DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My son died 10 years ago. He was 41. The death certificate from the autopsy said the cause of death was “benign pituitary adenoma.” In the 10 years since he died, no one has asked me or my other son, the two people closest to my dead son, any questions about his lifestyle, drug consumption or anything else that might be relevant. Why wasn’t anyone close to my son contacted? When I tried to find out if anabolic steroids might have been a factor, some flunky go-between would not even ask the doctor who performed the autopsy. Your comments, please. — F.G.

ANSWER: The pituitary gland is no larger than the average pea. It sits in a bony, chairlike structure on the undersurface of the brain. For such a small gland, it has gigantic functions. It secretes hormones that influence the output of many other endocrine glands, like the thyroid, the ovaries, the testicles and the adrenal glands.

A benign pituitary adenoma is a noncancerous enlargement of the gland. Such a gland can produce too much of stimulatory hormones or too little of them. An overproduction of the hormone that stimulates the adrenal gland brings on Cushing’s syndrome, characterized by high blood pressure, a peculiar distribution of body fat, increased body weight, easy bruising and even personality changes. That’s just one example of what a pituitary adenoma can do.

I don’t know what to tell you. I understand your consternation. The family deserves a complete discussion of the cause of death, not just a copy of a cryptic death certificate. Have you written to whoever is in charge of the facility where the autopsy was performed? It might be late to do so now, but you can try to get more information by doing so. I wish you luck. I can tell you that anabolic (muscle-building) steroids were not the cause of the pituitary adenoma.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will psyllium (2 tablespoons a day) make my colon lazy? — K.

ANSWER: Psyllium is fiber obtained from plant sources. Fiber is the stuff we’re encouraged to eat in the amount of 25-35 grams a day. It’s the indigestible material of grains, fruits and vegetables. It holds on to water as the food residue passes through the intestinal tract. It prevents constipation. One commercial brand of psyllium is Metamucil.

Psyllium won’t make your colon lazy. It will make it happy.

The booklet on constipation provides tips on how to stay regular. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 504, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I read the short note sent to you from the reader who experienced relief from back pain following an MRI. I am a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and my career centered on treatment of pain.

The reason I am writing is that I experienced a cure of my lower-back pain following an MRI. I have not found anyone with a similar experience until I read the note you printed. The literature is replete with claims from manufacturers of magnets that magnets can cure pain. Proponents say increased blood flow to the area, supposedly attracting iron in the blood’s hemoglobin, is the reason for the cure. The other side of the coin is the placebo effect. I personally can add my name to the short list of people who experienced relief of low-back pain following MRI. — Dr. R.S.

ANSWER: Thank you, Doctor, for the letter and for your personal experience with magnetic resonance imaging, MRI scans. Powerful magnets are responsible for capturing pictures of the body’s interior with this technique. No radiation takes place.

You were not the only one who wrote about pain relief after an MRI. I am going to keep all such future letters on file. I’ll share a Nobel prize with you.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers may also order health newsletters from www .rbmamall.com.

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