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What Causes Mood Swings Along With Excessive Perspiration?
Question: My daughter is now 34 and has a baby 10 months of age. Until she was 15 she was a slim girl involved in many sports etc. I noticed then she started to perspire a lot and, as most teenagers, she was very moody.
At 17 she met her now husband and within a few months they went on a 4 day holiday together. On her return I was aghast at how much weight she ad suddenly gained. She progressively continued to gain weight and never lost it . She had a round face, very large neck, and very broad back and large stomach - all very solid and not like soft fat. They have been married many years happily and took 7 years to become pregnant.
They avoided IVF by a day or so and they now have a beautiful healthy baby.
My daughter actually lost weight while she was pregnant - to the point where she looked like she was an Olympic swimmer and this stayed off until the very week she ceased breast feeding. To my dismay I noticed that she had regained the look she had before her pregnanacy.
I feel that there must be a hormonal reason why she has to live with this huge weight gain. Recently she has
had many blood etc tests in relation to Pituitary Gland symptoms. Thankfully all was clear.
I now wonder if she would have clear readings if she has a benign tumour pushing on the pituitary gland?
Are you able to reply to this?
At 17 she met her now husband and within a few months they went on a 4 day holiday together. On her return I was aghast at how much weight she ad suddenly gained. She progressively continued to gain weight and never lost it . She had a round face, very large neck, and very broad back and large stomach - all very solid and not like soft fat. They have been married many years happily and took 7 years to become pregnant.
They avoided IVF by a day or so and they now have a beautiful healthy baby.
My daughter actually lost weight while she was pregnant - to the point where she looked like she was an Olympic swimmer and this stayed off until the very week she ceased breast feeding. To my dismay I noticed that she had regained the look she had before her pregnanacy.
I feel that there must be a hormonal reason why she has to live with this huge weight gain. Recently she has
had many blood etc tests in relation to Pituitary Gland symptoms. Thankfully all was clear.
I now wonder if she would have clear readings if she has a benign tumour pushing on the pituitary gland?
Are you able to reply to this?
Brief Answer:
Need few more details.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
What is her current height and weight ?
Also, what tests have been carried out so far ?
Could you please upload them ?
Yes, you are right, a hormonal disturbance could well be responsible for the massive and unexplained weight gain.
Does she have unhealthy eating habits / sedentary life style ?
Also, apart from the blood tests, imaging too would show a tumour on the pituitary gland.
Has that been carried out ?
Please write back with these details.
I could then suggest further tests to be done.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Take care.
Need few more details.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
What is her current height and weight ?
Also, what tests have been carried out so far ?
Could you please upload them ?
Yes, you are right, a hormonal disturbance could well be responsible for the massive and unexplained weight gain.
Does she have unhealthy eating habits / sedentary life style ?
Also, apart from the blood tests, imaging too would show a tumour on the pituitary gland.
Has that been carried out ?
Please write back with these details.
I could then suggest further tests to be done.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I will have to ask my daughter for the details you require. She is hyper sensitive about her weight and I find it difficult to bring up the subject - her height is 5'8" and I don't know her weight but she is always the largest person in a group (I reiterate it is not floppy fat but solid). My daughter would easily outweigh her husband who is 6"2 and fit.
She stopped all of the exercise she once did on a regular basis - e.g. good allrounder at athletics, good swimmer, taught dancing. I suspect though that exercise would make her gain even more weight in muscle - her legs are very muscley although she has thin arms. Another point that may be considered is that she has very small hands and feet! (Smaller than mine and I am 5'5".)
I have encouraged her but she has not yet asked to be given the results of her tests in writing.
I wonder if a benign tumour would show up a hormonal disturbance through just the blood tests?
Her doctor did not suggest a MRI. In fact he hasn't spoken to her but simply relied on his nurse to pass on the results. I would like to know whether I should suggest that she ask him to refer her for imaging? I have my suspicions that he will feel upset at being questioned further.
Is it common knowledge in the medical field that a benign tumour can cause this weight gain or am I incorrect?
She stopped all of the exercise she once did on a regular basis - e.g. good allrounder at athletics, good swimmer, taught dancing. I suspect though that exercise would make her gain even more weight in muscle - her legs are very muscley although she has thin arms. Another point that may be considered is that she has very small hands and feet! (Smaller than mine and I am 5'5".)
I have encouraged her but she has not yet asked to be given the results of her tests in writing.
I wonder if a benign tumour would show up a hormonal disturbance through just the blood tests?
Her doctor did not suggest a MRI. In fact he hasn't spoken to her but simply relied on his nurse to pass on the results. I would like to know whether I should suggest that she ask him to refer her for imaging? I have my suspicions that he will feel upset at being questioned further.
