Wilson's Syndrome: A Bogus Thyroid Diagnosis Trips up another Physician

A physician Naturopath, was following E.Denis Wilson's
methods to treat functional hypothyroidism in over 200 patients in a western state.
In 1994, he began treating a patient by online contact, with just a history form , and no physical examination from another western state. He sent instructions to take tempatures, and send them to him. After looking at the hx and temp. charts he diagnosed Wilson's syndrome. He did not do any lab testing. He odered T3, cytomel which was sent via mail from his local pharmacy. By 1995, he was treating 100 long distance patients, via online,telephone, and mail.
T3, cytomel is normally used at doses of 25-75 mcgs. He gave up to 300 mcgs. 25% were on > 200 mcgs. Overmedication with T3, can be very dangerous and cause death. Even his claim that he saw tests from the patient's primary care group was not factual, as the records release came after he started treating the patient. In 1992, Wilson was suspended and fined and has not returned to practice in Florida. He was ordered to receive metal health assistance as part of the order. His website is still up, and caught this naturapath, in it's bogus web.
1998, the naturapath was fined $3,000, and given a 30 month suspension. He was ordered not to treat out of state patients, without a physical examination, and only with the help of tandem physician in the state of the residence of the patient. He had to submit to audits of his patient records for an additional 2 years after suspension.

The American Thyroid Association stated:
1.Wilsons is inconsistent with known facts about the thyroid gland.
2. Diagnosis is imprecise, using non-specific symptoms and body temperature.
3. T3 is no better than placebo in treating non-specific symptoms, of patients with normal thyroid hormone concentrations.
4.T3 results in wide swings in blood levels, and can produce symptoms, and cardiovascular complications in some patients, that can be potentially dangerous.

Wilson's Syndrome as described by Denis Wilson is a bogus diagnosis, but there is a real Wilson's disease , but it is a rare disease of copper metabolism.

Ref:

Disciplinary actions: E.Denis Wilson MD #0048922
Longwood FL. 2/12/92 Board of Medicine 8(2):10,1992
FL.Depart. of Professional Regulations Tallahassee FL.

TSH, and usually T4, will be abnormal BEFORE you have symptoms of hypothyroidism. Throw away the thermometer, unless you need it for your child's fever, mom!

Even with the new TSH upper normal of 2.5-3.0, you need to have the TSH > 5-10 before symptoms occur.

Dr.G