A recent New York Times Sunday Magazine article by Lisa Sanders M.D. featured PWN cofounder Lewis Blevins, M.D. and the experiences of one of his patients with an acromegaly diagnosis.
The article “The Patient Had Pain When He Walked, but There Was a More Telling Change” illustrates a narrative that we, unfortunately, hear all too often. People across the globe go undiagnosed for long periods of time; research tells us, on average, 8 to 10 years from the onset of symptoms. In most pituitary diseases, the underlying condition can be successfully treated, but the effect of long delays in diagnosis means that many related conditions – comorbidities to use a medical term – continue to progress causing declines in quality-of-life for many.
It is a poignant article about the realities of life with pituitary disease and chronic conditions, and it clearly illustrates why our mission to increase awareness is so critical.
To read more about Dr. Lewis Blevins and his work with Pituitary World News click here.
Lisa Sanders M.D. is an American physician, medical author, and journalist, she writes the “Diagnosis” column for the New York Times Sunday Magazine. She is an assistant clinical professor of internal medicine and education at Yale School of Medicine.
Illustration by Andreas Samuelsson
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Oh so very true I have even been made fun of by doctors. So sick and just blowed off. It really is so sad in this day and age medicine is getting worse not better.
And when you concider that acromegaly is one of the more simple pituitary issues, its amazing that any of the more complex cases get diagnosed at all.
I agree, how could they miss it!
When. Mine started, I was accused of lying by my Dr. after that, he was no longer my Dr.
An Opthamologist was the Dr, that found mine, he knew there was something there! The wonderful eye surgeon he sent me to said there was nothing there. After an MRI they found the largest macroadenoma they had ever seen! Of course by that time I was losing my eye sight.
Same with me.
I had been to 5 doctors in one week.
The ENT said I did NOT have a sinus infection but gave me antibiotics again! I had such sinus pressure.
The Optomologist found my macroadinoma two days before I would have gone blind. It was attached the the optic nerve!
Great visibility that will hopefully get lots of eyes on it!
After 26 years of MD visits, I was FINALLY diagnosed with Hashimotos in 2013. National Jewish in Denver diagnosed me with lupus, University of Colorado Health agreed, Mayo Clinic said absolutely not lupus but maybe fibromyalgia, Oschsners Clinic had no clue and neither did six different MDs at University of Alabama Birmingham. My diagnosis was made my an endocrinologist practicing in Homewood, AL who was unaffiliated with all the world renowned failures I had visited. After taking levothyroxine for a few years, I started having excruciating pain caused by them. Found an MD who switched me to Nature-Throid (not covered by insurance, of course) and feeling almost normal.
I’m on levothyroxine. So tired and unmotivated since. No one can help me. They say it’s probably my life style. I don’t think so. Since my two Pituitary megaadanoma surgeries in Pittsburgh, PA. I am not the same person. It has caused serious family issues and such sadness in my life. There seems to be no answers out there.
I am on liothyroxine sod (T3)hypothyroid since age 38 with hashimotos. Adenoma on my pituitary since age 29 due to visual loss during pregnancy was 3mm then. Recheck age 62 it is 9mm x 6mm . Going for an eval for possible surgery . what makes these things grow and what size are they critical?