Even during my time as a student of homeopathy I was fascinated by the sheer number of remedies available to us. The history of homeopathy began with Hahnemann, who at first could only use a few dozen remedies. Since I opened my homeopathic practice in the early 1980s the number of newly discovered remedies has steadily increased. I have always been aware that, in principle, everything around us could be used as a medicine. In this context, and taking the law of similars into account, I have often wondered whether we can ever be certain about our choice of remedy, given that so many thousands of remedies are at our disposal.
This dilemma occupied me particularly as a young student studying the Materia Medica, and for that reason I have a great deal of sympathy for all homeopaths who are still at the beginning of their training.
Since we have the fantastic discoveries of Rajan Sankaran and Jan Scholten, we can discern the basic order of remedy pictures via the periodic table of the elements and, in a similar way, via the plant system. The discovery that everything in life follows a natural order that is also reflected in the mineral and plant kingdoms allows us to get even closer to our patients' problems. Compared with past decades, we now have the possibility to select a particular remedy specifically from one of the natural kingdoms. We can then work out which series, which stage and which phase or subphase the patient might 'fit'.
My experience has shown me that a patient can benefit greatly from a remedy even when the chosen remedy comes relatively close to the patient's problem, even if it is not an ideal choice. In such cases the term 'simillimum' should not be taken too narrowly. Who among us can still claim that we prescribe the simillimum or THE remedy as used to be customary, given the enormous number of remedies that exist?
Case
.jpg)
The 66-year-old patient suffers from panic attacks, nausea and sleep problems. She comes because of the panic attacks, which always occur at night as soon as the calming effect of the little glass of wine she allows herself each evening wears off. Ten years earlier she lost her husband. She has four children aged between 24 and 43. The son is her first child; the others are all daughters. Three of her children are married; the youngest lives alone.
The patient has anxiety about her financial situation; she does not know whether she will make ends meet because her house is currently being renovated. She worries that the work will not be completed properly. She is also concerned about her health and fears she might develop Alzheimer's. She is the mother of the family; she has always looked after her children selflessly and is now a loving grandmother. She feels drained. Everything in her is 'used up'; she has no energy left. Everything spins in her head, especially the fears. She sleeps poorly, wakes frequently and stays in bed late into the morning. She dreams of spiders.
In earlier conversations she often and at length spoke about her children and their partners. The whole family seemed to take the grandmother's attention for granted. They were very nice to her and always invited her for coffee, but every time an invitation came she already knew she would be needed as a babysitter or similar.
She feels used and at times even exploited, but cannot say 'no'. She avoids open conflict because she fears that contact with the family will then be severed. She lent money to one of her daughters that was never repaid. This daughter also borrowed her mother's new bicycle and has not yet returned it.
The relationship with her late husband followed more or less the same pattern. She felt she always had to adapt to him. Despite everything, she was the centre of the family, the rock. It was the same in her family of origin. She was the one who took responsibility in difficult situations.
She previously worked as a nurse. She has always worked a lot and still looks fit and resilient. She knows this herself. But inwardly she feels taken advantage of by her family; it was the same at work.
She has been my patient for over 20 years. In the past she responded well, among other remedies, to Sanguinaria nitricum.
Prescription: Pontederia cordata C200.
Follow up
Anxiety and nausea have disappeared. Sleep has also improved. She also mentions that her digestion has improved. Previously she could not digest bread or fats. The dreams of spiders are also gone.
Analysis
Carbon series: having little money; exhaustion.
Silicon series: submits to husband and children; family theme.
Phase 4: The family is very important; she is the centre of the family.
Subphase 6: gives too much; is taken advantage of.
Stage 11: guardian of the family; keeps the whole family stable.
I believe that the Commelinales – 633.46 – are often indicated for patients to whom the family is important (633). These people are very caring and hold an important position within the family (Phase 4); the care and efforts of these people are taken for granted, which is why they feel used (Subphase 6).
If you 'classify' the patient into a series, phase, subphase or stage, this is a 'fine tuning' that comes very close to the idea of the 'simillimum'. Sometimes the physical symptoms that we know from the plants or from the mineral kingdom help us. Often we do not know these symptoms and at this point it is worthwhile to prescribe according to plant theory.
***************************************
Photo: Shutterstock
Used and abused; Shaun Norton
Category: Cases
Keywords: panic attacks, nausea, sleep problems, being used, responsibility, exhaustion.
Remedy: Pontederia cordata
Original article: Interhomeopathy.org
