Caution: partly highly infectious, in some cases severe courses with atypical mycoplasma pneumonia and thrombocytopenia.
Over the past two weeks here in Kandern we have seen several severe courses of a "summer flu" in which Nux vomica proved to be the main remedy. The lower potencies are also effective, but the C30 and C200 appear to act more quickly and more sustainably. Other remedies are Belladonna, possibly Colchicum.
Some severe courses with atypical pneumonia
The onset was during the heatwave, when the temperature rose to 40 °C (outside and also in the febrile patients). In one case all five family members became ill, partly with atypical pneumonia, so apparently a fairly contagious illness. The clinical pictures are sometimes severe, with erythrocyte sedimentation rates over 50 and CRP values well over 100. Sometimes somewhat reduced platelet counts are found (platelets around 100,000), occasionally even with mild coagulation disturbance; also low white blood cell counts and lymphopenia.
With painful cough and marked exhaustion, the atypical pneumonias described are present in almost half the cases; they are barely detectable on auscultation and can only be identified by a slightly diminished breath sound with reduced fremitus. A first serum test showed elevated mycoplasma antibodies (1:320, normal below 40). The second test also detected mycoplasma, with antibody titres even more markedly raised (1:5120). Overall, in these two weeks among about 15 "flu" cases we have already observed 7 atypical pneumonias.
Nux vomica often had a commanding effect. In two of the pneumonia cases that responded well we additionally used erythromycin or roxithromycin as a precaution. Nux vomica also appears to have decisively shortened the course in these cases, even in combination with antibiotics. When Nux-v responds well in severe disease courses, the remedy has also been effective again in several cases when relapse symptoms occurred.
Symptoms
The term "summer flu" is only approximately accurate. There are no severe influenza-like body aches, only tiredness and exhaustion. Patients are completely worn out and feel very ill, but have hardly any body aches. Instead there are often severe headaches. Almost always in the foreground is the stomach symptomatology with nausea, aversion to food odours, loss of appetite, wanting only to lie down and sleep. Most patients are pale despite the heat.
Differentiation of the main remedies
NUX VOMICA: In the initial stage a marked irritability is often seen as the first symptom together with nausea. Any sensory stimulus leads to increased irritability. When this irritability occurs together with the gastrointestinal symptoms, Nux-v is a reliable remedy. It has proven effective in about 70% of our cases.
BELLADONNA when the headaches are throbbing and associated with severe throat and swallowing pain and high fever. A remedy for heat congestion, red face.
COLCHICUM only when nausea provoked by the smell of food is predominant and is accompanied by joint pains. In polarity analysis it repeatedly came out very highly, but we only considered it as an alternative if Nux-v and Bell did not help; we did not need to use it.
A case example
By way of example, here is an account of the first case by Markus Kuntosch, which first drew our attention to Nux-v as a possible epidemic remedy because it responded so quickly and well:
"During the first major heatwave in the last days of June the 10-year-old boy suddenly felt nauseous and vomited several times. He had a fever up to 39 °C, headaches, felt completely exhausted and unwell, did not want to move and had no appetite. He felt worse on exhaling. The mother only contacted us after three days because he simply would not improve. Not much to go on for remedy selection, but something.
The polarity analysis with the symptoms: 1. loss of appetite, 2. worse on exhaling and 3. aversion to movement indicated Nux vomica and Digitalis followed by Colchicum, which does not cover the aversion to movement. Because of the pronounced nausea the "vomiting nut" (Nux vomica) was recommended, which the mother had at home as a D12, dissolved in water, a sip every quarter of an hour. A home visit was arranged for the evening.
Given the already three-day unchanged severe clinical picture the effect was very clear: after 2 hours he felt more lively and no longer had headaches. The fever had subsided and in the hours after the remedy he developed a fine-maculopapular rash on the upper arms and the soles of the feet. He was still visibly pale and weak. The rest of the physical examination was unremarkable. The next day the boy was afebrile, on day 2 he could get up and on day 3 return to school."
Update 30 July 2015 - Decline, no further complications
A nice confirmation of the efficacy of Nux vomica came from a colleague. In one patient there had been no normal recovery 2–3 weeks after the infection. Liver values were elevated, appetite was poor, but after Nux C30 the patient was very satisfied. (see comments by Ute Dimopulos).
We now see only isolated cases. The summer flu is subsiding in the Lörrach/South Baden area. There have also been no further complications. Our initial rough estimate of infectivity and complication rate at the start of the epidemic in early July was roughly confirmed by an observation from 21 July: in a choir of 35 singers five members had been absent for two weeks due to summer flu. Of these five patients two had to be hospitalised with pneumonia.
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Homeopathy for influenza - forum on the spring flu 2015
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