Is it common knowledge in the medical field that a benign tumour can cause this weight gain or am I incorrect?
Brief Answer:
a pituitary tumour can cause hormonal disturbance
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the updates.
See, a pituitary tumour can cause the hormonal disturbance responsible for the weight gain.
It MIGHT show up in blood work, or might show up in imaging, so generally both are done.
More important is the bloodwork, because apart form the pituitary gland, other endocrinal organs can cause an imbalance leading to such massive weight gain.
Hence, I asked you for a list of the investigations already done.
Alternatively, I could compile the list and write it out here, and you can cross check if everything is done.
For obvious reasons, the first thing makes more sense.
Take care.
a pituitary tumour can cause hormonal disturbance
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the updates.
See, a pituitary tumour can cause the hormonal disturbance responsible for the weight gain.
It MIGHT show up in blood work, or might show up in imaging, so generally both are done.
More important is the bloodwork, because apart form the pituitary gland, other endocrinal organs can cause an imbalance leading to such massive weight gain.
Hence, I asked you for a list of the investigations already done.
Alternatively, I could compile the list and write it out here, and you can cross check if everything is done.
For obvious reasons, the first thing makes more sense.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Thank you for your reply. I think it will take a good number of days for my daughter to get the results of the tests carried out so far. She seems hesitant to worry her doctor for further MRI so I have to tread carefully with her.
Bearing this in mind, I wonder if you could list the tests you would advise in this situation and I could then follow up further. I could show her your list and ask her to get her results to double check.
Kind regards
Bearing this in mind, I wonder if you could list the tests you would advise in this situation and I could then follow up further. I could show her your list and ask her to get her results to double check.
Kind regards
Brief Answer:
List attached.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Okay, here goes my checklist -
PHYSICAL SIGNS -
1. Upper body fat, e.g. XXXXXXX hump and neck, may be suggestive of Cushing
syndrome.
2. Blood pressure
3. Acanthosis nigricans The thickened velvety darkened skin of acanthosis nigricans is indicative of, but not particularly sensitive for, significant insulin resistance. It is usually seen first around the neck and in the axillae, but in severe cases may occur
in all flexures.
4. Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea
5. Signs of endocrinopathy Hypothyroidism as a primary cause of obesity is rare, especially when stature is normal. Signs include:
• short stature or reduced growth velocity
• goitre
• thickened yellow skin, skin & hair changes
• psychomotor slowing, hung-up ankle jerks
6. Steroid excess (e.g. Cushing syndrome) is a very rare cause of obesity. Signs include striae, hypertension, short stature, hirsutism and telangiectasia
BLOOD INVESTIGATIONS
1. T3, T4, TSH
2. Oral glucose tolerance test.
3. Lipid profile.
4. Liver function test and liver ultrasound if tests are abnormal.
5. Hemogram and Iron deficiency anemia panel ( screening for eating disorders
6. Adrenal androgens (androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) ,testosterone) - For ruling out adrenal disorders
7. Screening of PCOS - FSH & LH (baseline only), 17 hydroxy-progesterone, Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), Prolactin, Pelvic ultrasound scan
8. Pituitary screening ( imaging ).
HOpe this helps.
List attached.
Detailed Answer:
Hello again.
Okay, here goes my checklist -
PHYSICAL SIGNS -
1. Upper body fat, e.g. XXXXXXX hump and neck, may be suggestive of Cushing
syndrome.
2. Blood pressure
3. Acanthosis nigricans The thickened velvety darkened skin of acanthosis nigricans is indicative of, but not particularly sensitive for, significant insulin resistance. It is usually seen first around the neck and in the axillae, but in severe cases may occur
in all flexures.
4. Symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea
5. Signs of endocrinopathy Hypothyroidism as a primary cause of obesity is rare, especially when stature is normal. Signs include:
• short stature or reduced growth velocity
• goitre
• thickened yellow skin, skin & hair changes
• psychomotor slowing, hung-up ankle jerks
6. Steroid excess (e.g. Cushing syndrome) is a very rare cause of obesity. Signs include striae, hypertension, short stature, hirsutism and telangiectasia
BLOOD INVESTIGATIONS
1. T3, T4, TSH
2. Oral glucose tolerance test.
3. Lipid profile.
4. Liver function test and liver ultrasound if tests are abnormal.
5. Hemogram and Iron deficiency anemia panel ( screening for eating disorders
6. Adrenal androgens (androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) ,testosterone) - For ruling out adrenal disorders
7. Screening of PCOS - FSH & LH (baseline only), 17 hydroxy-progesterone, Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), Prolactin, Pelvic ultrasound scan
8. Pituitary screening ( imaging ).
HOpe this helps.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
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