Homeopathy Online's interactive case analysis is moderated this issue by Ian Townsend, Clinical Director of the Sheffield School of Homeopathy in the United Kingdom. Ian acts as a tutor at both the Sheffield School and the Scottish College of Homeopathy, and has also taught at the London and Manchester Colleges of Classical Homeopathy.
To read over the case, scroll down. If you've already studied the case and read the comments of others, you may now wish to participate in the analysis.
The notes provided below are terse and deliberately unedited. But they are the same notes that were used to solve the case. If you are unfamiliar with terminology used by the moderator, please ask - terms vary from country to country, and in note-taking abbreviation is necessary.
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Great Balls of . . . WHAT?
Last issue's case was a relatively long chronic case. To give us all a rest (!!), here's a short acute case to test out our repertorising skills. What would you have given this patient:
(a) at the time of the incident;
(b) at the time his homoeopath prescribed for him (some 13 hours later)
The case, "as told to our friendly reporter . . . "
This event took place at 1.58 a.m. Sunday, 25th February 1996, and I'm still shaking from it as I make this record, early Sunday morning.. . . I can't quite remember the exact sequence of events – it all happened so fast. I was in my room. One minute I was asleep in bed, with something going on in a dream, which was on the point of changing, THEN I was stark awake, sitting bolt upright, screaming to the point where now, 8 a.m., my throat hurts. (It got worse during the day, by the evening I could hardly talk – must have been SOME bout of screaming . . . ) [Later that day he almost lost his voice, was hoarse when he told me this tale, two days later – Ian]
On the point of waking, I was aware of a bright white/blue globular light in my room – at first I had thought I had left the tele on – you know that sort of light that comes from the screen after the TV's switched off? The light seemed to be as big as the 17" TV, and in mid air – understand – I'm not sure of this – it this happened terrifyingly quickly.
The moment I was aware of this light, and screaming, there was an enormous thunderclap which I'm sure happened INSIDE our house – at the instant it happened I had two thoughts – I can readily identify with the shellshock suffered by WWI soldiers in the trenches – it was terrifying – this was ONE shock – how did they manage day after day ? (I mean, the building shook), followed briefly by – "S***, now I know why the ancients believed in gods" – I meant, the raw power of nature was incredible – then the light disappeared, then there was some rain, then another lightening flash some distance off followed by another thunderclap. Then – nothing. No rain, no more thunder.
So there I was in my room, sitting half up in bed, literally paralysed with fear. I called my partner, – she had been reading late in another room and just finished a book. She reported the same phenomenon – she describes the cycle of events as – raining – clap of thunder – oval ball of blue light appearing in her room, which then almost instantaneously moved – she can't say how/where/.
After she helped me calm down I still couldn't settle. The predominant emotion was fear – I definitely didn't want to be in that room alone, especially when I heard my hi-fi loudspeakers crackling. I was about to try to turn the hi-fi stack off, when something made me get out of that room . . .
I quickly went upstairs.
Next strange thing – the lights were out, and my partner said – look at the ceiling – there are some funny lights there. At first I thought she was exaggerating – it used to be our daughter's room, and when she was young she had stuck those luminescent stars all over the ceiling – I thought it was those glowing (forgetting that we had decorated and re-decorated since then). There were glowing spots of pale blue fire all over the ceiling, which gradually faded. [Later, telling this story to a friend, he identified the phenomenon as St. Elmo's fire.}
Well, we settled down for the night, and I couldn't get off to sleep. I knew I needed a remedy – but was too scared to go for it/ask for my partner to go and get it.
(I was almost speechless)/at one time I imagined waking our 15 year-old, up and asking him to go and get my remedy box. I lay there feeling these cold currents of fear moving around my body. Every time I started to fall off to sleep I woke with a start, with the same fear/tendency to scream which I had had earlier. I did eventually get off, but uneasy – delusions there was something 'out there' to get me, which was definitely vulpine in nature, lurking.
