____________________________
Shana????
I’m over here, Mom! As you can see, I’m very busy preparing my report.
Yes, you look busy. What report?
My report on the Emmy Awards!
The what??????
So let’s get started. I have a death to bring to your attention.
Well, if you have to…..
Gary David Goldberg, the famous TV producer, died at age 68 of brain cancer in June.
Does anyone not have brain cancer? I’m telling you, Shana, it’s the cell phones! Don’t put them to your ear, use the speaker phone!
I knew you were going to say that. But anyway, at the Emmy Awards, Michael J. Fox came on to talk about Gary David Goldberg who produced his two famous sit-coms. You may remember him from such TV shows as “Family Ties”…
I loved “Family Ties”!
…and “Spin City” where Michael J. Fox played the deputy mayor of New York City for 4 seasons.
Oh, so that’s what he was, deputy mayor. I had no idea what part he was playing. He was mis-cast, as far as I was concerned. Charlie Sheen was much more believable in that part!
I never saw Charlie Sheen on the show….
Well maybe you should! And next month you can give us a full report about that!
Jim Parsons won for best actor in a comedy series for “the Big Bang Theory” which has just started its 7th season.
Is that soooooooooooo?
Yes, that is soooooooooo. You should’ve seen the hilarious episode with Amy Farrah Fowler and Howard Wolowitz singing Neil Diamond songs.
Luckily, I missed it. Is that it?
Speaking of “The Big Bang Theory”, here is Jim Parsons accepting his award.
Shana, it was mildly amusing. If I were to sum up this show, I would call it “almost funny”.
Then let me also add that I’m very excited about Elton John’s performance at the Emmys and his voice was truly amazing for being 66 years old.
Hey! Be careful! I’m 66 years old! Which, as it turns out, isn’t really that old!
There are very few singers who can still sing well in their old age.
Will you stop using the “O” word?
My list is as follows: Elton John, James Taylor, Klaus Meine of the Scorpions,
Oh dear God!
Mick Jagger (yes Mick Jagger is on my list. Moving on!)
No, no, no! How could you leave out Smokey Robinson and Ronnie Isley?????
Fine! But isn’t that your list and not my list? But fine! Smokey Robinson!
Carrie Underwood came on too and ruined a Beatles song.
(Gasp!)
Also my final announcement…
Hooray!!!!
…Bon Jovi will be at the Wells Fargo Center in November.
Boooo!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s only for one night.
Who cares, Shana, I’m not going to see Bon Jovi!
It won’t be the same without their guitar player Richie Sambora.
Good, then we won’t be missing anything.
He was kicked out of the band for the tour and Jon won’t let him back in unless he attends rehab, and Bon Jovi’s drummer, Tico Torres, is out because of surgery.
So what’s the case this month?
Are you sure you’re all done making announcements? Because the last time you were all done, you weren’t!
No, that’s it, that’s my report on the Emmy Awards and related topics.
Oh! Related topics! Well, that’s different. Never mind!
**************************
Hi Elaine,
This is the acute case questionnaire I filled out about PMS. Actually, the symptoms I described are most intense days 1-7 of my cycle (I actually bleed days 1-4, then my period part stops on day 5). I started my period today, and this cycle was the shortest in almost three years, only lasting 17 days. On average, my cycle is 22 days. Also, I’ve had terrible cramps the past two cycles. I usually take 2-3 Ibuprofen the day of my period. These past two cycles, I’ve had to take 3 pills twice in 24 hours. Today, I had to take 4 pills to get the cramps to subside. Before I started natural medicine, I had to take 4 Ibuprofen 2 times the first day.
My former homeopath had me try _______________ and _________________ for cramps, but neither helped. My cramps are a burning pain across my whatever it is that is cramping, better with heat and pressure. It is accompanied by fatigue, nausea, upset stomach, and stiffness/tightness in my body, and I also do quite a bit of moaning and whining.
