This it is, people, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: The Answer to Last Month’s Quiz!!!!! Here’s the case again if you missed it:
Shana, major scandal! Eva the Picklet was a winner in our last quiz (Aconite) and we failed to acknowledge her!
What you mean “we”?
OK, I admit it, it was all my fault!
Mom, let’s face it, you’re over-worked and understaffed; and, what does Dr. B pay you?
I don’t know if I would call it “pay”, exactly….
Why? What has he given you?
A pony.
Mom! You need a tough negotiator. Let me handle this; in the meantime, start this month’s quiz.
Good idea, Shana! This is a case I like to call “The Sneezies”.
Mom! That is so embarrassing!
I thought you were out renegotiating my contract! OK, how’s this… this is the case of “Daffy Duck”.
Mom, isn’t “Daffy Duck” a real person?
You could be right. OK, I think I’ve solved the problem. This is the case of “Mickey Moose”! See below:
Acute Case Questionnaire
1. Did your complaint come on suddenly or gradually? Describe the complaint or complaints in your own words in as much detail as you can.
I seem to have gotten the cold the children have been passing around. It came on suddenly late yesterday afternoon/early evening. That seems to be key with this thing. We all have gotten it around the same time of day and suddenly.
It began with A LOT of sneezing. At first it seemed almost like allergies. I sneezed and sneezed and would have even some “fits” of sneezing. At first only clear, watery discharge.
As late night neared I could tell my nose wanted to get stuffy. So overnight as I laid down it stopped up. This AM my throat is a little raw from drainage and also breathing through my mouth all night. I do not think this is a big part of it at this point. My throat pain is indistinct and just seems raw.
This AM I began with sneezing again as soon as I got up, but now it has settled a little. My nose is not running, but stuffy on and off from one minute to the next right now. When I do sneeze a large amount of yellow, thick discharge came out a couple of times. It is the consistency of egg whites, not like the watery discharge of last night.
I coughed a couple of times, but it was superficial, from the drainage I think. There is nothing in my chest yet.
2. Etiology–meaning, what was the cause, if you know.
I think I got it from the kids. The weather did recently change and it has been much cooler and also cool in the house in the morning, even with the heat on.
If I were betting I would say the cold weather combined with the readily available germs.
3. Sensation–describe the pain or other feeling. Does it extend anywhere, does it shoot anywhere? For instance, “It feels like there’s a crumb in my throat, I’m constantly trying to swallow. The pain shoots to my left ear.”
There isn’t pain really. My nose feels dry and irritated from my wiping and blowing it. My throat is just a little raw and I think with a warm drink will improve.
4. Appearance–what does the person, or the part that’s bothering the person, look like; anything remarkable? Red skin, droopy eyes, etc.?
My nose is red around the edges.
5. Location–where on the body is your complaint located?
My nose and sinuses, throat a little.
6. Modalities–that means things that make the complaints better or worse
I am definitely worse at night and first thing in the morning. A warm shower is better. Lying down definitely worse. Trying to sleep was awful. Mentals are sort of bad. I am irritable somewhat. I HATE to be sick with a cold- HATE it. The sneezing and such was a little better outdoors. I am chilly, so better from warmth as far as my comfort. I was freezing in bed with the covers to my neck.
7. Concomitants (additional symptoms that are associated with the complaint)
Chilliness
8. Discharges–color, odor, consistency.
Discharge is yellow, but still viscous like egg whites. It was clear and watery last night.
9. Generals–these are all the symptoms that begin with the word “I”: I’m hot, I’m cold, I’m thirsty, I’m tired, I’m sad, I’m irritable, I’m hungry, I want pickles, etc.
I’m irritable. I’m tired as I didn’t sleep well with this. I am chilly.
10. The mentals: Are you any different from normal either mentally or emotionally? Think about irritability, panic, anxiety, weepiness, self-pity, confusion, dullness, apathy/indifference, cheerfulness, and so on.
I can be irritable sometimes, but this is marked.
11. What have you been saying? For instance: “I’m fine, leave me alone.” “Don’t leave!” “I wanna go home!” “I want ice”, etc.
Honestly, last night while I was getting it the kids were awful and I didn’t feel the best and wouldn’t go to bed very well, so I was saying “I wanted a minute to myself.”
12. What are you doing? For example, tossing and turning, pacing, fidgeting, moaning and groaning, calling people on the phone for support, etc.
Sitting, as I cannot lie down and probably moaning and groaning some because I HATE to be sick.
13. Thirst–are you thirsty, not thirsty, what temperature do you want your drinks, what kind of drinks, just sips, or gulps, frequently or infrequently?
I am sipping hot drinks- fairly frequently.
14. Fever? Not now.
15. Sweating? No.
16. Odors?
No.
17. What is most striking about your condition or most peculiar?
That is came on so sudden and the discharge is already yellow within 12 hours. Also ALL the sneezing. I have hardly ever sneezed so much.
18. Is there a diagnosis?
The common cold.
19. Describe your energy
Probably agitated and tired.
______________________________________________
So there it is, people; did any of you guess the remedy? (Shana, what were you able to get out of Dr. B?)
A goldfish.
Votes:
Arsenicum-11
Nat-mur-4
Pulsatilla-3
Nux v.
Kali bich.
Sulphur
Almost everyone liked Arsenicum for this case; but, if this were truly Arsenicum, a remedy whose mental picture we know so well, wouldn’t we expect to see the typical Arsenicum clinginess, need for company, anxiety, fear of death, restlessness and need for constant reassurance? But, we don’t see any of that here, so we truly have to wonder. What I saw was the irritability Nux vomica is so famous for, “marked irritability”, the patient said.
A lot of you, no doubt, thought of Arsenicum when she said she was Sipping hot drinks frequently; but, if a drink is truly hot, you HAVE to sip it, don’t you? So we can’t really use that as a symptom. What can we surmise from the drinking information? I surmised that hot drinks ameliorate! I said to Alan Schmukler, our editor, “Alan, here’s the case: lots of sneezing, extremely chilly, better heat and irritable.” “Nux vomica,” he said. Well, I’m thinking Alan should get the Synthesis Repertory we’re offering as a prize because the one reader who did guess the right remedy didn’t bother to say who he was! Thanks a lot, “Anonymous”, IF that’s your real name!
By the way, for you Pulsatilla voters (probably because of the thick yellow mucus and evening aggravation), Pulsatilla is soooooo much worse for heat, and this patient craves it, that we can’t consider Pulsatilla. You could say the same thing for Nat-mur; yes, they can be chilly and sneezy but not better for heat and hot drinks. People, please pay attention to the modalities! Don’t discount them, they are very important! Sometimes the modalities alone lead us right to the remedy: Worse draft of air (even turning over in bed is intolerable because it creates a minor draft), what remedy comes to mind right away? Nux vomica! Morning aggravation, what remedy comes to mind right away? Nux vomica! Noise aggravates/better complete quiet? Nux vomica! Plus, “Ailments from cold weather” is not associated with Pulsatilla and Nat-mur; but, suits Nux vomica fine!
What else goes for Nux vomica? Nose runs during the day/ stops up at night, and the ATTACKS of sneezing, so very characteristic of this case, (“fits of sneezing”, she said; which in “Repertory Language” is, “Sneezing, paroxysmal”). See my chart below.
