FAQ • Galactorrhea

FAQ - Galactorrhea
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Jane Doe began to experience unusual physical symptoms in 1979, but did not find a definitive answer for their

Jane Doe began to experience unusual physical symptoms in 1979, but did not find a definitive answer for their occurrence for approximately nine (9) years. Her symptoms included ankle edema, irregular menses, frequent crying, and marked weight loss. She had been taking birth control pills but switched to using a diaphragm soon after the symptoms began. Although the symptoms continued, Jane endured them for two (2) years before finally seeking attention from her family physician.

After routine thyroid studies, Jane Doe's physician attributed her symptoms to hypothyroidism and she was started on levothyroxine at 0.2 mg daily in January of 1982. During March of 1983 her hair began to fall out in small but consistent amounts, she suffered amenorrhea, and she began to gain weight. She returned to her physician for repeat thyroid studies. At this point the physician decided that she was not hypothyroid and discontinued the levothyroxine.

For the next several years, Jane Doe was disturbed by these physical and mental changes. She had the persistent feeling that something was just "not right". Jane Doe sought medical attention for the continuance of these symptoms from 1983-1986. She was examined by a dermatologist, a gynecologist, and two endocrinologists in addition to her family physician, and was generally considered to be a hypochondriac by the medical profession and her husband.

Jane Doe was depressed. She felt that her problems were being minimized by the healthcare professionals she went to for help. She was embarrassed to keep visiting different physicians and it was quite expensive to do so. From 1986-1988 some additional symptoms developed. They included the gradual enlargement of her breasts and occasional galactorrhea, as well as right visual field deficit and a significant drooping of her right eyelid. Again, she was determined that an underlying problem existed.

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early puberty and hypothyroidism?

I was just wondering if I may have hypothyroidism. Below are the list of symptoms that I have read on the internet and I somewhat have the same as the ones below especially about the early puberty. I experienced early puberty when I was 8 yrs old and now I am 16 yrs old. I dunno if the chronic fatigue that's stated below is the same as mine cause I feel sluggish when I wake up every morning unlike before.
I also gained around 40 pounds in 3 yrs. Are those symptoms enough for me to assume that I might actually have hypothyroidism? And also I felt that I gain weight every December to january (every year)though u might think it's due to the fact that it's christmas that's y I ate alot. But it's not because of that, I don't really eat much during christmas cause we don't celebrate xmas coz of our religion. And when I gain weight, it's like 8-10 pounds in a month, is that even normal?

Symptoms

Early symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

* Chronic fatigue
* Difficulty concentrating
* Sensitivity to cold
* Headache
* Muscle and joint aches
* Weight gain, despite diminished appetite
* Constipation
* Dry skin
* Early puberty
* Menstrual irregularities (either heavier-than-normal or lighter-than-normal bleeding)
* Milky discharge from the breasts (galactorrhea)

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Instead of attempts at self diagnosis and more worry you should go to the doctor. He/she will order a simple blood test and look for something called TSH. Depending on this they can diagnose simple hypothyroidism. The treatment is as simple as a pill a day! (+ info)

3 positive hpt,negative blood test,2 negative hpt,hcg blood test in process?

light period july 3 positive hpt .. negative blood .. no period yet august .. 2 negative hpt .. producing colostrum & bloated .. the docters thought i had galactorrhea & amenorrhea but know they say they think im prego & gave me another blood test just waiting for my results know .. what you'll think??
if iam indeed prego iam 8 weeks 2day
if i was prego iam still prego i def didnt miscarry had no bleeding or pain

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If you're producing colostrum - it sure sounds like you are!

If the blood test is inconclusive, it seems like what they ought to do is an ultrasound! How far along would you be? Even at 4 weeks, they should be able to see the gestational sac in ultrasound. (+ info)

Hypothyroidism with galactorrhoea AND 30 weeks pregnant. Effects on baby? What do you think?

Long one - sorry!
Could do with an endocrinologist here, or just someone who may have had a similar problem!
I went to see my GP last Spring when I noticed I had developed galactorrhea (leaking from my breasts). She did all the usual, examined me for lumps and bumps, tested my field of vision as pituitary adenoma suspected, etc, and eventually took some blood.
However, it was so long since my initial visit til I got an appointment to test my bloods that I had conceived in the meantime, and was around 6 weeks pregnant when the blood was taken. Blood results came back - elevated prolactin levels, which could easily be blamed on the pregnancy.
I was referred to an endocrinologist at long last, who took more blood recently ( 6mths after last lot ), just had a letter asking me to pick up a prescription for levothyroxine - so assuming (from a million and one google results) I must have hypothyroidism which has been undiagnosed for nearly 7 months of my pregnancy.
I have been doing a bit of research as I've lost all faith in the Doctor's Surgery, they don't seem to take anything seriously, take forever to do something, and tell you nothing about your own condition/illness.
Have read that improperly or untreated thyroid problems in pregnancy can cause :
Fatigue, Hair loss, Depression, Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Premature labour, Low milk supply and Mental retardation in the unborn child. OMFG! I am absolutely furious and seriously concerned now! What should I do?
Just thought I should maybe reiterate that I'm not currently, nor have been receiving any treatment through out the 30 weeks of my pregnancy. I have just received a letter from the surgery this morning asking me to pick the prescription up.

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I had galactorrhea for three years after I miscarried and it didn't stop until I got pregnant again. Elevated prolactin levels, thyroid fine, no pituitary tumors, etc. Pregnancy actually should stop or reduce lactation, so elevated prolactin in the early part of your pregnancy might not have had anything to do with being pregnant. I hope they also checked your thyroid back then. You might want to call and ask. If the thyroid started malfunctioning during your pregnancy, not before, that's probably a good thing for your baby and could bring you a bit of reassurance. You may actually have a pituitary problem, though, no just a thyroid problem. I had to get an MRI to see if I had a pituitary tumor, but that may not be a good idea while you're pregnant. Prolactin is also regulated by your pituitary gland, not particularly to your thyroid.

