Tuesday 23 October 2012

OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE

As an adjunct to what I had said on my previous blog on this topic of  `CAN HOMEOPATHY CURE ALL TYPES OF CASES', I am presenting this case of Cholelithiasis (Gall stones).

Mr.A.M.P came to me on 11-10-2012 with moderate icterus and pain in the Liver region. No h/o fever, vomiting. The patient had obvious jaundice and had been seen by a surgeon and diagnosed as a case of Gall stones in the CBD with obstructive jaundice. His Total Bilirubin: 6.9mg%; Direct Bilirubin: 3.8mg%; Alkaline Phosphatase: 224 IU/Lt.

With very few symptoms to go by, the indicated remedy was Chelidonium which I gave in the 30th potency -  a dose every 6 hours for three days. on 16/10/2012 he reported that he was feeling much better. The icterus had certainly diminished.

17/10/2012 - the patient reported that he was relieved of his complaints. His tests were repeated.
Total Bilirubin: 2.8mg%; Direct Bilirubin: 1.6mg%; Alkaline Phosphatase: 184 IU/Lt.
At this juncture I had proved my point that Homeopathy can help in such cases, but I was not under any delusion that the obstruction (14mm stone at the distal end of the CBD along with multiple large stones in the Gall bladder) had dissolved or passed through. I repeated the USG and my suspicion was confirmed. I referred the patient for an ERCP procedure to a Surgeon.

Homeopaths cannot and must not go on symptoms alone. The patient then revealed that he had a similar attack five years ago and produced the old USG reports which were identical to the present!! This is  another lesson for all homeopaths - the limitations of case-taking. Despite all your experience, it will do you good to remember that you will know only what the patient chooses to reveal!  By referring the patient for a procedure, I had done what is ethically and morally expected of me. I refrained from claiming a fictitious cure based on symptoms and I had probably saved the patient from a more severe episode of jaundice, infection and unimaginable suffering. Such patients will always remain grateful to the physician for being balanced and practical and to Homeopathy for having prepared him for the unavoidable endoscopic procedure.

To conclude,.discretion must take the better part of valor. As in this case, surgery can be your victory in defeat. 

Monday 15 October 2012

Diarrhea cured with Phosphorus

PHOSPHORUS - be prepared for the unexpected

Baby C.S. - 5 month old female infant, resident of Belgaum, was admitted with a local Pediatrician since 4 days with fever and diarrhea. The mother (a native of Gokak, had come here to visit her mother when the baby took ill) approached me asking whether I could treat her baby as they were fed up with repeated admissions for treatment of cough, cold, diarrhea and so on. In the last three months the baby had been admitted to hospital 4 times on one pretext or the other. It was obvious to me that these are hospital borne infections, difficult to cure. I took up the challenge. I insisted that the baby be discharged and brought to me. I am averse to treating patients clandestinely in other doctors care. The issue being, firstly I must accept full responsibility for my patient. Secondly the patient must be left with no doubt that the cure was entirely and solely homeopathic.

Monday 4 pm. 15-10-2012  
Baby was brought to my clinic with mild fever 101*F and grade 2 dehydration. The baby was passing stools with no pain - thin, almost watery, pouring out, no odour, flaky yellow at times. The frequency was every 15 - 20 mins 1/4th cup at a time. My first prescription was Croton tig 200 in water repeated every hour. Baby put on ORS with instruction not to feed her anything else.

Monday 7 pm 15-10-2012
The mother rushed into my clinic saying the baby's diarrhea was worse. Now it was oozing out of the anus- thin, watery, choleric and continuous without an interval. The two drugs that came to my mind were Apis and Phosphorus (the rubric Rectum: Anus open). The baby was thirsty and accepting ORS. Hence Phosphorus 200 in water was started immediately at 15 mins intervals X 8 times. I asked the mother (now accompanied by 6 members of the family) to sit in my waiting room. The anxiety was too much for the young mother who called up a very well-known pediatrician in the Medical college hospital in Belgaum. The gentleman was very nice and spoke to me asking me if I was confident of treating the case. I answered in the affirmative, I assured him the baby would be alright within an hour. He then spoke to the mother and calmed her down assuring her that the treating doctor (myself) was confident about the case in hand.
8:15 pm : The baby had passed only two motions, thin yellow, quantity much less
9:00 pm : Baby was alert and looking around, smacking her lips asking for her feed. ORS continued. No fever.
9:45 pm: Baby alert, the `light' had returned to her eyes. She was now looking around, following the movement of mother and relatives around her. Only one very scanty (1 tsf) motion had been passed. The stools were still watery, no fecal matter seen. I asked the mother to take the baby home and report next day 10:00 am. Reduced dose to 1/2 hourly till the mother or baby slept, whichever happened first.
Tuesday 16-10-2012 10:30 am
Baby cheerful and looking perfectly o.k. No motions passed since last night. I asked the mother to start the infant on cows milk + water in 50:50 proportion. Medicine to continue at 2 hourly intervals till normal motions were passed. Then to start breast feeding.
7:00 pm
Grandfather came to report that the baby is well and taking feeds. No fever or diarrhea.