Now I'm normally a loner – I need space and time to myself, and feel drained if I'm in company for longer than an hour or so. So this need to be with another human being was very, very strange for me – it lasted all night, and a lot of the morning too.
As I write this in my room now (it's late afternoon), my back is very cold, and I'm feeling uneasy and shivery (not actually shivering) and – damn it – frankly scared. There's a sensation of coldness in my chest somewhere near my backbone.
Earlier this morning I popped a self-prescribed acute remedy – which did no good at all. Then a friend rang up on another matter, and I asked him to turn on his computer, gave my case, and took the remedy he prescribed. One dose and there was a dramatic improvement.
So – here's a little acute – what would you prescribe for me ? And what do you make of the ball-lightening story in the larger scale of things – holistic and esoteric explanations sought!
David Zeoli dzeoli@reed.edu
This case is somewhat difficult to dissect because is seems that fear would be an *appropriate* response to the situation at hand. And who can say how a particular person will express their fear. Perhaps it would be important to know how everyone else in the house reacted. Assuming that only this individual reacted in such a violent manner (and since he did *want* a remedy) I would procede as such: for the acute case, 1) shrieking during thunderstorm, 2) paralysis from emotional excitement, and 3) sleepless from emotional excitement all point to Gelsemium; the next day, 1) hoarseness from overuse of voice, 2) complaints from fright, and 3) coldness extending down the back point to Stramonium. As for an esoteric explanation of the event, how about this: assuming that like attracts like, the people in the house were obviously generating some intense energies (psychic, perhaps?). Naturally, the lightening storm soon followed as a physical manifestation of these subtle energies. Did you catch that movie Powder? Check it out.
Practitioner's Response:'Fear' was well spotted - I think there was enough infomration in the case to justify this, and also to point to the sort of fear - paralysing. Your selection of rubrics was well chosen.
what potency might hlep here ?
best wishes, Ian
Maike Beekman beekman@dream.vol.mt
I have only just started studying homeopathy, but would like to try. At time of incident: CAPS (Zandvoort page 44) Mind:on waking screams and remains full of fear, If not available and also 13 hours later:STRAM.,because I feel he is still in a state of terror. v.Zandvoort; Shrieking on waking (320),Frightened night on waking, from delusions(209),Mania, aphonia with,in mental exitement (260),Company, aversion to,yet dreads being alone (59), Delusions,pursued he is by ghosts (114). As for the esoteric explanation, I quite like David's explanation. Very much enjoying Homoeopathy Online.
Practitioner's Response:Frightened night waking from delusions - it wasn't a delusion, it actually happened, so I wouldn't have used that rubric. I liked mania with aphonia - a nice concomitant pinned down here. Well done !
Delusions he is purused by ghosts - no, it was something even more primal than that.
You've chosen Stram - and/but does the materia medica of this remedy point to the (paralysed) end state of the client ?
and what potency are we going to offer ?
Look forward to hearing from you.
Ian
Maureen Borg shborg@maltanet.omnes.net
I am a newcomer to Homeopathy and your program. I think it's great so I hope you won't mind a rookie joining in. Here goes. My first prescription would have been Aconite, but since it seems so obvious it was probably what he tried himself with no luck. Taking the following rubrics; Fear injured of being - Delusions of danger - Fear of being alone - Shrieking sudden - Desire for light ( interpreted as desire for knowledge ) I arrived at Stramonium, which would have been my follow up prescription. However having enjoyed that so much and remembering there were 2500 remedies I decided to have another go. Re reading the case I thought that some 13 hours later his present and predominating symptoms now were, Anxiety, fear of fright remaining - Stupefaction with chill - Thoughts clearness of - Fear tremulous - Delerium, semi after waking. This gave me Opium. I look forward to your comments.
Practitioner's Response:Your second Px was Stram - see my comments above.
Opium is a very good choice, and we'll never know if it would have worked. You've covered the fear, the stupefaction and come up with a possible Rx.
Good to read your comments.
