Hyper prolactinemia

If you have signs and symptoms that suggest you have a prolactinoma, your health care provider may recommend:

Blood tests. Blood tests can show if too much prolactin is being made. They can also show whether levels of other hormones controlled by the pituitary gland are within the standard range. A pregnancy test is typically recommended for females of childbearing age.

Brain imaging. Your provider may be able to detect a prolactinoma using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of your brain.

Vision tests. These can determine if a prolactinoma is affecting your sight.

Your provider may also refer you for additional testing with a specialist in treating disorders that affect the endocrine glands and hormones (endocrinologist).

The treatment for hyperprolactinemia depends on its cause. Some people who have high prolactin levels but have few or no symptoms don’t need treatment.

Treatment options for prolactinomas (the most common cause of hyperprolactinemia) include:

Medication: Medications called dopamine agonists control your prolactin levels and are very effective in shrinking prolactinoma tumors. This is the most common form of treatment for prolactinomas.

Surgery: If medication isn’t working to shrink your prolactinoma, you may need to have surgery to remove it.

Radiation therapy: This is a rare third option for treating prolactinomas if medications and/or surgery do not work to reduce your prolactin levels.

Hypothyroidism, which can cause hyperprolactinemia, is treated with synthetic thyroid hormone, which should also bring prolactin levels back to normal.

If prescription medications are causing your hyperprolactinemia, your healthcare provider may prescribe you other similar types of medications that don’t increase your prolactin levels or don’t increase them as much.