What are the symptoms of prolactinoma?
High levels of prolactin in the blood can cause various symptoms. The symptoms differ slightly between men, women and children. Women may have: • Irregular periods or no periods. • Reduced fertility. • Reduced sex drive. • Milk leaking from the breasts (known as ‘galactorrhoea’). The milk may leak out by itself, or may only show when the breast is squeezed. (Note: leakage of milk from the breasts is normal towards the end of pregnancy, with recent childbirth, if breastfeeding, and for some time after finishing breastfeeding.) • Increased growth of hair on the face or body Men may have: • Reduced fertility. • Erectile dysfunction (difficulty having an erection). • Reduced libido (reduced sex drive). • Breast enlargement (called ‘gynaecomastia’). • Very rarely, leakage of milk from the breasts. Children and teenagers may have: • Reduced growth. • Delayed puberty. Prolactinomas which are large may press on the brain or nearby nerves (the nearest nerves are the optic nerves which go to the