So long as your endocrinologist knows you are pregnant and you've run it past your GP or whoever is doing your prenatal care, it's probably very important that you get your thyroid medication and start taking it ASAP. The only reason I say you should double-check is because you might need to be on a different medication because of your pregnancy. I don't know anything about thyroid medication though, so I'm no expert. I just always double-check when it comes to medication and pregnancy.

I would talk with your prenatal care provider about getting an ultrasound scan to look for deformities just to be sure, and I'd try to take some reassurance from the fact that your pregnancy has been healthy so far that things will continue like that.

Fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, and depression are all things that can happen with thyroid problems regardless of pregnancy, and if you had none of these symptoms before, it may also indicate that your thyroid problems didn't start until after you got pregnant. You may have a pituitary problem that led to a thyroid problem, which could explain the galactorrhea without thyroid problems, then thyroid problems. Because of the problems I've had with my pituitary-related hormones, I suspect that you can have these problems without having a tumor or anything like that. You may need some hormone therapy or something, and it would help to see a naturopath or the equivalent of one there in the UK during and after your pregnancy to see what type of natural things you can do to increase the health of your pituitary gland, thyroid, etc.

I was told when I first saw a naturopath that they could have done something for my galactorrhea had I seen someone about it at the time. As it was, the typical medical people did nothing and I simply dealt with abnormal lactation for three years. I later found out I had other hormonal issues that caused my first two miscarriages to begin with. This was very frustrating because they could have been prevented if I were seeing a homebirth midwife or naturopath at the time. As it was, the typical medical system knew nothing and did nothing. (+ info)

Any one have experience with leaky nipples? NOT PREGNANT OR NURSING?

My nipples have started leaking!!

I am NOT pregnant, NOT on the pill. I stopped breastfeeding my second child over a year ago and my milk dried up quick.

I will call and make an appt with the Dr. tomorrow, just curious if anyone else has had a leaky nipple problem?

I read that it could be Galactorrhea...
this is spontaneous leaking! this has not happened in about a year... it just seems strange to related it to breastfeeding when its been this long since ive nursed/weaned.
no medication, but i do take a flinestones vitamin with my son. (not even a youth vitamin, its made for 2 -3 year olds!)

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It's possible to keep leaking for a very long time after you stop breastfeeding. If it looks like milk and comes from both breasts you are probably fine. You really only need to worry if it's a lot of watery or really sticky liquid or if it is bloody. Try not to worry and keep your appointment with the doctor. (+ info)

what is the doc thinking?

I went to the gyno today to get a lump in my breast checked out....I am 25...had a baby Feb.2006...breast fed for 3 months....anyway...if I sqeezed my armpit...I had a clear fluid that was sticky come out...also around my areola...only when sqeezed....he didn't say anything to me accept that I was getting a mammogram...lab work for prolactin (milk)....TSH....and galactorrhea which I think is the pituitary glands...my question is...that my mammogram isn't scheduled until December 18...if he thought that it was cancer...wouldn't it be sooner...more than later....what do you think is going on? He really didn't tell me anything?

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ask the doc (+ info)

what is the doc thinking?

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That's odd - the doctor really should have communicated with you better - even if he just said "we're running some tests and we'll know more when the tests come back." (+ info)

what is the doc thinking?

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Your doc is thinking you have HyperProlactinaemia (see the wiki page).

You could still have elevated prolactin (hormone that stimulates breast milk production) from the pregnancy and breast feeding, but there are a number of other reasons.

The worst reason could be a prolactinoma.

It could also just be due to stress/lack of sleep.

Certain medicines can cause it.

It can occur just by itself and nobody might be able to find out why.

I _DON'T_ know why he's doing the mammogram. (+ info)

trying to get pregnant please help......?

i had been trying to get pregnant for about a year and a half now and i had been to 2 docs and they told me everything was fine until finally i went to one and i explaind everything like my period used to be normal and now it wasnt and also that i was producing breast milk and i have never been pregnant so he then told me i have galactorrhea he said i should take bromocriptine 2 times a day and it should stop the prolactin levels how long do you think it would take for me to get pregnant.

plus the doc says i can get pregnant while im on the pill. is this also true.

please help

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the contaceptive pill was probably givin to u cause it produces so much hormones in u....making u much more fertile...keep trying and go to see another dr aswell (+ info)

white secretion still in breast but harder?

Alright about a year ago I wrote on yahoo answer about my breast problems. I wrote about when I squeeze my breast white fluid shoots out (I really mean shoot out).I went to the doctor and she told me its non cancerous but she said my thyroid level and prolactin level was high she ran more test ... anywho she gave me the results and she said it was Mastitis
mastitis from milk engorgement or secretory stasis
nipple discharge, also I had galactorrhea. Galactorrhea is the secretion of breast milk in men, or in women who are not breastfeeding an infant, however, is a rare condition that can occur in both men and women, where a white fluid is secreted by the nipples of both breasts. While this condition is not serious in itself, galactorrhea can indicate more serious conditions, including "hormone imbalances" or the presence of tumors. but now when I take off my bra to take a bath/shower I notice that the duct on my breast are clogged and the white secretion is hard.Whats happening?
I can say this... since I have not been drinking coffee for the last 3 month the secretion hasnt been shooting out... But I think I have fluid from my breast because Im always around kids and I would want children of my own soon (cant be pregnant because im not having sex)

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U might wanna check back with your doctor on this one! I don't think many peeps on yahoo answers ca answer this question. Sorry! (+ info)

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