Is this going on right now? Try a dose of __________________ 30C in water. Let me know what happens. Actually if you have 200C that might be better as they sound severe. You can start with 30 and if nothing happens after an hour, go to 200.
I despise taking all this Ibuprofen, but there is so much pain that I have no choice.
One day later…….
Oh, Elaine – you are freaking brilliant!
I is?
My cramps were mild this morning, so I started with 30 c and it worked!!! I am armed and ready with 200 C for my next cycle. I’m actually excited for my next cycle to see if __________ 200 C works on my worst cramps! It’s been a 21 year bout, and there’s nothing I’d love more than to flush the contents of my jumbo size bottle of artificially colored Ibuprofen tablets down the toilet!
_____________________________________________________
Ladies and gentlemen, if you know the remedy, write to me at [email protected] and let me know! The answer will be in next month’s ezine.
——————————————————————————————————
Votes:
Arsenicum alb.-4
Mag-phos.-5
Ignatia
Cinchona (aka China)
Colocynthis
********************************************
So, how did we do this time?
Hi Elaine!
Hi Maryam!
How are you?
I could be worse, I suppose.
This time I’ve much medicines wandering in my mind but if I took this case, then Arsenicum album would be my first choice for the key symptom “burning pain amelioration by heat” other symptoms also found in Ars-alb. like moaning, whining, fatigue, nausea, etc. Arsenicum is one of the best medicines for intense heat or burning pains, etc.
Maryam, yes, burning pain, better heat really does sound like Arsenicum, BUT……. But, but, but, but, but….what is peculiar about this case?
It was strange to me that cramps are so burning in character, that’s why I thought of Arsenicum.
Yes, you’re right, it’s a good call for Arsenicum, very good. That would be a really good thought if it weren’t for a rather strange concomitant that she has that almost no one has during their period. Plus, there’s a remedy “word” here that keeps popping up in many of my cases that tends to solve them for me. Do you know what it is?
I don’t find what is the really peculiar symptom. Is it nausea and upset stomach with cramping?
The thought occurred to me that Ibuprofen might be causing this, she’s taking so much of it!
So much cramping that she needs jumbo size bottle of ibuprofen? Or, can you give me a hint?
Read the case over, and see if at any point you say, “Gee, that’s strange…. I’ve never heard of anyone with cramps having that!”
I actually don’t know what the remedy words are. If we’re thinking of Ibuprofen effects, then Nux vomica could be a better choice.
We’re really not sure about the Ibuprofen, it’s kind of a wild card. We don’t know what it’s doing, if anything.
Actually Elaine! I’ll tell you something. In these quizzes, if we’re not reached to the correct answer, it doesn’t matter because you explain things soooo greatly when we are wrong that we get more knowledge as compared to when we are right 😉
Wow, Maryam, you get the gold star for being wrong! I mean nice! For being NICE! (Also for being able to string that convoluted thought into a complete sentence!)
(Are you thinking to yourself, “Maryam gives a pretty cool excuse for her wrong answer so cleverly”? ;D )
It’s the best wrong answer ever!
Regards.
Maryam from Pakistan
Hello! Is the caller there?
Hi Elaine,
The remedy I would go for is Ignatia. It runs pretty close with Belladonna but the moaning and whining bit gives it to Ignatia. Symptoms running through Belladonna as well as Ignatia:
1. Complaints at the beginning of Menstruation
2. Burning pains
3. Cramps and convulsions with stiffness
4. Amelioration from Pressure
5. Amelioration from Warmth
6. Nausea and Vomiting
7. Diarrhoea
Do let me know if I got it right.
