Amber Frey Thyroid Alert

I received a return email from Amber's lawyer, Gloria Allred, stating she would inform Amber about my observations, but did not say if Amber knew she had a thyroid problem.

Dr.G.

Miscarriage in Women with excessive Thyroid Hormone Exposure

The damaging effects of excess thyroid hormone on the fetus, independent of the mother's hyperthyroid state was studied in a family with RTH ( Thyroid Hormone Resistence Syndrome).Female members of a family with RTH, had high T4,T3, and suppressed TSH exactly like any hyperthyroid patient, but were resistent and euthyroid.
36 couples were in the study.There was an increase in miscarriage in mothers with RTH, when the fetus did not have RTH. The unaffective non-RTH fetus was exposed to excess thyroid hormone, and miscarried more frequently than the RTH babies that did not feel the excess due to their resistence syndrome. The non-RTH fetus had lower birth weights as well. This neat study shows how pure fetal toxicosis can effect the outcome,when the mother is euthyroid due to resistence. The direct effect on the fetus is clearly seen in this study by Refetoff et al.
Please remember to be checked before and after conception to make sure the thyroid hormone dose is correct. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can have deleterious effects on the fetus.

Dr.G.
Reference
JAMA 2004Nov 3;292917):2085-6 Anselmo,Cao,Karrison,Weiss,and Refetoff

Perchlorate in your drinking water. Can it harm your thyroid?

Solid rocket fuel contains perchorate, The ground water is contaminated with low levels. 10 California counties including L.A. county have leaked perchlorate into the aquifer, from chemical factories, and aerospace plants. L.A. has 138 wells with traces of perchlorate. Lettuce, and milk have traces of perchlorate as well.
Perchlorate can decrease the ability of the thyroid gland to uptake iodine. It has been used to slow down a hyperthyroid gland. However, studies on humans showed that, the level in our water is too low to effect the function of the thyroid gland. The report released today, by the National Research Council, places the acceptable levels in water below the level that may harm women with a thyroid problems, or iodine deficiency.The level would be about 2-6 ppb. They stated that perchlorate did pose a heath threat, in higher levels in drinking water, to the human thyroid gland, which controls the brain development in infancy. This "safe" level is much lower than that recommended by industry of about 200 ppb. They found no cancer risk from perchlorate.They studied 37 healthy adults. They received various doses of perchlorate in the tests.A good review of the effects of perchlorate on thyroid function is in Diseases of the Thyroid
2nd edition Louis Braverman MD editor page 320-322. 2003 Hunana Press, Totowa New Jersey

Dr.G.

Amber Frey has a Goiter?

The 15 minute of fame witness, Amber Frey, in the Scott Peterson conviction was on Fox News talking about her new book. While she was being interviewed, I noted a fullness in her long swan neck that moved up, and down when she talked or swallowed. This is most likely a goiter. I emailed the show to pass on my observation to her. Most people look into a person's eyes, but I look at their neck! An occupational habit. Most people wear their thyroid like a bow tie, and this can usually be seen if one makes a point to look. Family doctors need to learn that skill, if they are ever going to diagnose thyroid goiter early.

Dr.G.

Rehnquist Returns to Work / Glaucoma : thyroid Link?

I am very surprised that the Justice has returned to work part time, after missing 25 court arguments since October 22,2004.
However, he is very tough, and if anyone can keep going it is the Chief Justice.

University of Alabama researchers studied 600 men with glaucoma, and compared them to 6000 men without glaucoma.
They were all older than 50.The incidence of hypothyroidism was significantly higher in the glaucoma group. Further studies are needed to better understand the possible link. Because women are 5 times more likely to get glaucoma than men studies need to be done in women. This study is not enough to say there really is a link, but does demand further study.
reference:
Christopher Girkin M.D.
< http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/health/article.jsp?content=20050105 124535 5316>

Dr.G.

The Diagnosis of the Recurrent Thyroid Cancer in Neck Nodes

The 35 Y/O female patient had total thyroidectomy and Radioiodine ablation one year ago. She had a low risk 2 cm well differentiated papillary cancer without spread and no positive Lymph nodes. She was on TSH suppression with LT4 for the year. Her neck exam was negative to palpation, however her thyroid cancer ultrasound found two nodes. One
in the lateral neck, and the other at the angle of the jaw. Both were on the side of ther original surgery. Ultrasound Guided biopsy of the nodes, included a washing of the needle into saline for Thyroglobulin,( TG ). Tg is the cancer marker for thyroid cancer. The needle biopsy slides were negative for thyroid cancer in both nodes, however, the Tg was 19,000, for the node by the thyroid bed, but was < 0.3 in the node at the angle on the jaw. The washings helped decide that surgery was indeed, needed. Washing the needle for thyroglobulin is a new and necessary part of biopsy protocol for suspected thyroid cancer lymph nodes.

Dr.G.

Rhenquist/ Norville Updates

The Justice has removed himself from ruling on the first 12 cases the court heard after the election. He still may vote if it is a 4-4 tie. His absence without disclosure of the exact diagnosis of his thyroid cancer, continues to point to anaplastic Cancer of the thyroid.

Also, I still have not heard from Deborah Norville, or her agents at MSNBC. She was on the news last night, and I still see something moving in the thyroid area. I hope she knows there is a problem, but does not want to tell me, rather than denial.

Dr.G.

Goya Painting of a Noble Lady with a Goiter at the Getty

My son Antonio needed to visit a museum for his art class.
I packed up the whole family, on a very rainy day and visited the new Getty in West L. A. After his school assignment was completed, we visited the painting gallery.
I was not expecting to see any thyroid related art today.
However, I was wrong. There was a lifesize painting of a noble woman with an extra-ordinary enlarged neck. When I looked closer,the neck was the home of a large goiter.
Francisco Jose' Goya Y Lucientes, Spanish painter, who lived from 1746-1828, had painted the Marquesa de Santiago in 1804. She was goitrous, probably due to iodine deficiency, which was common in Spain. Why did he paint her? Besides the money, it was considered a sign of beauty to have a large curvy neck. The goiter was usually seen in women, and was just another "curve" on a women's body that was different from a man's body. It was not known that the goiter was a disease of iodine deficiency, for many years after Goya painted the Marquesa. Well, the museum trip was completed with an excellent meal at the Getty Restaurant. I can't get away even for one day from the thyroid gland.

Happy New Year,

Dr.G.

Vist the Marquesa at www.getty.edu/art/collections/objects/o823.html