Asthma

A twenty-year-old woman had been admitted to hospital suffering from acute asthma, from which she had suffered since the age of eighteen months. Ventolin and Becotide inhalers ceased to be effective and the hospital administered intravenous steroids.

Once this episode had passed, the woman's GP made a referral to the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital - an NHS funded out-patient hospital. After a long wait of seven months, the date of the consultation approached. The homeopath prescribed one dose of carcinosinum 1M in powder form, based on the following characteristics:-

Sensitive to music
Fastidious and perfectionist
Anxiety and concern about others
Strong sense of duty and responsibility
History of cancer in the family

In addition, the woman had suffered from glandular fever at the age of seventeen, which is often seen when this remedy is required.

The woman returned for a follow-up consultation six weeks' later. She reported a skin eruption that her mother had said was similar to some eczema she had as a baby, which was treated with steroids. However, this only lasted a matter of days. She also reported having slept much better and generally feeling a greater sense of well-being. She had also experienced a number of vivid dreams which she couldn't explain, but felt were in some way significant.

No remedy was given at this point.

The patient returned again after six weeks and was given another dose of carcinosinum 1M because there had been a slight return of symptoms, although in a much less acute or serious form.

Four years after this treatment, the woman still has no need for her ventolin inhaler and is considered cured. She had one episode of asthma two weeks after she and her boyfriend split up, and this was dealt with quickly and easily with a further dose of her constitutional remedy.

Depression

A thirty-three year old woman was suffering from depression since the death of her mother five years previously as well as from heavy, painful periods. She was given Lycopodium LM01 to be taken once a day until some change was noticed. This was based on the following symptoms and characteristics:-

Sympathetic to other people
Aversion to company, yet a fear of being totally alone
Dreams of flying
Generally worse in winter, cold, and better for open air
Thirstless
Bloating of the abdomen before the monthly period

Two months later, the patient reported the absence of pre-menstrual symptoms for the first time that she could remember. However, her mental well-being had taken a blow by the attempted suicide of her grandfather and the death of a good friend.

The homeopath observed that there was a large amount of grief with the patient, and that everything kept coming back to the problems regarding her grandfather and the death of her friend. At the same time, she did not elaborate freely or present many opportunities for further questioning.

Since it was difficult to elicit any real change in her symptoms, the remedy was repeated in a higher potency - lycopodium LM02.

Two months later, the patient returned and reported that she had started to take anti-depressants. She was experiencing a degree of anxiety and was become easily offended and very touchy. She was having very negative thoughts. The remedy, Natrum Muriaticum LM01 was given based on the following symptoms:-

Lack of self-confidence
Irritable and easily offended
Dwells on the past
Abandoned, forsaken feeling
Anxious dreams
Worse in the morning and in winter

Three months later, the patient reported feeling more confident, calmer about things, a lot more positive with no anxious dreams, and she had managed to half the dose of her anti-depressants to one tablet a day. At this point, the patient moved away and started seeing a different homeopath. However, she still keeps in touch, and I understand that she has been able to come off the anti-depressants and is taking the Natrum Muriaticum only when needed.

Eczema

A four-year old girl had been suffering from a dry, itchy eczema since the age of eighteen months. The mother was under the impression that it had started as a result of the MMR vaccine. The child also had a history of chest infections, with occasional asthma accompanying a bad cold. The eczema first appeared on the child's feet and gradually went up the back of the legs. At the time of the consultation, it was all over her body with particularly red and sore patches on her torso. It had recently appeared on the child's bottom. There is no bleeding or weeping apparent from the skin.

It was noticed in the consulting room that the child was very naughty! She ignored the requests of her mother to behave and had her own agenda which she was going to stick with! The mother also reported that the child had frequent temper tantrums whenever she didn't get her own way.

She was given Sulphur LM01 to be taken twice a day until a change occurred, based on the following characteristics and symptoms:-

Independent
Disobedient and obstinate
Talking in sleep
Illness since vaccination
Itching skin during sleep
Dry skin eruption

Six weeks later, the patent returned and reported many changes. Firstly,there appeared to be a much better relationship between the mother and the child. The child was less disobedient and was more happy to be part of a team with her mother. She still had her independence, but the defiant nature seemed to have been calmed. Additionally, she had had only very few temper tantrums, which had been less severe and less long-lasting than previously.

The eczema had also changed. It had disappeared completely from the child's bottom, was slightly worse in the groin area, but was much better over thetorso, with only a few patches of dry skin and no redness. The mother also reported that the eczema seemed to be less itchy at night, and that she was sleeping better as a result. With these improvements in mind, the remedy was repeated in a higher potency - Sulphur LM02 since the previous bottle of LM01 potency had run out.

Two months later, the patient returned and the eczema had almost completely cleared. There was no sign of eczema on the child's back or chest, and the groin area had just a few tiny spots of redness. The mother also reported that the child seemed more attentive and that she had stopped sucking her
thumb.

The remedy was repeated in a higher potency, Sulphur LM03.
The patient has not booked another appointment.