Best wishes
Ian
David Zeoli dzeoli@reed.edu
In regards to potency of the selected remedy in this case, I was thinking along the lines of a low potency because the situation was so acute (6C or 12C). However, the severity of some of the symptoms and the fact that many of them are on the mental/emotional plane helps to justify a higher potency remedy (200C, 1M, or higher). Also, it seems to me that the particular choice of remedy would have to be taken into consideration when selecting the potency. Is the remedy deep acting? Is it the person's constitutional remedy? Will it antidote the person's constitutional remedy? My guess for remedy potency (despite all the unknowns) would be 200C (at the time of the incident and the next day).
Practitioner's Response:I wanted to give a 1m for the patient, irrespective of the constitutional remedy - the prescribing homeopath recommended a 200 - of which one dose duly worked (remedy, working out, and reaction later in the month)
Good Work David - you've saved the patient !
Ian
Bernie Simon bsimon@stsci.edu
Originally when I read the case I thought of aconite. Then I considered gelsemium, which has the keynote of cold shivers running ip and down the spine. However, gelsemium is apathetic and dull and usually averse to the company of others, which doesn't fit this case.
When I repertorized this case, I used the rubrics "fear of being alone", "shrieking", "back, coldness", and "ailments from fright". Three remdies stood out: hyoscyamus, phosphorous, and lycopodium. Of these three, phosphrous seems the obvious choice. Phosphorous is open and impressionable, fearful, amd better from the company of others. Phosphorous is especially well known for its fear of thunderstorms. If asked to choose a potency, I would suggest 30 C, repeated as necessary.
Practitioner's Response:Good repertorisation - I took Company desires, rather than fear of being alone: the state was rather lower-key than 'fear of being alone'
Nice bit of differential diagnosis here - Phos 30C chosen.
Guess we'll have to wait and see if it works !
Thanks for your comments Bernie - enjoyed reading them.
Ian
Dr. Edouard Broussalian Edouard.Broussalian@wanadoo.fr
Hello !
I read with interest your last clinical case and would like to put a few words. First of all arises the eternal question of the causation. Undoubtedly the causation can help to find quickly an indicated remedy, but often it misleads. Did really the fright caused all this ? If we read closely, the patient wakens frightened, screaming, while dreaming, as if he felt unconsciously the abnormal presence before he saw really the ball. Then of course the fright occurred. For a start, I would think about Phos : involvement with thunder and electrical phenomena (I remember a chronic case of vertigo in a man who was struck by lightening, cured with Phos ; Schmidt indicates Phos in general after being hit by a lightening although Jahr proposes Lach and Nux-v ; Phos should be added to the rubric Shock electric like touching), the special sleep during which the patient feels that something is going on (compare with all the clairvoyances, premonitions, etc), and of course the presence of Phos in the rubric Ailment from fright. Now let’s go further. The remedy should cover the important delusion expressed by the patient « there was something 'out there' to get me ». Of course the symptoms is not clearly expressed but can’t be omitted. Then I remember that those kind of delusions are found very often in serious cases needing Phos. I saw once a little girl in a pneumonia, with the fever she said « there are monsters in the corners, they look at me, they want to catch me ». In the repertory we find this at Delusions, corners, sees something coming out from (this rubric could be cross-referenced with Delusions faces, sees wherever he turns his eyes) : only two remedies Phos and Med. Although this is not exactly what the patient says, at least we don’t have a contra-indication with Phos, we stay in the « spirit » of the remedy. The next symptom I should take is of course the unusual need for company, neglecting the chills and shivers too common after a fright. Then Starting on falling asleep (I prefer the rubric in the Mind, the other rubrics under Extremities Jerking, etc being less complete). The coldness of the back and eventually Shrieking during sleep confirm Phos. Finally, we find Phos in bold in the rubric Ailments from fright. Despite the fact that it always difficult, even impossible, to give a remedy without seeing the patient, I think Phos indicated at the moment of the incident and probably for weeks or months after the shock. I suppose the remedy would work on any potency from 200 to XM. As we can’t expect tissular changes, I wouldn’t hesitate to give an XM Kent straight-away. I hope that all my verbiage leads to something correct ! ! ! Thanks again for your wonderful work in promoting homoeopathy. Let me tell you it’s a delight for me to find at last good homoeopaths to share experience with. Ed.
