38F Brit in Switz: 20 mm adrenal mass: labs still pending.

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Thanks for the replies.

I'm not on anything at the moment (ACE?). The only thing I was on was Nifedipin

for the BP but I've come off that prior to the detailed hormone tests.

Occasional peeing at night but normally when I'm up anyway to see a wakeful

child and realise I need to go before I go back to bed. Definitely not several

times a night like some have described nor an issue by day. Much less of a

problem than when pregnant.

So if I get this right, even if the hormone ratios this time indicate an

overproduction of aldosterone, I'll still have to have AVS to be certain that it

is that side that is the cause?

I'll get back to you with the numbers once I've had the full hormone works

(hopefully within the next week or so). But in the meantime, what are the

general pros and cons of surgery? Why would 'one' decide to stay on drugs long

term if everything pointed to an adrenal adenoma being the cause? How major is

the keyhole surgery and what are the possible downsides?

Thanks again!

> > >

> > > Hi,

> > >

> > > I've just found this board and I suspect the discussion has come

> > up before but I can't think of the right search terms so please

> > direct me to old posts if it's easier.

> > >

> > > I'm 38 and was diagnosed with chronically high blood pressure

> > after the birth of my third child a year ago - before that it was

> > high side but within the normal limits, even during all my

> > pregnancies. The response to drugs wasn't great but it brought the

> > bottom number down to 90 odd rather than 110 odd. Heart ultrasound

> > was fine. The blood work revealed a slightly low potassium (3.5) and

> > based on that my doc did get a hormone test done. I can't remember

> > the exact numbers but one was fine, the other outside normal limits

> > but not excessively. We decided to wait a few months and K was still

> > testing low so I went for an MRI which has revealed a 20mm growth on

> > one adrenal gland. The final piece is to repeat the hormone tests in

> > detail - 24 hour urine collection, middle of the night saliva check

> > plus a better controlled blood hormone test.

> > >

> > > Given the tumour and the blood pressure, I'm jumping ahead and

> > imagining there will be a link so I want to check out my options -

> > especially since this seems to be a bit of a novelty with my doctor

> > (but all credit to her, if this is the problem, she spotted it

> > pretty quickly).

> > >

> > > Lots of the posts I've read talk about having been on Spiro for

> > years but is there any advantage to that over having the growth

> > removed? Googling it seems to imply that the removal is relatively

> > straight forward and the blood pressure is likely to improve

> > straight away in most cases. What are the downsides to having the

> > op? How am I likely to be limited in the aftermath and for how long?

> > I'm relatively fit and active, I don't feel ill now - I would not

> > have known about the blood pressure or potassium if it hadn't been

> > tested - so I can't imagine being incapacitated for long by surgery

> > but I have three children age 5 and under to run around after.

> > >

> > > I don't know whether it's any way relevant but I live in

> > Switzerland although I am from the UK (so language barrier means I

> > also appreciate advice in English!).

> > >

> > > Thanks,

> > >

> > > Hester

> > >

> >

> >

> >

>