I consider this diarrhea cured. I will now work on the immunity of this infant which has been repeatedly subject to hospital borne highly resistant infections. At 5 months the baby has been doused with higher antibiotics and steroids repeatedly hence I warned the mother and relatives that total cure will be slow - may be 3 months or more; they should expect minor niggling ailments before total restoration of health. One more victory for Homeopathy and one more family converted to our glorious system!! It is this last that gives me the greatest pleasure!
To cure such cases a firm understanding of Homeopathic principles, posology and skillful use of the repertory along with the ability to recognize key symptoms and convert them to appropriate rubrics is absolutely essential. The truth of successful posology stands exposed in the last two cases I have posted. 

18th May 2013:  The baby came to my clinic 3 days ago with a mild coryza and cough. The diarrhea has never recurred since the last 5 months and the baby never needed any medical care till now. Placebo prescribed for three days.

Thursday 11 October 2012

SULPHUR AS ACUTE DRUG

SULPHUR AS AN ACUTE DRUG

I have been accosted in the past by homeopaths who pretend to be shocked or surprised at my use of Sulphur as an acute drug in various conditions. Today let me post this case of Gastro-enteritis in a 11 month child.
Baby A.M was brought to me on 10/10/2012 at 2:00 pm. She was suffering from Diarrhea  and vomiting since 4 days. Fever since 3 days. Temp: 103*F. She was admitted with a pediatrician for 3 days with absolutely no relief. Blood tests showed a high neutrophilic WBC count - 23800/cu.mm

Diarrhea had begun on the first day between 4-5am. The motions were pure watery, profuse, forcible and preceded by mild tenesmus, stools not particularly odorous; - a cupfull at a time exited with a gush and sputtering of flatus. Some amount of rumbling preceded the stools. 8-10 motions per day, yesterday was the fourth day after onset, when she was brought to me.

Vomiting (6-8 per day) started a few hours after the diarrhea. The baby could not tolerate anything and would throw up on being fed. She tolerated water though.

Fever - no signs of chills but high grade fever since afternoon of the diarrhea.

The General condition of the baby was not good. She was so weak that she could not lift her head nor even cry as I examined her. Dehydration - grade 2 (I.V. fluids had been given by the pediatrician before the parents insisted on being discharged).

My first prescription was CROTON TIG 200 in water, one dose half hourly X 4 repetitions; then one dose two hourly X 6 repetitions.  All feeds stopped. Baby put on Water + sugar

Day 2: 11:00 am:- Child slightly better. Diarrhea and vomiting a bit less- 4-6 times in the last 18 hrs. Fever 101*F. Again the first motion of the day was passed at around 5am with flatus, but was now painless. On examination the skin around the anus was red and looked inflamed.
SULPHUR 200 in water repeated every hour till 6:00 pm.
The child was brought to my Rapidcure Clinic at 7:00 pm. The change was astounding. No vomiting since Sulphur; No diarrhea and no fever since 1:30pm. The baby had accepted ORS which she had refused since yesterday (she took only water with sugar - one tsf to 200ml water). The baby was active, played with mother and father in the clinic and responded to my voice and calls.
Sulphur will be continued infrequently till tomorrow 10:00 am when I will see her again. I have cured dozens of such children with Gastro-enteritis with Sulphur in frequent repetition and it is often my first line of treatment when the above symptoms are present. I rate it equal to PODOPHYLLUM and CROTON TIG in such presentations. I would like all practicing Homeopaths to familiarize themselves with two other drugs 1. Jalappa and 2. Rheum in children's diarrhea. The strongest indications of Sulphur being Time of onset; Relatively painless, uncontrolled diarrhea; Rectum: Noise- Gurgling rectum, Redness of anus; all other symptoms being the same.

Day 3. 7:00 pm:  The child was brought for follow-up today evening. She has passed one normal stool at 11:00 am. No fever, vomiting or diarrhea since yesterday 1:30 pm. Treatment has been stopped since 5:00 pm as child is asymptomatic.

Tuesday 2 October 2012


Ferrum Phos is not a well proven drug and most of its symptoms have been borrowed from Scheusslers Biochemic  remedies. Many symptoms have been incorporated from clinical experiences, hence its use has been limited to acute cases and correction of anemia. Its mental symptoms though are unique and contradictory.Read M.L.Tyler's description before reading the notes below.

FERRUM PHOSPHORICUM   
Source: Chemical                Miasm: Psoric, Sycotic
CAUSE
Mechanical injury, checked sweat, Cold air
MIND
Hilarious, gregarious, talkative. Averse to crowds, company, pleasure. Mania<cerebral irritation
HEAD
Headache vertex to sides. <sun. >Epistaxis, cold app. Emptiness <menses
EYES
Inflamed.  Encysted tumors of lids. Blindness<stooping
NOSE
Epistaxis children; ailments operations after
THROAT
Tonsillitis, laryngitis of singers. Pain <empty swallowing.
STOMACH
Vomits ingesta. Hematemesis. Averse milk, meat. Desires sour
ABDOMEN
Summer dysentery-bloody thin stools. Clothes sensitive to.
URINARY
Retention <fever. Involuntary< cough. Sudden freq.urge with pain neck of bladder & penis
EXTREMITIES
Wandering rheumatism< slight motion. Wrist pain→weak fingers
FEVER
Chills- desire to stretch. Heat-sweaty hands. Pneumonia
PECULIAR SYMPTOMS
Hilarious, talkative. Averse to pleasure. Head empty <menses. Headache>Epistaxis. Hoarseness singers. Motion<; Cold app>.
THREAD
Shifting moods/rheumatism. Acute ailments from anemia, checked sweat, operations. Pale hemorrhage- orifices.