51 days - No period-Neg. Pregnancy test-High prolactin
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Does anyone out there have high prolactin levels?? I have a pituatary tumor and am on medication to level out my prolactin levels - and have been for 2 years now. My levels go up and down, as a result my periods have been irregular. I have been tracking them for a while now and the longest I have gone in between periods has been 36 days until now. It's been 51 days since my last period. I took a pregnany test today and it is negative. I feel very tired, headaches, and sore breasts....all point in the direction of being pregnant but obviously I am not. Two weeks ago I had some spotting but that's been the only sign that maybe a period is to come. Has anyone out there had this happen?? I am nervous to continue on my medication as the doctors told me to stop once I become pregnant....but at the same time I don't want to stop because it's important to take them if I am not. I am really confused!! :S
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Amber, my wife had EXTREMELY high prolactin levels, somewhere about 72...when it is supposed to be around 4-7 if I remember correctly. We had been ttc for about 1½ years, without any results, finally went to the docs, and he ran blood tests, said it was because of the prolactin, with the high prolactin levels, you do not ovulate...hence not being able to conceive. Anyways, Are you on "bromocriptine"? My wife was put on that about 3 months ago. It started to level out her periods, and we just found out she is pregnant. She is now 7 weeks and 5 days pregnant! If you are not on this drug, maybe ask your doctor about it. It worked wonders! She used to go 2 months without her period, after the first month of being on it, her periods were regular, and she was ovulating. She also had the prituitary tumor. Wife also has endometriosis...but that didn't stop us, and thank God everything worked out! I hope this helps, also, she stopped taking the bromocriptine when the doctor confirmed she was pregnant. She was already 4 weeks into the pregnancy at that point. I don't think it will harm the baby, but there just isn't enough research on it yet, so that is why they take you off of it.
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Hi Brian,
I was on bromocriptine for 2 years but the doctors have just recently switched me over to cabergoline to see if this would work any better as my levels were still high on the bromocriptine. Even on the medications I have always had my periods although running about a 32- 36 day cycle. I guess cabergoline is suppose to work faster but quite the opposite for me.....it's been 52 days and no period..this has never happened to me before. So either I am pregnant (with a negative test?!) or my levels are really out of whack which doesn't make sense either. Guess I'll just have to wait. :S
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I am DEFINATELY NOT a doctor, but I would have to think that even if your period was 32-36 days....at least it was consistant, correct? Have you tried to monitor your fertility to see if you can detect your LH surge? I have never heard of the drug you mentioned. Have you done research on-line about it? I might suggest that. I know what you are going through....we always would take pregnancy tests, and it would show up negative...a downer for sure. Maybe you should go back to your doctor and tell him/her that your periods are even further apart now, and even MORE irregular. Other then that, just pray, and God will eventually bless you with a litte one of your own. Remember, everything happens in God's perfect timing. I will pray for you that you get everything straughtened out.
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Amber and Brian, I was just diaignosed with high prolactin levels. Mine is 18.2. I have no idea what this means or consists of and I was wondering if you could explain it to me. When the nurse called me back with my results she sd that my Thyroid was slow and my prolactin was high. My husband also got tested and his sperm count is VERY low and he has an infection (not STD). He is going to the Dr. on monday. Ne ways the nurse sd that the dr. didn't feel like my levels were the reason we are not getting pg that it was my hubby's sperm. now that i read your postings, maybe it is him and me. Should I be tested futher and put on meds for this??? The Dr wants me to come back in for some more blood work, but I don't even understand what prolactin is. I had never even heard of it until last week. thanks.
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Also does prituitary tumors come with this high prolactin level or is this a sperate thing???
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Amanda, sorry I don't get on the net during weekends...Anyways, From the sounds of it your prolactin levels still COULD be affecting your homones to the point where you aren't ovulating. Do you know for sure that you are ovulating? If not, try and monitor your fertility with Clear Blue Easy ovulation test kit, and find your LH surge. If you are ovulating, then your prolactin level isn't what is keeping you from getting pregnant. Prolactin is the hormone that produces milk in your breasts, among other things. Do a search on google and learn about it, I found it quite interesting. The pituitary tumors are caused by the prolactin secreating to much, they go hand in hand. You MIGHT have a very small pituitary tumor, which to be honest isn't even a "tumor" at all, it is just your pituitary gland swelling due to high secreation of prolactin. Either way, you are above normal, and your Doctor should continue to monitor your prolactin levels.
Again, I am NOT a doctor, just sharing things that we went through. God Bless
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Brian, thanks so much for getting back to me. My Dr. did lots of blood work when I went. The reason I went in the first place is that I had used OPK for 2 months and still hadn't got a + result. I thought I wasn't "O", but when I got my results my FSH hormone told the Dr that I was "O". I have all the signs, the regular periods, the mucus, etc. So I don't know. I think what we'll do is see what the Dr tells my hubby today and go from there. Does your wife have a slow Thyroid?
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Sounds like your prolactin levels aren't keeping you from Ovulating, so that isn't your problem. My wife actually has an overactive thyroid gland...hence the HIGH prolactin levels.
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Brian the research that I found indicated that an inadaquate thyriod was what caused a high prolactin level. Does a slow thyriod cause the same thing?? Do you know??
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I am not quite sure I understand your question...but it sounds like an "inadaquate thyroid" and a "slow thyroid" might be the same thing....???
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Sorry, Let me try again. the research I found stated that because I had a inadaquate (slow) thyroid, I would also have a high Prolactin level. Your wife has a overactive (fast) thyroid and thats the reason she has HIGH prolactin levels.
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I've had high prolactin for years and have been treated with bromocriptine and Dostinex (which is better for me). High prolactin is usually caused by a pituitary tumor (non-cancerous) that may or may not be detected with an MRI. High prolactin tends to mess up other hormone levels, especially estrogen, which affects menstruation. My prolactin was >200 when I was first diagnosed and with meds it is normal, and I got pregnant relatively easily (no other problems). I don't have ANY menstruation when I'm not taking the drugs, but others may have irregular periods, lighter than normal, etc. I found that I was ovulating normally when my prolactin level was in the normal range - I charted my basal body temperature and used the ovulation detection kits. A great site for info on prolactinoma is http://www.pituitary.com/news/Ar
ticles/ProlactinomaArticle2.php.
(I have no affiliation with this site, I've just done a lot of research and found this to be a useful starting point.)
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I've had high prolactin for years and have been treated with bromocriptine and Dostinex (which is better for me). High prolactin is usually caused by a pituitary tumor (non-cancerous) that may or may not be detected with an MRI. High prolactin tends to mess up other hormone levels, especially estrogen, which affects menstruation. My prolactin was >200 when I was first diagnosed and with meds it is normal, and I got pregnant relatively easily (no other problems). I don't have ANY menstruation when I'm not taking the drugs, but others may have irregular periods, lighter than normal, etc. I found that I was ovulating normally when my prolactin level was in the normal range - I charted my basal body temperature and used the ovulation detection kits. A great site for info on prolactinoma is http://www.pituitary.com/news/Ar
ticles/ProlactinomaArticle2.php.
(I have no affiliation with this site, I've just done a lot of research and found this to be a useful starting point.)
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do not stop taking you medication. you periods will come eventually, you may just be experiencing a lapse in your cycle. only when you become pregnant, stop taking you medication.
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