Ireland on Horseback: Sir Robert Graves, Here We Come

Well, it is the time of the year to get away from the
usual daily exposure to the many problems associated
with caring for thyroid patuents, and lay back and relax.
However, my 14 Y/O daughter A.J. is an eventer. That means she rides horses over fixed objects, such as stone fences, logs, and water holes. We are going to the land of Sir Robert Graves, one of the first physicians to describe the disease of hyperthyroidism. A.J. will be riding Irish Horses all across western Ireland, and will
then travel to Castle Leslie to jump 150 fixed sites in 5 days. Thyroid clinic is less stressful, than watching her, in a titanium helmut, and flack jacket, jump irsh stonewalls. However, because my wife is second generation 100% Irish, we will search for her roots in Donnigal,in Northwest Ireland, for the McMonigle homestead. We will also look in Killkenny for signs of the Delaney clan. I will research the exact location of the famous man who
has his name on one of my most common disorders, Graves' Disease, I see in my center. It should be fun, if all goes well with my little horse mad daughter. Delaney, my wife, and a private chef, www.delaneyfoods.net, will get a few cooking tips from Darina Allen. She is the most famous chef in Ireland, and has a cooking school just outside of Cork. We will stay in the Red Room at Castle Leslie on the last night in Ireland.
This is for me. I am half Italian from Umbria Italy.The Red Room is decked out in rare items from Umbria.
Paul McCartney was married there to his second wife.
I will return on July 13, 2005. I will post a blog, if I find anything about Sir Robert Graves.

Dr.G.

Treating Hypothyroid Patients By Symptoms Alone. Trouble Brewing in the UK

English Physician Diagnoses and Treats Hypothyroid Patients by Symptoms Alone. He Does Not Believe in TSH.

A private clinic in a large city in England treating 4000 patients
referred by GP's for hypothyroidism, by symptoms alone. The physician
felt blood tests failed to diagnose hypothyroidism. He had testimonials
of dramatic cures, including shedding wheelchairs, curing depression, and severe lethargy. He defended his methods saying you could not rely on T4, TSH testing.
The British Thyroid Association and the General Medical council, considered removing his certificate to practice medicine, but due to no fatal outcomes recorded, they allowed him to continue to practice, but with restrictions. He was not to accept
referrals from GP's that were not endocrine in nature. He was to inform the GP of the exact thyroid diagnosis, and thyroid therapy given. He also had to keep detailed records of all patients treated with thyroid hormone, who did not have modern thyroid testing proof, ie T4,TSH of hypothyroidism.

Beware of physicians who claim you are hypothyroid, when you present with symptoms, but
when your prior endocrinologist's testing results were normal. Check to see if his new tests are normal also. Treating by symptoms for hypothyroidism is wrong.
The thyroid tests are always abnormal before symptoms occur.

This physician, although they allowed him to continue practice, with careful supervision, is at risk to do harm in the furtue. This will not be the last we hear about this clinic.

Be Safe,
It is a jungle out there!

Dr.G.