Symptoms

Do you have any of these Symptoms?

Each of the following symptoms can be caused by failure of your pituitary gland. Select a symptom from the list below to see which hormone/s could be deficient.

If you have these symptoms (not necessarily all of them), they could be caused by failure of your pituitary gland.
Read about the different pituitary hormones and how insufficiency/excess in any of them can affect you.

Growth hormone deficiency (GHD)

Growth hormone deficiency can cause:

increase in body fat (especially around the waist)
decrease in muscle
less strength and stamina, less ability to exercise
weaker bones, more fractures in middle age and beyond
more LDL blood cholesterol, less HDL
excessive tiredness
anxiety and depression
feelings of social isolation
brain fog and memory problems
poorer ‘quality of life’
increased sensitivity to cold or heat
decreased sex drive*

Depression and weight issues

Robert: “Inexplicably around 15 years ago I began piling on weight until I could hardly recognise the person I once was. I was exhausted, depressed and in pain. My joints swelled up . . . I made suicide attempts in 2007, 2011 and 2012.”

Sources:
The Pituitary Foundation Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency | The Pituitary Foundation
*Impact of adult growth hormone deficiency on daily functioning and well-being – PubMed (nih.gov)

For how to test if you have Growth Hormone Deficiency, see ‘Diagnosis’ page.

Cortisol Deficiency

The most common symptoms of cortisol deficiency* are

chronic, or long-lasting, fatigue
muscle weakness
loss of appetite
weight loss
abdominal pain

Other symptoms can include

nausea
vomiting
diarrhoea
low blood pressure that drops further when you stand up, causing dizziness or fainting
irritability, anxiety and depression
joint pain
craving salty foods
hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose
irregular or no menstrual periods
loss of interest in sex
headache
sweating

Fatigue

Christine Wrightson: “Early in 2005 I suffered a virus that would not clear up. Initially I had a sore throat with flu-like symptoms. This developed into severe fatigue, vertigo, tinnitus, blurred vision, vomiting, feeling faint, palpitations, poor circulation and hot sweats. I felt at times that I was going to die.” http://www.investinme.org/mestory0041.shtml

Sources:

NIDDK https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/endocrine-diseases/adrenal-insufficiency-addisons-disease/symptoms-causes

Thyroid UK Adrenal insufficiency – Thyroid UK

Note
*Cortisol deficiency may also be called hypocortisolism, hypoadrenalism, adrenal insufficiency, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone deficiency.
‘Primary’ means ’caused by a problem in the adrenal glands.’
‘Secondary’ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary gland.’
‘Tertiary’ means ’caused by a problem in the hypothalamus.’
‘Central’ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus.’

For how to test if you have cortisol deficiency see ‘Diagnosis‘ page

Sex Hormone Deficiency

Your gonadotrophic hormones (LH/FSH) are what stimulate your sex organs to make testosterone and oestrogen.

If they fail, the symptoms are:

Erectile dysfunction
Infertility
Less hair growth on the face and body
Less muscle
Development of breast tissue (gynecomastia)
Bone weakness (osteoporosis)
Depression and anxiety

For men
In severe cases

Difficulty concentrating
Hot flushes

For women

Periods get less or stop
Breasts fail to grow
Hot flushes
loss of body hair
low or absent sex drive
milky discharge from breasts

Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility

James Smith: “my sperm was tested for number and motility, and found to be near zero. I was prescribed a regime of diet, exercise and sleep and the dropping of certain antidepressants, and at first this appeared to work, and then not to. It was a standard one-size-fits-all procedure, and nobody ever paused to wonder why a 35-year-old who had been fertile before should have problems now?”

Source:
Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/hypogonadism#symptoms https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/depression#low-t-and-depression

Note:
Sex hormone deficiency may also be called hypogonadism, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (if caused by the pituitary), or testosterone deficiency (in males).
‘Primary’ means ’caused by a problem in the sex organs themselves’
‘Secondary’ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary gland.’
‘Tertiary’ means ’caused by a problem in the hypothalamus’.
‘Central ‘ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary or the hypothalamus’.

For how to test if you have gonadotrophic insufficiency (hypogonadism) see ‘Diagnosis’ page.

Thyroid Hormone Deficiency

Symptoms of thyroid deficiency are

tiredness
being sensitive to cold
weight gain
constipation
depression and anxiety
slow movements and thoughts
muscle aches and weakness
muscle cramps
dry and scaly skin
brittle hair and nails
loss of libido (sex drive)
pain, numbness and a tingling sensation in the hand and fingers (carpal tunnel syndrome)
irregular periods or heavy periods

Later stage symptoms

a low-pitched and hoarse voice
a puffy-looking face
thinned or partly missing eyebrows
a slow heart rate
hearing loss
anaemia

Weight gain, fatigue

Katie Hughes: “my body expanded with horrifying speed, all my weight piling onto my belly”
[Katie Hughes who had thyroid deficiency and growth hormone deficiency]

Source:
NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/underactive-thyroid-hypothyroidism/symptoms/

Note
Thyroid hormone deficiency can also be called hypothyroidism.
‘Primary’ means ’caused by a problem in the thyroid gland.’
‘Secondary’ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary gland.’
‘Tertiary’ means ’caused by a problem in the hypothalamus.’
‘Central’ means ’caused by a problem in the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus.’

For how to test if you have Thyroid Hormone Deficiency, see Diagnosis page.

Arginine Vasopressin Deficiency (AVD)

The symptoms of AVD are

Increased thirst
Frequent urination
Increased urine volume
Pale or colorless, watery urine
Night-time urination (nocturia)
Fatigue due to frequent nighttime urination and interrupted sleep

Constant thirst and urination

Shauna: “For years, I have told the doctor of my intense thirst and dry mouth. I have frequent urination which also disturbs my sleep. Nothing quenches the thirst. The urine is often pale or colourless”

Source:
Johns Hopkins Medicine https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/diabetes-insipidus

Note:
The function of ADH or antidiuretic hormone is to regulate the balance of fluid and salt in the body. ADH is also known as arginine vasopressin (AVP) and vasopressin.
*AVD is also called ADH insufficiency or diabetes insipidus.

For how to test if you have AVD, see Diagnosis page

Prolactin Abnormality

Excess prolactin

This is the most common prolactin abnormality. If your pituitary gland is affected, it may not produce prolactin inhibiting factors (PIFs), such as dopamine.

The symptoms are

In women

Difficulty in getting pregnant
Disruption in periods
Loss of sex drive
Painful sex through vaginal dryness
Low bone mass
Breasts producing milk outside of pregnancy.
Failure to ovulate
Headaches*

In men

Enlarged breasts, producing milk
Impotence
Loss of sex drive
Infertility (less sperm or no sperm)
Headaches*
Decreased muscle mass and body hair

*Especially if the excess prolactin is caused by a prolactinoma (a small tumour on the pituitary)

Insufficient prolactin