Patient: Description of condition (onset, main symptoms, hospital visited, etc.): Pituitary microadenoma patient, high prolactin value, took bromocriptine for half a month, one tablet per day, is long-term bromocriptine harmful to the body? Is bromocriptine a hormone-containing drug?
Fei Zhimin, Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Shuguang Hospital East Hospital: Bromocriptine is not a hormone in the traditional sense, and can be taken safely by patients with pituitary microadenoma and high prolactin.
But your diagnosis: pituitary microadenoma, is it made based on MRI and other imaging?
Also how high is the PRL? Do you have any previous history of taking other medications, as some commonly used medications can also cause elevated PRL and even overflow.
Patient: Hi, my prolactin value is over 1900, more than three times higher than the normal maximum. MRI scan didn’t find any tumor, my doctor told me to do enhancement in three months, and now I am taking bromocriptine, but the diagnosis is pituitary microadenoma. In fact, I am in the habit of taking morpholine intermittently for a long time, but the doctor said the chance of this is very small, so it is still decided to be a pituitary tumor. After taking bromocriptine for half a month, I felt a little fatter than before, so I was worried that there were hormones.
MRI is not certain, and a 3-fold higher PRL cannot confirm the diagnosis, so your case can only be suspected, and it is recommended to do MRI enhancement as soon as possible to clarify the diagnosis.
Patient: Even if it is caused by drugs, should I take bromocriptine for a long time?
Fei Zhimin, Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Shuguang Hospital East Hospital: If you are considering drugs, of course, do not use them. Patient: Thank you for your reply, I just had an MRI half a month ago, how long should I do it safely?
Fei Zhimin, Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Shuguang Hospital East: MR is safe, reliable and radiation-free at all times.
Patient: Hi, I took bromocriptine for half a month and my prolactin value has returned to normal, now I am taking half a pill a day. I had mentioned having an MRI early, but my doctor still told me to do it in a few months. What I am confused about now is if I assume that my prolactin level is only high due to the medication, but I have already taken the medication for half a month, can I stop taking the medication rashly, I have heard that this medication cannot be stopped, so do I have to keep taking this reduced dosage?
Fei Zhimin, Department of Neurosurgery, Shanghai Shuguang Hospital East Hospital: This drug is not a hormone in the traditional sense, it is a dopaminergic agonist, PRL can basically return to normal after taking the drug, but stopping the drug is to be done slowly, if it is caused by other drugs, it usually does not rebound after stopping the drug. The MRI does not support this, so it is important to follow up on the medical history: history of medication, presence of menstrual disorders, overflow, infertility, etc.
Furthermore, the normal value of PRL21 (note that different hospitals: the unit of measurement used may be different), if PRL reaches 60, 3 times higher, the probability of suspicion of pituitary tumor is 60%, >100 or more, highly suspicious. Nowadays MRI has a very high resolution for a clear diagnosis and is safe and harmless. Why not?!
So, in summary, it is better for you to review one and stop the medication if it is normal.