Diseases and Conditions
Prolactinoma
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Diagnosis
Treatment
Preparing for an appointment
Preparing for an appointment
You'll likely start by seeing your family doctor. You may then be referred to a doctor who specializes in disorders that affect your glands and hormones (endocrinologist).
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.
What you can do
- Write down your symptoms, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- For women, write down your menstrual history, age at onset of periods, episodes of missed menstrual periods, approximate dates and type of contraceptives used.
- Write down key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
- List all medications, vitamins and supplements you're taking.
- Write down questions for your doctor.
Preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time with your doctor. For prolactinoma, some basic questions to ask include:
- What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
- What are other possible causes?
- What tests do I need? Do they require special preparation?
- What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
- What side effects can I expect from treatment?
- If I have surgery, will the prolactinoma come back?
- I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Will I be able to have children?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
- Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take? What websites do you recommend?
Don't hesitate to ask any other questions.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you questions, including:
- When did your symptoms begin?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- Does anything seem to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- Have you or family members ever had high calcium levels, kidney stones or tumors in endocrine glands?