Macroprolactinoma

Prolactinomas are the most common type of pituitary adenomas. Macroprolactinoma is a prolactin secreting pituitary tumor more than 10 mm in diameter that causes serum prolactin levels higher than 500ng per mL. These tumors commonly cause symptoms due to the excessive production of prolactin as well as complaints caused by tumor mass and compression of neural adjacent structures. 

I represent a claimant with chronic fatigue, dizziness, and disturbed sleep that his physician attributes to extensive and inoperable macroprolactinoma. The Social Security Disability (“SSD”) application was approved in three months, but then was held up for an extra review. I suspect that the State agency found the medical evidence compelling. However, as the medical condition is somewhat atypical, it appears that further investigation was deemed necessary. 

Whenever I represent a claimant with a condition that is less common, I submit third party medical support from the internet. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the source is reliable. For example, medical information from government websites, the Mayo Clinic, WebMD etc. The State agency frequently questions the reliability of treating physician opinion, but it is difficult to reject the information about a medical condition’s symptoms and resultant limitations when it comes from what the State agency would consider to be a disinterested source.