Tumah...

So, it's been a while.  I know, I know.  So much has been up lately for me on a personal level that I just couldn't post again until I was comfortable with my results and talking about it.  You know me, I have to talk about everything: the good, the bad...the leaky plumbing.

So, about nine months ago, my endocrinologist decided to pull me off my meds.  What was the worst case scenario she asked?  I could get my symptoms back, which could prompt for insurance to cover additional testing and better treatments.  [spoiler alert - I'm about to post a TMI - if you're not interested in learning something personal, don't click any links].  See, I have Hyperprolactinemia.  No big deal right?  Except that the ONLY known cause is a tumor of sorts.  A. Brain. Tumor.  But...whatever.  This is old hat to me as I've been undergoing treatment for eight years now.

Here's where it gets interesting: normal levels should read about 10-ish.  Mine is about 130 and no one knows why.  So, Doc pulls me off meds, my once controlled prolactin levels once more sky rocket...and I'm immediately put back on meds and sent for MRIs.  They're sure it's a tumor this time!  Guess what?  It's not a tumah.  Good news, right?  Nope.  Not for me.  Seriously, could I be the only person on earth who PRAYS that I have a brain tumor?  Probably [shaking my head]...

So, eight years later, I'm back at the drawing board.  I'm on such a low dose of a medication that the doctors have no idea how it is lowering my levels and stopping my symptoms...but I'm on a medication that has no known long term effects; indefinitely.  No long term effects you say?  That must be good.  Nope.  Not for me.  There's no *known* long term effects, b/c it is not meant to be taken long term.  It is meant to be taken in a high dose until that pesky tumor is shrunk and has vanished then stopped completely.  But, I have no tumah...so on my circle goes.  I can't come off the meds, b/c who on earth wants *those* side effects?

The worrisome part, the part that I've had to take some time for me to come to grips with is that while I'm being labeled as 'Atypical Hyperprolactinemia' (Fancy, huh?), that it could be something else completely that I'm not exhibiting symptoms of.  What all that really means is that there's something wrong and causing my issues, but no one knows WTF it is, nor can they test for it (as it is, insurance doesn't cover my bi-annual blood work, b/c some presumed pimply faced intern deigned that it was not needed.  Thanks, and your medical degree is where?  Oh...).  It's hard for me, the planner, to rectify that something *may* or *may not* surface in 15 years that could be detrimental to my health, that could have been easily prevented.  [sigh]  It's not easy for me.

But all things considered, I'm happy.  I don't have a tumah.  And I guess I should be thankful that the faucets are in place; even if they have a slow leak....