Living With a Pituitary Condition

Having a long-term conditions may impact your ability to work, however employers should be able to provide relative adjustments to support you.

Living with a pituitary condition can sometimes be challenging with regard to going to school, homework, exams and going on outings.

You may have to have some short stays in hospital, so we provide some useful tips on how to prepare and what to take with you.

Some pituitary conditions can cause problems with fertility and conceiving.

If the pituitary gland does not product enough or any gonadotrophin hormones, this can affect fertility in men.

Free NHS prescriptions are available to people who have a number of medical conditions, including some pituitary conditions.

Being faced with a pituitary condition, with possible life-long implications can be puzzling. We provide support to help you navigate this.

With the onset of a long-term condition, relationships can change because of the demands the condition imposes on you and your family.

Living with a pituitary condition does not have to be a problem when it comes to relationships.

Relaxation and recovery is an important aspect of living with a chronic condition, and you may find that you need to do this more than others. We provide some tips to help you relax.

There are many benefits to exercising, including improvement to physical and mental health.

Weight can be a common issue for people with pituitary conditions, causing distress and frustration, even though you may be eating a healthy diet.

In the event of a medical emergency or an accident, identification emblems can provide essential information about hidden medical conditions.

Some pituitary conditions, such as Acromegaly, can lead to body changes and some patients struggle to find clothing and shoes to fit.

When living with a pituitary condition there may be some items that are useful to you. This page outlines some of these.

Anyone on low income or living with a disability may be entitled to benefits to support their living costs.

Planning for the future is always important, but when you have an underlying illness its especially important to be prepared.

If your child has a pituitary condition, you need to know how to live with giving them additional care day to day. Here is some information and resources to help.

Some adults may need additional support from someone they live with. We can provide support for people caring for others with a pituitary condition.

Many people with pituitary conditions may have no driving restrictions, however the DVLA should be notified of any condition you have over 3 months that could impact your ability to drive.

When travelling with a long term health condition there are some additional ways that you need to prepare.

When travelling abroad you should always ensure that you have travel insurance, this protects you if you need medical treatment abroad.

Aurora's journey started at just 6-years-old

The Pituitary Foundation is supporting Rare Disease Day to help raise awareness about rare diseases and their impact on patients' lives.

Emma Heap has shared her story of dealing with comments from strangers about her 4 year old daughter, Emily, who is a pituitary patient.

We experienced problems when my son was readmitted to an adult ward following complications after pituitary surgery.

September marks 16 years since I had my operation to remove my Prolactinoma, and I thought now would be a good time to share my story. In 2007, having been trying for a baby for over a year, I was sent to have tests for infertility. Everything came back fine with the exception of my […]

Howard Pearce has been a member and volunteer with The Pituitary Foundation for some time, particularly as one of our telephone buddies. He has been a part of The Foundation since his diagnosis of prolactinoma at the age of 49. Now 76, Howard shares the importance of supporting others with pituitary conditions. “I think the […]

I was diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency in 2014 after repeatedly ending up in A&E with what appeared to be an unusual asthma attack and by complete chance after a 2-week asthma ward admission, a consultant ran a Synacthen test and diagnosed me with Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency. Because the treatment for asthma attacks is the use […]

I suffered a pituitary apoplexy. This sudden bleed into the pituitary gland fundamentally changed my way of being.

I was diagnosed with a Prolactinoma 7 years ago. I lactated for years before diagnosis, going to doctors several times asking ‘why were they lactating?’  I had a breast screening and the doctors concluded it was just one of those things… Years later I wanted to have another child and I just could not get […]

Dad was diagnosed with a tumour on his pituitary gland, following a severe headache which we initially thought may be a bad migraine.

Teagan was diagnosed with Prolactinoma in October 2021, at just 19. She was alone in her university room, 250 miles away from home. Teagan is a student at the University of Exeter. She noticed her migraines getting more and more painful. She originally put it down to majority of her studies being online due to […]

Lucy share's her story of living with a prolactinoma throughout her teenage years.