June 16, 2000
Other Illnesses
Question from Jacksonville, Florida, USA:
Can you tell me anything about a patient who has both hypopituitarism and Type 1 diabetes? My daughter is 13 and has been diagnosed with type 1 for two years. She had her pituitary gland removed a year ago due to a tumor. Her care has become so complicated with additional hormones and medications. Is this normal for such a patient? Are there others who have this condition?
Answer:
Diabetes and pituitary problems will mean lots of medications, insulin plus thyroid and cortisol and likely DDAVP, as well as growth hormone. Balance will be harder, but work with your team.
LD
Additional comments from Dr. Bill Quick:
It’s certainly quite an experience for the patient and the family to learn to deal with several disorders at once, but with the assistance of an endocrinologist and a diabetes team, the complicated combination of pills and shots works very well.
It’s my guess that every endocrinologist has worked with at least a few patients with this combination of disorders.
WWQ
