Broadcaster Hector Ó hEochagáin underwent ‘frightening’ brain surgery over the summer

Broadcaster Hector Ó hEochagáin has revealed he had brain surgery in the summer.

The Irish television presenter said medics in Galway removed a small tumour from his pituitary gland in July.

They had been monitoring the growth for 15 years but decided to operate because it was “acting the maggot, doing certain things with the body”.

“It was changing hormones; hormones that we need every day to function,” he said.

Ó hEochagáin described the TSH-secreting adenoma he had as “quite rare”, affecting “one in every two or three million people”.

The podcaster and author explained on RTÉ Radio 1’s Brendan O’Connor show that the pituitary “tells the body how to feel every single day – the hormones, the metabolism and [it] runs the thyroid”.

“It affects my bones, heart rate, metabolism, blood. Basically, it affects hidden things in the body. It’s a very powerful thing the pituitary gland,” he said.

Ó hEochagáin was managing the condition for years with injections.

He had never been under general anaesthetic or been in an operating theatre before July. The thoughts of surgery were frightening, he said.

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“It is when he [the medic] tells you he’s going up through the nose, and going to drill through to the scull ... It [the pituitary] is the size of a grape and I had a growth on the back of that grape the size of a sweetcorn,” he said.

Ó hEochagáin said only his wife and family knew about his condition until he revealed it first on The Tommy, Hector and Laurita podcast.

He said he “feels good” after the surgery and thanked his medical team. Recovery involved “a couple of months doing nothing, enjoying the great weather in Galway”, he said.

Asked if the experience changed his outlook on life, Ó hEochagáin said: “My attitude has always been fairly positive. Surround yourself with good people. And don’t forget the talking.

“Share stories and swap conversations. And smile and get off the mobile phone, give hugs, be good and enjoy the sidelines of the football pitches.”