What is an insulinoma?

August 31, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 59-year-old male. For the last couple of years I have had bouts of lightheadedness that have become progressively worse. I tried eating more often, as that seemed to help a little. My doctor ordered blood work, an EEG and a MRI, and sent me to a specialist, who diagnosed an insulinoma following a CT scan that showed a tumor on the head of my pancreas. What is an insulinoma, and how did I get it?

DEAR READER: An insulinoma is a pancreatic tumor. It produces too much insulin, resulting in hyperinsulinemia. This can, in turn, cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
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Daily Column

February 11, 2009 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
Your recent response about fainting, weakness and lightheadedness was incomplete. Very often fainting is caused by dehydration and the cure is simply the intake of water. This will save a lot of worries and expensive testing. Dehydration can occur most often in the dryer climates of the United States, primarily to people who just moved there. The elderly seem particularly susceptible since they may be unaware of the powers of the sun and humidity without proper hydration.

DEAR READER:
Sometimes the simplest solutions are best. While I attempted to cover all possibilities, I failed to step back and “kiss” — Keep It Simple, Stupid! Thank you for suggesting this remedy that will likely help some individuals.

Drinks such as Gatorade that contain electrolytes might be beneficial for faster recuperation. I must stress, however, that if symptoms fail to disappear rapidly, medical intervention is critical.

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Sunday Column

August 10, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My husband is 70 years old and feels like a dying man. In the last three months he has had a plethora of problems including an unproductive cough (now gone), trembling, lightheadedness, dizziness, fatigue, hiccup spasms, nausea, constipation and occasional inability to urinate. Currently he is taking half an Atenolol (50 mg), one Prilosec and one low dose aspirin (81 mg).

In February 2007, my husband was found to have high blood pressure and was started on lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide and metoprolol which he took until October 2007 when he developed an unproductive cough, extreme fatigue and lightheadedness. He could sleep 24/7. He saw his doctor who ordered testing but nothing was found.

He then developed dizziness when turning his head or bending over [Read more...]

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Daily Column

May 27, 2008 By

DEAR DR. GOTT:
My 36-year-old daughter weighs about 110 pounds. She’s been feeling lightheaded and has had tingling sensations in her arms and hands for the past year. She’s been to a heart doctor, had MRIs and blood work done, but continues to feel bad. What do you think her problem could be? Do you know of any other tests that should be done?

DEAR READER:
There are many diseases that can cause the very symptoms your daughter is experiencing. If she is a smoker or consumes aspartame, she should stop at once. She may be experiencing the effects of work-related anxieties, outstanding bills, children, a sick relative, and other stressors. Therefore, in order to touch all the bases, I suggest she be evaluated by a mental health expert to identify if any anxiety or stress disorder is the culprit.

Fortunately, she appears thus far to have had appropriate normal studies and consultations. I assume her testing found that her thyroid is normal, there are no signs of cancer, and she is not anemic. If not, more testing should be ordered by her physician. If the doctor has run out of options, she should be referred to an appropriate specialist. In the interim, offer moral support and help her get to the root of the problem.

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