Oh, I do like the bit about the TV remotes.
But then - I'm spoiled, I'm married to a SNAG. The worst he does with the remote is leaves it tucked down beside his seat so I can't find it until I look there. But he doesn't hog it or channel-hop.
About possible pituitary insufficiency - if your hormone levels are low, then it's easily fixed with hormone replacement terapy. When we hear the HRT words, we think of female hormones, but technically insulin is a form of HRT also.
It's easy to replace stuff that's not there in enough quantity. it's muchmore difficult to block what is there in too high a level. But that doesn't sound like your problem.
Maybe your problem is just the low testosterone. If so, there are many ways you can take it. It will dpeend on what works best for you, and also on WHY your levels are low.
Someone in our extended family has a general pituitary problem, but it is dealt with by just taking testosterone. If he is overdue for his injections then EVERYTHING begins to drop, including cortisol. And THAT can be dangerous. But on testosterone, his cortisol levels (and everything else) are normal. Despite low testosterone, he is all male and I'm told there is no problem with his sexual function (his wife assured me). But she says that when his levels are low, he seems very brain-foggy and can't cope with stress; he gets easily upset and even teary (which sounds to me like low cortisol).
Years ago my doctor worried that I had a pituitary tumour. The problem wasn't low hormone levels, it was levels that were too high. In my case, I was lactating even before I'd ever been pregnant. Blood tests showed high prolactin levels so I had X-rays to see if the pituitary fossa (that part of the inner skull where the pituitary sits) was out of shape. This was before CT scans or MRIs. The X-rays were normal so nothing was ever done.
Generally if your levels are low, it's not a tumour in the pituitary. It may not even be a pituitary problem - diabetes isn't. However, other hormones can affect insulin (in either direction). Growth Hormone, especially - it is very similar chemically to prolactin plus it is released from the same part of the pituitary. Growth Hormone is also connected to insulin - if you think about it logically, when a kid is growing fast, his body needs energy to fuel the growth process. The body builds muscle form protein, bone from calcium and other minerals but the processes need fuel to make it all work, like a motor needs energy to run. So when Growth Hormone is secreted, so is insulin (and other related hormones). That's why people with pituitary gigantism often develop diabetes. For example, I believe Robert Wadlow died young because he developed diabetes in the days before there was a treatment. I could be wrong there, I haven't looked it up.
Endocrinology is fascinating. It's like evolutionary theory - it's both complex and simple, depending on how you look at it.
IN your case, Star, I'm glad they're testing for a number of hormones.
Tje possible connection to insulin resistance in your case - it would be the imbalance of female hormones which do seem to be connected to insulin resistance. But you can work on that independdently. I suspect my own testosterone levels are low - I'm menopausal and not on HRT (it wassending my blood pressure up). I probably should be doing something and you've reminded me to get my own levels checked out.
BUT - despite this, I fixed my own insulin resistance AND lost a lot of weight, without being in hormonal balance.
I did write about it in Healthy Living, but I'll quickly re-cap here.
I had to do something - my liver was a mess, the doctor said that I was right on the edge of diabetes (one GP actually said I WAS diabetic, based on my test results). I was told to cut calorie intake. Now, I have been on too many diets over the years and even had dieticians advise me. And I always ended up worse off. The dieticians told me to eat MORE - utterly stupid. I don't exercise enough, because I am disabled. I do what I can but I know it's never enough. So although the best wway to lsoe weight and fix insulin resistance is through exercise, I couldn't got hat way. I HAD to cut calories.
So I got the assurance from the doctor - forget about dietician advice and simply cut back and cut back, until the weight comes off.
I said, "But that will require me to cut back way below what is considered a healthy diet."
My doctor said, "This calls for desperate measures. Whatever it takes. Do it."
So I did. It wasn't easy. I did take those diet pills that are supposed to stop your body going into famine mode when you diet - but when I stopped taking them, I kept losing weight about the same amount, so with hindsight I don't think the pills did anything much at all.
I did my best to keep what I DID eat to be balanced, but I also took calcium and multivitamins because I KNEW I wasn't eating enough.
After six months I'd lost 20 Kg. A year, I'd lost another 5 Kg. My liver tests were still almost as bad (they take a lot longer to come back to normal - now, 18 months later, they are the best they've been in decades) but after 6 months my insulin resistance was gone.
My aim was to help my liver (and thereby feel a lot better) and to fix the insulin resistance. The weight loss was a nice bonus.
ANy other hormonal stuff - it's extra. You don't have Occupational Therapist (OT) fix the hormal imbalance first, you can work on the insulin problem independently, through diet. But you WILL do better if you have a good gastroenterologist (or endocriologist) supporting you in this. because what I found - although I had good support from family and some friends, I DID get a lot of flak from some people as I had to be SO obsessive about my diet. easy child was worried that I was becoming anorexic, because I began cooking lots of fattening food FOR EVERYONE ELSE and doing a few other things people thought was weird. But it helped me, because I felt like I was indulging even when I wasn't. I know from past experience, when I diet I get obsessed with food.
So what I suggest - go ahead with all the tests and checks on the hormonal stuff. But also try the diet. Do it under medical supervision. I can't promise it will turn around the insulin resistance, but it certainly can't hurt. it IS your best chance and I'm living proof that it can happen, even when your hormones are a mess.
Also, don't try to beat my record or anything else - you have to do this for yourself, and ANY improvement, ANY progress, is a bonus. You are you, with your own unique physiology and health issues. What you do is for you.
Where I am now - I got put on prednisone. MY weight loss stopped and began to reverse. I've gained back about three kilos, then I got sick (whooping cough, it seems) and now have a broken rib. I'm about to go for a bone scan but at least I'm coming off prednisone at last. It will take the next two months. I'm hoping I can lose those three kilos again. But apart from that - my diet was on the maintenance phase and working well.
The thing is - for reasons independent of the weight loss etc, my health is a mess. But my insulin resistance and liver tests are still great. Which is a good thing - I have enough to worry about!
Star, you can do whatever you need to. After all you've been through - you aren't going to let your own body beat you into submission.
Marg