Clinical Cases

The Many Complexities of a Sarcoidosis Case

px Sarcoidosis   Honeycombing
Written by Tracy Ferriss

Homeopath Tracy Ferriss presents a case of sarcoidosis.

Patient description:

Male 40’s, slim, dark haired, with a diagnosis of Sarcoidosis.

A successful banker, he likes travel and is a keen marathon runner.

Health History:

He had no childhood illnesses but in his twenties, before a health collapse with pneumonia, he had suffered a streptococcal bowel infection and an anal abscess.

He has bouts of sleeplessness for which he takes medication. He admitted to having a cupboard full of medicine as he had a fear of catching colds. Patient has had numerous travel inoculations.

He is allergic to pork and dairy but mentioned that he had received some treatment for it and had been “de-sensitised”

Family history:

Mother had leg ulcer, Father had Hepatitis and pneumonia, Grandfather on Mother’s side had diabetes.

Current treatment from doctor:

Occasional antibiotics, anti-histamines, sleeping tablets and anti-bacterial spray for oral candida.

He has an X-ray every 3-6months with immunologist and a blood test for CD4 count.

My Observation:

He had green expectoration and very cold hands. He was suffering dyspnoea, fatigue, recurring colds and infections and bouts of sleeplessness. He is worse in winter and in wet weather.

His tongue was red, smooth and creamy white towards the back.

He took a decongestant before the consultation, as he says he is aware that he sniffs all the time.

“I want to improve my health; I see it wearing me down”

“I’m looking for a panacea”

He was a tidy man, punctual and enthusiastic for most things. He trained hard at the gym and when well he would run 10 miles a week. Although cheerful, he spoke of a slight depression at the thought of not being able to run anymore due to his diagnosis. He has not run for two weeks.

“I worry about the next ten years….. I see a big black hole”

“I’m never at my best”

REPERTORISATION:

Kent’s Repertory:          Mind, Fear of disease impending,

Extremities, cold

Expectoration, greenish

Mind, restless

Food, milk aggravates

REMEDIES: Ars, Kali carb, Merc, Nux vom, Phos, Sep, Sulph

I was intent on keeping the remedy range wide as I needed to see the related remedies come through in repertorisation. I was aware that there may be suppression from anti-histamines and there could be a reaction from the simillimum.

FIRST PRESCRIPTION: Arsenicum LM1

FIRST FOLLOW UP – 20 days later: Patient has eczema on right shin.

His expectoration is now clear but he has constant runny nose which is clear in colour. He reported slight vertigo at work for the last ten days of the bottled remedy.

Still sleepless but he was studying for an exam for work.

SECOND PRESCRIPTION: Arsenicum LM2.

SECOND FOLLOW UP – 38 days after initial consultation:

Rash all over body, chest, arms, inside of thighs, sides of face, ears and shins.

Patient recognised this as a return of an old symptom associated with his allergy that he had 14 years ago. He seemed cheerful but said itchy scalp was keeping him and his wife awake at night.

He tried to take the LM2 on alternate days as the reaction was severe but in the end stopped it.

Observation: Although his sleeplessness was still a problem, there was a lot of disturbance in his life so I continued to stay focussed on the respiratory system and aimed to keep the lungs clear and watch the skin go through the expression.
He also reported that his nails felt stronger.

CONTINUED prescription up to LM4

We slowly continued each month up to Arsenicum LM4, often stopping before the end of the bottle as he seemed to aggravate with the last few days. Patient was noticing that his sleep was better at the weekends.

Five months after the initial consultation he had started to get yellow/green expectoration and he was waking at 6am feeling hungry, in fact more hungry than usual.

FIFTH PRESCRIPTION: Sulphur LM1

After 2 weeks he developed what he called an “ulcer” inside his nose. (I was assuming that the ulcer was in fact a boil or pimple as I couldn’t see.)  Sulphur LM1 was chosen as I have often seen the polarity of the 2 remedies and Sulph follows Arsenicum quite well. Hunger was now a theme, as was the raging skin condition and his pallor reddish. His still suffered occasional bowel problems and woke suddenly in the mornings.

His expectoration was now clear again.

SIXTH PRESCRIPTION: Thuja 30c to address his eruption inside his nostril. Ulcers/boils inside of the nose indicated a possible appearance of Sycotic miasm. I tentatively prescribed Thuja 30c as I knew there had been many inoculations and suppression. Thuja was still in the rubrics for mucus, waking early and sleeplessness after 2-3am.

EIGHT MONTHS ON:  the patient said that he had not had a cold and there was no green expectoration, his circulation was much improved and the small eruptions inside his nose, came and went.

Skin rash was still bad however and he was still restless at night.

Patient is using plain moisturiser for skin.

We discussed the importance of keeping the disease on the skin and away from the vital organs and he was reassured knowing that the healing was going in the right direction.

“..you can’t comprehend the difference…. I feel OK for this time of year…sleep is a minor problem compared to the other symptoms”

FIFTEEN MONTHS ON FROM INITIAL CONSULTATION:

GP confirmed that the Sarcoidosis had healed with just a slight scarring on the lungs. (Unfortunately, I had no details of the blood test and CD4 count.)

Patient reports that the nasal eruptions keep appearing and disappearing but is happy that the rashes and skin expressions are keeping the vital organs free from disease.

He still wakes at night but has more energy and plans to start a family with his wife.

SEVENTH PRESCRIPTION:

Carcinosin 200c was finally given to help address the sleeplessness.  I had been holding back this remedy for the right time. He had a very strict upbringing and this could’ve been prescribed earlier on but I wanted to address the uppermost symptoms firstly. The sleeplessness was now more apparent, it was much more than a reaction to stress; it seemed that it ran much deeper. An inherent disturbance.  He reported that it helped a little and he managed to dream but he still wakes at 3am.

Respiration OK, nose OK and eczema still bad.

“I am grateful for the help you have provided. Prior to that I was getting 10 colds a year, so I look back and can hardly believe the recovery that I have made.”

FINAL OBSERVATION:

Throughout his long treatment with me, I was able to get plenty of feedback as the patient was fully engaged with the recovery program, even though at times he worked abroad.

He finally moved and we lost contact but I will never forget this case as it reminds me of how an LM potency can powerfully lead the way from major suppression to healing. It was as if the LM’s provided a back drop from which smaller, incidental potencies could be prescribed.

About the author

Tracy Ferriss

Tracy Ferriss (LLSCH, MCMA) trained at the London School of Classical Homeopathy and has been practising both Homeopathy and Reflexology for over sixteen years. She works in Richmond and Twickenham in Greater London. www.earthyhealthy.com

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