Hayfever

A 39 year old male attended with extremely bad hayfever. He considered that he had allergic reactions all year round, which were intensified during the 'hayfever season'. He gets sneezing attacks for ten minutes or longer, with an itchy nose, sore throat, watering eyes and difficult breathing. He takes Benodryl and Piriton for the symptoms, and often takes more than the recommended dosage because the symptoms are so bad. He also has a degree of indigestion, some headaches, regular ear infections, a bad neck and a terrible fear of heights.

He was given Pulsatilla LM01 to be taken twice a day, based on the following characteristics and symptoms:-

Ailments from disappointment
Fear of high places
Cares and worries about domestic affairs
Hayfever
Strong desire for beer and sweets

He was seen again two weeks' later, and had experienced no change in the symptoms. He also reported a strange new symptom - lack of concentration, which he felt may have been caused by the remedy. It was also noticed that he hadn't put into place any of the suggestions that were made, such as cutting down the amount of coffee and mints consumed, and attempting to reduce the dosage of medication. New information was sought, and the remedy was changed to Calcarea Carbonica LM01 to be taken twice a day, based on:-

Obstinate
Abandoned or forsaken feeling
Desire for beer and sweets
Absence of nasal discharge despite hayfever
Perspiration of the scalp, worse at night
Cracking in the joints of the limbs

This appeared to cover all aspects of the case and the homeopath was optimistic about the prognosis. However, one week later, he telephoned the homeopath to report that he was having a terrible 'crisis' with the hayfever and that the remedy had done nothing to help. In this instance, only the symptoms of the hayfever were focussed on in an attempt to relieve some of the suffering, before treating
the deeper levels with a constitutional remedy*. (* See section on 'constitutional' and 'acute' treatment.)

It was therefore decided to give Sabadilla 6c to be taken when needed based on:-

Hayfever with itching in the nose
Stoppage of the nose and stuffy
Violent sneezing, worse in the morning
Watery nasal discharge
Worse at the full moon (it was noticed that this 'crisis' coincided with a full moon)

He attended the clinic two and a half weeks later, and reported a huge improvement. He was no longer having to use the nasal spray or eye drops and for two weeks had taken no Benodryl. He had no sneezing fits in the morning, no sore throat and no itchiness. He reported occasionally getting itchiness in the eyes, but this disappeared within minutes of taking a Sabadilla 6c. The patient also reported feeling 'less stressed'. He didn't have to take the remedy regularly, only when needed. The patient decided not to continue further, constitutional treatment, but to continue taking the Sabadilla 6c as and when needed during the Summer months. He recently telephoned to say that he was off all his medication and taking the Sabadilla 6c only when he felt the really needed it.

Menstrual Troubles

A thirty year old woman attended with a number of problems. She had experienced what she termed 'anxiety attacks' in recent weeks, had varicose veins on her legs and distressing pre-menstrual tension followed by extremely heavy periods which were excruciating. She has been on the contraceptive pill "on and off" since she was aged 16 but was currently not taking it. There was also a history of clairvoyance and hearing the voices of people who had died. She said that she had very low self-esteem and would even be embarrassed to go out of her flat sometimes. However, despite this, she reported all her symptoms freely and easily - she was extremely talkative.

She explained that her periods are "agony" which make her go to bed, and sometimes she cries with the pain. The pain feels better if she has a hot bath, a hot water bottle, a back rub or a gin! She described the pain as going round to her back like a "band all the way round". Her periods last for 8 to 9 days, there are lots of clots, and the flow is so dark that it sometimes looks black.

The remedy Lachesis LM01 was given based on the following symptoms:-

Very talkative
Lack of self-confidence
Clairvoyant and hears voices
Want for revenge
Suppressed periods (on account of the long use of the contraceptive pill)
Varicosities in the legs with bluish swelling

Although her primary complaint was her menstrual troubles, only the more general and characteristic symptoms were used in selecting a remedy. The day after she took the first dose of the remedy, she telephoned the homeopath and reported having an extremely good night's sleep but waking up feeling as if she had "been in a fight" because she was aching all over. She also reported having very vivid dreams. Her veins had swollen up and her ear had ached really badly for a few hours. Despite the apparent worsening of symptoms, she said she felt, "really pumped up when I went into work this morning, which is really unlike me". It was suggested that she wait and see what happens but to call again if the pain got unbearable. She telephoned the next day to explain that the 'aggravation' had subsided and she was feeling good.

Six weeks later she returned for a follow-up consultation. She had stopped smoking and the panic attacks were now "non existent". Her PMT was still bad, but she thought it might have been a bit better, and she didn't cry as much. A patch of eczema had returned on her arm - she had this same symptom about fifteen years previously and had almost forgotten about it.

The remedy was repeated as a single dose.

Two months later she returned saying that her periods had improved. There were many less clots, her moods beforehand were more stable and there was less pain. She was still not smoking and she had lost a lot of weight (she had been dieting for years without success). She had had no panic attacks, she was feeling happy and she thought that even the varicose veins were improved. The eczema had gone. She explained that her self-confidence was, "zooming" and she had been promoted at work. She summed up by saying, "I feel much better about myself - that's a definite change".

This patient continues to visit her homeopath regularly and the improvement has been sustained.

* For the sake of anonymity, some features of the case studies have been changed slightly. All the patients mentioned on this site have granted permission for their details to be used.

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