Case 1 A 45-year-old man presents with spastic bowel complaints that have gradually increased over the past fifteen years. They worsen during meals, with spicy food, fatty foods or from overeating. His stomach gurgles, he has cramps and then must rush to the toilet with severe diarrhoea; any change in his diet can cause diarrhoea. He is constantly asking himself, “Is everything all right?” He is tense, holds on tightly and is looking for ways to relax emotionally and become less rigid. He finds it difficult to go anywhere, to take the bus or to attend a birthday party, because such things could cause stress and stomach pain. He feels best with his daily routine and wants to have everything under control. Sometimes he does not dare to go anywhere. “Perhaps this tension has something to do with getting older; everything gets worse with age. I never used to worry whether everything was all right.” He has no hobbies and cannot stand show-offs. He had bursitis of the shoulder and the back of the hand and suffers from hay fever. Previously he was given Graphites, which helped somewhat but caused an inflamed ear canal. Then Allium cepa was given (diarrhoea: dietary change; Allium cepa: hay fever). The remedy improved the overall situation and was repeated a year later, then again six months later. Two years later the complaints recur. In the meantime his nasal polyps have been removed. He complains of tiredness, pain in the left cheek and ear pain. Allium cepa improved the bowel problems but not the hay fever and the tension. The ear pain (infection, childhood illness) was the reason to look for a remedy from the Compositae family. The basic idea of the plant system was applied: earache: likely Compositae. Diarrhoea after the slightest dietary mistake: Brachyglottis. Prescription: Brachyglottis After taking the remedy his bowel gurgled strongly; since then everything has been fine. Four months later he reports that he only rarely has bowel problems: “I survived a birthday and a barbecue! It helped, perfect! Only when I eat too much and too quickly do I get stomach cramps and have to go to the toilet. I am now not so nervous when I have to go somewhere.” |
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He is friendly, calm, relaxed and not ill at all any more. The grass allergy has disappeared (fortunately, as he works with lawnmowers!) and he no longer has hay fever. As time goes on and his bowel continues to improve, his negative expectations disappear: “It is what it is, I don’t worry, I eat what I want, I devote myself to pleasant things and go my own way!” |
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Case two A ten-year-old girl has abdominal pain and constipation. An X-ray shows that her bowel is distended. She has already had various medications – as a baby she took Dulcolax and recently the paediatrician prescribed Bioscodyl. She is very enthusiastic and can be very present, jumping, talking and singing. She has restless legs and crooked teeth with white spots. She is very emotional, wants a girlfriend and has romantic ideas. She loves her father very much and gets on well with him, although he becomes easily annoyed, speaks loudly and often gives orders. When playing, her friends often use her; she does everything for them and tidies up for them. Later she would like to be a teacher to make sure the children are not so cheeky! She has difficulty falling asleep. She remembers a terrible dream with “80” hands. She has problems with growing pains, inflamed eyes and headaches. Her scalp is very sensitive; it hurts when she combs her hair. Her hair only grows slowly, and she has an ingrown toenail. At times she had temper tantrums and had to be admitted to the adolescent psychiatric unit. She was then the youngest in the group and was teased and, although so small, was hit and kicked. In her toddler years her parents had relationship problems, but it is not certain whether she noticed this or not, although she is clearly affected by her mother’s moods. Prescription: Magnesium muriaticum MK(1) After administration of the remedy she becomes calmer and the laxative can be discontinued. She dreams of falling into water and being eaten by a crocodile; or there is a shark in her bathwater, a snake chases her. Six months later I see her again. Her abdomen is hard, she has hard stools and must take Dulcolax again. She is irritable, easily annoyed, overly sensitive and takes everything to heart. The tormentors in the class call her “crybaby”. She is small and childish. Often she folds her arms and looks angry. During the consultation she hides behind a book, sits stiffly with raised shoulders and often looks at me with discomfort, as if she is being scolded. It still hurts to comb her hair. Her feet are sensitive and she walks on the outside of her feet or with flat-footed steps. Analysis: Childlike, sensitive, broken: Composites. Themes: Prescription: Brachyglottis Within a week she is much better. Her stools are normal and dealing with her has become more pleasant. She is lovable and understands others better than ever before. The pain in her scalp has subsided; she has no more complaints. Six months later she has a growth spurt and the stool problems recur, but this resolves on its own without medical intervention and her behaviour remains impeccable. About four years later, according to her mother, she is still doing well. |
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Case three A thirteen-year-old girl has had bedwetting problems since last year. She has difficulty falling asleep and then wakes at around 3 a.m. because the bed is wet. Several times a week she suffers from nausea, abdominal pain, headaches and tiredness. Blood test results are unremarkable. Sometimes, when she comes home from school, everything hurts as if she has the flu. She has the feeling of collapsing and has pains in her arms, legs, abdomen and head. Her head pounds as if the blood is not flowing properly and she suffers from abdominal cramps and nausea. A sip of water improves it, but eating worsens it. The complaints began when a baby in the family died; she thinks about it a lot. Her father is at home because he cannot work due to a back injury. He is in very poor health, has severe pain, suffers from diabetes and is sullen and domineering. She herself is angry and defiant and often has fights with her father. She also argues a lot with a friend – she is apparently the one who starts the fights. At home she is cheeky, but at school she hardly dares to open her mouth. She giggles in a childish way and is sad when she is teased at school. She is the second child and wants to outdo her older sister. She tries to do more than she can and complains that her sister is allowed everything and she is not. She even cut her sister’s jumper with a pair of scissors. Although she apparently wants to be grown-up and decide for herself what she does, she is clearly still a child, as her nervous giggling shows. She is initially given Solanum nigrum and thereafter is friendlier and more open and more willing to go to school. One month later she is still wetting the bed and the quarrels at school begin again. She does not want to go to school any more and inflicts cuts on herself while her parents are away. She is in great conflict with her father. Prescription: Brachyglottis One month later she is cheerful again and no longer quarrels. She is again a friendly child, not an overdressed girl desperately trying to be grown-up. Two years later she has not relapsed regarding bedwetting, although there were serious family problems; the parents divorced. She began taking drugs and self-harming with cuts. These problems were successfully treated with another remedy. |
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| (1) C 1000 Korsakoff | |
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Category: Cases |
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