Just by a hand shake, Doctor diagnoses man with killer disease `ACROMEGALY`
February 19, 2008
Mark Gurrrieri a restaurant worker went to see General Practitioner Dr Chris Brit, who saved his life by shaking his hands. Strange as it may seem, touching Mark’s spongy hands and seeing his large features, Dr Chris Brit diagnosed acromegaly, a tumour at the base of the brain.
This was the first case he came across since he was a student. Britt immediately diagnosed acromegaly, a deadly killer disease if untreated .He recommended Mark see a specialist and test later revealed that he had rare condition which affects three in a million.
Mark is a father, a single dad , of a son just aged 7 years.“ I felt good in myself and didn’t know I had a problem. I just put my bodily changes down to getting older.”
Last December, it was a friend Rob Thompson, who had brought Chris to the Italian restaurant Mark, of Loughton, Essex, runs in London’s Canary Wharf. He told Rob “ I’m sure he has he has acromegaly, I can tell. I’ll stake my career on it” This after meeting them at the door and shaking hands with them. The tumour on the pituitary gland results in children. In adults, it can cause blindness, diabetes and blood pressure and swells the heart, kidneys and vocal cords causing slow speech and a deep voice.
Chris works at Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone and practices in Woodford Green., said: “ It’s the sort of diagnosis you make once in a career if you’re lucky.”
Mark’s, 92 percent of 2cm tumour, was successfully removed last month. In his own words, “ While I have to take medicines and be monitored now, I owe my life to him.”
A Truly amazing hand-shake
Comments
2 Responses to “Just by a hand shake, Doctor diagnoses man with killer disease `ACROMEGALY`”
Got something to say?
Amazing story.
I was diagnosed last year and I’m currently awaiting surgery.
It was a very similar situation to Mark’s where I went to a doctor for a very a bad back and he noticed my nose and chin were bigger than they should be. I also owe my life to that doctor.
I have similar symptoms
spongy hands,
slow speech and deep voice
may I contact Dr Chris Brit