Regards,
Nilmadhab
Hello, Nilmadhab, no it’s not Ignatia. You can’t prescribe on the “mentals” in this case because the mentals aren’t characteristic, they’re common. Anyone in severe pain with nausea would be moaning and whining, it’s not individualizing. The last time I picked Ignatia for a physical complaint, the patient had a cold and she said she was whining (not moaning) constantly. She said it again and again and said it was the most striking thing in the case! She had other Ignatia symptoms as well, such as sore throat, better swallowing solids. So, here’s my repertorization:
And yes, I gave her Rhus tox (which, as you may know, is our most often-prescribed remedy here at the Hpathy Quiz!) You might say, “Elaine, you forgot to repertorize the upset stomach!” As it turns out, that’s a side-effect of Ibuprofen! I looked it up! It has all kinds of digestive complaints–nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, belching, bloating…you name it! Since there was no way of knowing whether this was a drug symptom or a dysmenorrhea symptom, I couldn’t use it. But you want to know the truth? As soon as I heard the word “tight”, and “better heat”? I knew it was Rhus tox! As it turns out, guess what? This patient had had a bad case of poison ivy years ago! And it must have engrafted its energy onto her because don’t you think it’s peculiar for a woman with menstrual cramps to say, “My whole body is stiff and tight”? I did! Here’s what our patient had to say after she took the remedy:
“Your suggestion of Rhus tox jogged my memory. About two years ago when I was new to homeopathy, I had a wicked outbreak of poison ivy.
My naturopath suggested I take Rhus tox, which I did and it worked beautifully for the rash. Coincidentally, I was also having my period. I remember that my cramps were much better- not completely gone but a lot better. I reported this via email to my naturopath because I wondered if the improvement in my cramps was because of Rhus tox, but she didn’t make the connection. Now you’ve reminded me of that incident and given me new hope!!!!”
We have time for one more caller, is anybody there?
Hi Elaine, I am a little confused about this month’s quiz.
Well, join the club!
I have to choose between 2 remedies Magnesia phos. and Arsenicum. Overall Mag-ph has the menstrual cramps ameliorated by heat and pressure. But Arsenicum has specific burning pain during menses ameliorated by heat. And it is the only remedy under Abdomen/burning pain/menses,during/amel. heat. She is also moaning – although all women do these days I suppose.
Exactly! The moaning is irrelevant. If you’re in pain, you moan!
I don’t see the thirst or other keynotes I would expect from Arsenicum.
I will vote for Arsenicum, only because I am sure that the previous homeopath would have tried first the Mag-phos.
If I am wrong I will try again.
Maria, I saw a “remedy word” in the case. It’s a word I’ve been talking about and referring to over and over again, I thought everybody would know it by now!!!!! So, look again……
P.S I am a big fan of “The Big Bang Theory” too! We should do a quiz on the characters of the series!
Finally someone has something in common with Shana!
Regarding the quiz it is a long shot but here it is.
The only thing that struck me was stiffness.
Yes, that’s it!!!!!!! Why should someone with menstrual cramps be stiff and tight all over? It makes no sense!
It is a strange symptom for menses indeed. Repertory lists 2 remedies under the rubric “stiffness during menses” and the higher grade is Rhus tox, which also ameliorates with heat. Am I close? I can’t come up with something else, but I will try again.
Wait a minute, there’s actually a rubric “stiffness during menses”? OMG! I didn’t even see that! And yes, it’s our hero, Rhus tox!!!!! And oh, the secret word was “Tight”.
P.S. Lets have a “Big Bang Theory” quiz, please please 😛
Oh dear God! Shana!!!!!!!!
Haha. I have seasons one through four. I don’t have five and six yet and Season six has the plot where Howard goes into space and gets married to Bernadette.
Who cares, Shana! (Well, obviously, Maria.) So, here’s the thing, Dr. B, nobody won! Even after Rhus tox won all those awards last month for Most Valuable Player in Homeopathy, still nobody thought of Rhus tox! 🙁 Very sad. I suggest that everybody immediately go to this month’s quiz and try again–it’s the shortest quiz on record! Really!!!
I want to thank all who voted, and I’ll see you again next time.
Bye-bye!
——————————————————–
Elaine Lewis, D.Hom., C.Hom.
Elaine takes online cases! Write to her at [email protected]
Visit her website: elaineLewis.hpathy.com
