1. Address the Causes of Hypopituitarism
Hypopituitarism, a medical condition that results when your pituitary gland fails to create essential hormones, can be caused by a number of factors. Head trauma, stroke, tumors and other brain conditions can put you at risk for developing hypopituitarism. Before you can effectively manage this condition, you should be treated for the initial causes. For instance, if the hypopituitarism was caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland, you will need to have it removed surgically before hormone therapy can begin. The pituitary hormones will then need to be replaced in your system through artificial means. Radiation therapy may also be used to treat these types of tumors.
2. Undergo Hormone Therapy
If your pituitary gland puts out irregular amounts of the pituitary hormone, those abnormal levels will affect all of the other hormone levels in your body, including ACTH, estrogen and testosterone. Hormone therapy, through which additional hormones are replaced in the bloodstream, is the best strategy to manage hypopituitarism. Corticosteroids may be introduced into your body to maintain cortisol levels. Growth, sex and thyroid hormones will need to be balanced through therapy as well.
3. Use Prescription Medications to Maintain Your Health
Hypopituitarism is a lifelong condition. Through the use of proper medications, however, you should be able to lead a fairly normal life. While hormone therapy may continue to be used periodically to maintain healthy hormone levels, you may have to take corticosteroids on a fairly regular basis. In fact, it's important to remember to increase your dosage of corticosteroids while suffering from certain illnesses, or your immune system may be overwhelmed, leading to a variety of life-threatening conditions. Regular supervision from a doctor is essential to your continued health. Additional drugs may be prescribed to men and women to treat infertility that may be caused by hypopituitarism.
