Page 15 - Outstanding Women Friendly Physicians (2)

If I use the word herpes, then I am off on a track talking about hormones, especially if they are dealing with stress or depression.
herpes, which takes time away from my goal and delays getting Born and raised in Canada, I was interested in how Dr. Viirre man-
started on their treatment.” aged to end up in San Diego. Born in Toronto, some 500 yards
Another area that Dr. Viirre feels is extremely important is taking from Maple Leaf Gardens, the doctor grew up an avid hockey
time to explain not only what his patient’s diagnosis is, but also player, hockey fan and self-proclaimed geek. Dr. Viirre’s father was
what their prognosis in curing (or at least lessening) the symptoms a mathematics professor and his sister followed in his footsteps.
that are adversely affecting their lives. Part of this discussion must His interest in the brain led him to pursue the joint major MD/
involve potential side effects of the medicine he is prescribing for PhD program. “Yes I was the black sheep of the family choosing
their treatment. Knowing not only the benefits of the medicine medicine over mathematics,” but he did not let that deter him from
needed to help in their treatment, but also the potential side effects, his path of research and medicine. His PhD work was focused on
often calms the patient and allows them to make an informed deci- the brain and specifically diseases of the inner ear. It was this work
sion as to the path of their treatment. “The term ‘side effects’ is that garnered the attention of the neurology department at UCLA.
often alarming to my patients, but honestly everything we use has “I was invited to become a fellow with Dr. Baloh at this prestigious
potential side effects, even oxygen. What the patients sometimes institution. Dr. Baloh is one of the leading medical practitioners in
fail to understand is that it is only a potential side effect and most the world on medical management of inner ear disorders, and the
people will experience no side effects.” author of many books and papers. While at UCLA I was introduced
One of the comments received on behalf of Dr. Viirre’s nomination to the former chairman of Neurology at UCSD, Dr Jim Nelson, who
as an “Outstanding Women Friendly Physician” focused on this is now retired, and he introduced me to Dr. Jeffrey Harris who is
exact fact. “One of the many things that impressed me about Dr. Vi- the head of the surgical ENT Department and is a surgical Neuro-
irre is that he took the time to thoroughly explain my disease, then otologist. These two doctors ultimately were responsible for getting
he gave me the options for treatment, and told me that he would do me an appointment here at UCSD.”
everything he could to make things better. He made no promises, With all of his family back in Canada, it was a bit tough in the
because I am suffering with an illness with no known cure, but he beginning to make the move to Southern California. “We love
gave me something that none of the other doctors who I had been Canada dearly, if we didn’t live in California we would live there. In
to before had provided…he gave me hope” my opinion there is no other place that has the kinds of people and
Dr. Viirre cannot say enough positive things about his associa- opportunities for research and technology in medicine as does San
tion with UCSD. “Here at UCSD I am lucky in many many ways, Diego.”
working in a great place, with amazing colleagues and really nice Dr. Viirre, his wife MaryAnn Hawke, an environmental biologist,
patients. The support I receive is above my expectations and I and their two children Rosanna age 14 and Aleksander age 2 are
have enjoyed being part of this institution from the first day I joined happy to call San Diego home. Although they both spent some
the staff.” time working in Los Angeles they were happy to make the move
Dr. Viirre notes that, “The challenge in my daily work day is to give to San Diego, knowing it was the perfect place to raise a family.
the patients as much time as is needed, and yet be efficient, so I Frequent visits to Los Angeles allows them to enjoy the faster pace
am able to help as many patients as possible.” A large portion of lifestyle, but they are always glad to come back home to San Di-
Dr. Viirre’s practice involves women’s health issues, particularly ego. “UCSD has been absolutely wonderful to me as an institution
when it comes to his patients who suffer migraines. Hormonal that has looked after me for the past 15 years.”
changes in women’s bodies are often the cause of these mi- In turn Dr. Viirre has managed to look after the hundreds of patients San Diego Woman
graines. The headaches come with the onset of menses, with who rely on him to help overcome some extreme medical condi-
pregnancy, and with menopause. Often his female patients who tions, and is often known to do so with a dose of much needed
suffer migraines, significant enough to seek medical attention, find laughter. As another of the doctor’s patients noted “I am never
that these headaches follow a pattern, sometimes occurring during intimidated when I talk with Dr. Viirre because he listens to every 15
the time of their periods, during ovulation, or at the onset of meno- word I say and makes me feel as if I am his only patient. In my
pause. Surprisingly, when women get pregnant their migraines heart he is indeed an “Outstanding Women Friendly Physician.”
often go away, since this is the time in a woman’s life when her hor-
mones are the most level. Men will also suffer migraines relating to

A man’s health can be judged by which

he takes two at a time – pills or stairs.

-Joan Welsh