I recently was in the hospital and had a CT scan of my head and just read the report. In the findings, the radiologist states seeing "partially empty sella". So I looked it up and found out that it describes many of the symptoms us lymies identify with.
Some symptoms are high or low thyroid, high prolactin levels, irregular menstrual cycles, low sex drive, headaches, neck pain. It's related to having issues with the pituitary gland and can be easily treated.
Quite a few of recent posts have mentioned dysfunctional thyroid in combination with high prolactin levels and I'm sure these people have pain too. I'm wondering if this correlates with empty sella syndrome and if empty sella syndrome is related to or induced by Lyme.
Any info out there would be great!
Posted by sandim (Member # 30251) on :
Interesting you posted this. My MRI showed a partially empty sella as well. Doctor told me not to worry about it. He said I might have been born with this. I wonder if Lyme could cause this.
Posted by lajamur (Member # 24593) on :
I HAVE THIS TOO!
My MRI revealed a partially empty sella and slightly squashed pituitary gland.
Radiologist and LLMD didn't seem to think anything of it but I'm not so sure, especially since I've had so many issues with my endocrine system. It was the only abnormality on my MRI, other than a small sinus cyst.
Posted by annier1071 (Member # 28977) on :
Laj.
Mine had multiple white lesions but also had sinus cysts on both sides that i never knew of? Wondering if it is lyme related too.
Had many MRI in past and never had either show up before> Also show signal intensities?
Posted by sickntired19 (Member # 21949) on :
My MRI report said the same thing. Nobody seemed to think much of it though... Starting to look like it might be Lyme related. Very interesting!
Posted by stillwater (Member # 30312) on :
Empty Sella syndrome is usually congenital and mostly diagnosed incidentally during a MRI for some other reason.
The Sella Turcica is the boney structure around the pituitary gland. However the pituitary gland can be flatted by high BP or high intercranial pressure.
Just about every hormone the pituitary secrets (12 I think) can be replaced easily with hormone replacement.
I was born with this condition. I take thyroid meds, cortisone, and during my younger years HGH and testosterone.
I wonder if people with pituitary issues have a compromised immune system and if we are more at risk for things like Lyme. Not sure about that because I've alwayws had a great immune system.
I wouldn't freak out over it. I've had many MRI's and CAT scans of my brain in my life time. The last time, just a few years ago, they incidentally found that I had a 7mm Chiari malformation. Must have had it all my life, never had a symptom ever...
We all have these weird little things wrong in our body and we usually find out about them incidentally. I have two Brachial arteries in my right arm. Found it myself when I used to do vascular ultrasound.