Practitioner's Response:Excellent work on this case - follows the line of reasoning of the homeopath who treated the patient (himself a homeopath) - Phos 200 was given with immediate relief.
(the patient wanted to take a 1m, but went along with the prescribing homeopath's thought of 200). One tablet, single dose, on tongue. Immediate reaction - will post results later in week if I can sort out problems I am having with the computer here.
thank you for your comments on this case. Next ball of lightening, we'll call you right away !
Best wishes
Ian
Annelies Scholten E.Scholten@inter.NL.net
Hello, Thank you for this wonderfull opportunity to practise and share your knowledge of homeopathy. In this case I strongly thought of phos, concerning the fearfull state the man came into. I also thought of ars, as "insanity, persecution mania" seemed to get at him and has ars in triple value. Also the coldness, the desire for company, the starting on falling asleep and the nightly aggravation are fitting right. However the causation, which i have learned has the highest priority in the choice of the remedy and the fearfulness give a preference to phos above ars.I' m looking forward to the next interactive case!
Practitioner's Conclusion:Here's how I approached the case, repertory used is Schroyen's 'Synthesis'
Ailments from Fright: Synthesis 4: exciting cause, and the red line theme which runs through the case.
acon, act-sp, agar, anac, apis, arg-m, arg-n, arn, ars, art-v, aster, aur,
aur-m, bell, bry, bufo, calc, calc-sil, camph, carbn-s, Carc., caust, cham,
cimic, cina, cocc, coff, coloc, crot-h, cupr, gels, glon, graph, hyos, hyper,
ign, iod, k-br, k-c, lach, laur, lyc, lyss, mag-c, merc, morph, nat-c, nat-m,
nit-ac, nux-m, nux-v, op, petr, ph-ac, phos, plat, puls, ran-b, rhus-t, sabad,
samb, scor, sec, sep, sil, stann, stram, sulph, verat, visc, zinc, zinc-p
Company desires, alone << Synthesis 30. Such a STRONG change in modality the opposite
polarity to client's normal state of being.
acon, act-sp, agar, apis, arg-n,, ars, aur-m, bell, bry, bufo, calc, camph,
caust, coloc, crot-h, gels, hyos, ign, k-br, k-c, lach, lyc, merc, nat-c,
nit-ac, nux-v, ph-ac, phos, ran-b, scor, sec, sep, sil, stann, stram, sulph,
verat, visc, zinc-p
Thunderstorms << Synthesis 1717. Chosen as a wide 'catch all' rubric rather
than a more specific 'storm' rubric. Normally the client likes thunerstorms.
agar, bry, bufo, calc, caust, crot-h, gels, lach, lyc, nat-c, nit-ac, phos,
ran-b, sep, sil, sulph,
Shrieking on waking: Synthesis 179. No argument about this. This is what the
guy reported.
bry, gels, lyc, phos, sep, sil, sulph
Chill, internal Synthesis 1468: other more specific rubrics were looked at
here, this one chosen to check out if chosen remedy appeared in it.
agar, bry, calc, caust, crot-h, lach, lyc, nat-c, phos, ran-b, sep, sil, sulph
[Voice Lost, fright, from: acon, gels, hyos. Synthesis 940]
[Speech lost, after fear: Cupr. Synthesis 181]
Fear, Sleep, on going to: Phos Synthesis 112
Sensation of Paralysis: Phos Synthesis 1660
Ailments from Lightening: Phos Synthesis 1626
Rx: Phos 200, single dose.
Immediate sao energy moving from chest into abdomen - felt very good. Driving to supermarket with son, he complained because my breathing deepend - almost a noisy growl on exhalation. Warmth returned to body.
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