East Derry MLA shares experience pituitary tumour to raise awareness of condition

An East Derry MLA has shared her experience of living with a pituitary tumour on awareness month of the condition. 

SDLP MLA Cara Hunter spoke out in an online video telling viewers about her symptoms of a benign pituitary tumour. 

The pituitary is a pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of the brain that is often called the "master gland" because it produces hormones that regulate many vital body functions.

Ms Hunter was 23 years-old at the time and had just been elected to Stormont when she got the news of the tumour. 

Recalling the events leading up to her diagnosis Cara said: “On my first day at Stormont I got a phone call from my lovely GP to inform me that I had a pituitary tumour. I am not ashamed to say that I had never heard of pituitary before. For years leading up to my diagnosis I had symptoms. I had the most female amazing GP, who made me feel really listened to. When she told me I had a tumour I was really surprised. 

“The biggest symptom I had was that my menstrual cycle had changed. For three or four months which was extremely unusual for myself. I also had significant headaches which again was unusual for me.”

Cara explained how she first went to the GP when she was a teenager displaying these symptoms. She was told it was depression and was offered an antidepressant. Ms Hunter insisted she wasn't depressed just experiencing chronic headaches. 

“Fast forward to being 22 my cycle was totally irregular and caused headaches more often. I had noticed slight changes in vision and changes in my breast too which concerned me. I also experienced nausea in the mornings too. I went to the GP as I knew there was no chance of pregnancy and wanted to know why I wasn’t getting my period. My GP ran a prolactin blood test. My blood test came back as level 2000 which was high. I was really shocked at the results. That is what a lady who just had a baby or is breastfeeding would be. The normal amount is 40-200 for a non-pregant woman,” she explained. 

After this Cara went for a CT scan and then an MRI. After the MRI the result revealed the pituitary tumour. 

Ms Hunter was concerned about the possibility of cancer but was told it was benign but the new MLA still experienced debilitating symptoms. She recalled how she had side effects from the prescribed drug to deal with symptoms. Cara recalled how she was vomiting, “couldn’t think straight”, and felt like she had been “hit by a truck”. To add to this the MLA was anxious about throwing up in the Stormont chamber.

Cara shared how she thought she had to go public after an incident happened where she couldn't speak properly to a fellow MLA. She thought she needed to talk about this to raise awareness of the condition as a public health issue. 

As a result of the condition Cara gained weight and didn’t feel like herself. She explained how she was living the healthiest lifestyle at the time but due to the drug she was prescribed that didn’t matter. 

Ms Hunter shared how she is passionate about the prevalence of medical gaslighting due an interaction she had with a doctor who “laughed in her face” after she confided in him about her weight gain. 

Cara was concerned about the impact the tumour would have on her fertility and sight loss. So she found a doctor who took her off the drug, listened and was helpful. 

The MLA shared how she now feels “more like herself”.

Cara has called for anyone experiencing similar symptoms to go to a GP and get this investigated. 

Listen to Cara talk about her journey below: 

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A post shared by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ Cara Hunter MLA (@carahuntermla)

For more information on Pituitary you can visit pituitary.org.uk