Clinical Cases

Anxiety and Insomnia in a Woman of 38

Written by Fiona Chaff

Homeopath Fiona Chaff treats a woman of 38 for anxiety around health, blood sugar problems, insomnia and agoraphobia.

A lady of 38 came to me in 2014 presenting with anxiety around health, issues around blood sugar, insomnia and agoraphobia. She had a miscarriage 2 years previously. She had a 5 year old child and a baby of 9 months. Her grandmother and her partner’s father died when the baby was born. She said that grief had caused her adrenals to go out of balance.  She had been very ill with a lung infection when she was pregnant.  She was low in iron and had bleeding throughout pregnancy.  Labour was 2 weeks early and she had a Caesarean. She had an infection in her head after giving birth. She was too exhausted to breastfeed, which upset her. She could not cope with the baby and cried when left with her.

She had food poisoning 4 months ago, and since had cystitis and blocked sinuses. Her blood sugar had been so low it affected her nervous system and she could not walk properly.

She did not know what drugs had been prescribed in hospital. She had tried a lot of homeopathic remedies, but did not feel they had worked. She had cut out wheat, milk and caffeine. She ate every 2 hours through the night to try and keep her blood sugar levels up.

She used to be highly driven and did not care about anything. She used to bounce out of bed in the morning but at this time she struggled to get out of bed.

Opium 30 was prescribed on September 8th as there had been lack of reaction to remedies and she had experienced shock from her miscarriage. She had buzzing in the ears, confusion in the head and palpitations after stressful events. She experienced trembling legs, with shuffling. She felt numbness and weakness. Her symptoms were worse for the emotions of fear and anxiety. She had psoriasis from when she was a teenager, and Opium would cover symptoms of dry and rough skin. Opium also covers symptoms of threatened miscarriage and uterine inertia during labour. It would antidote the effects of morphine if she was given it in hospital. Opium also covers the symptom of sleeplessness and symptoms related to blood sugar abnormalities.

Mind, shock OP

Fear during pregnancy op

Fear, overpowering OP, PHOS

Fear, with palpitation op, phos

Fear, prolonged after ailments op, phos

Grief, ailments from  op, PHOS

Limbs, trembling of OP, phos

Hearing, Noises buzzing  op, phos

Miscarriage, op, phos

Miscarriage, bleeding uterus; threatening miscarriage phos

She responded well to Opium 30 and she fell asleep. She said she hadn’t slept like that in ages. Anxiety was relieved, and she had no palpitations. No low blood sugar and better energy.

Then she had acupuncture and felt worse. She felt exhausted and had hot flushes and nausea. She felt anxious and shaky again. Opium prescribed again.

15th September was” the happiest day”. She slept well.

She had more acupuncture. She had headache and a pain in the neck, like an old symptom.

Opium prescribed again. Headache and anxiety disappeared. She went outside and felt happy.

24th September she had the beginning of a cold and Aconite fitted the symptoms. Aconite 6 was prescribed. Her Caesarean scar hurt after taking the remedy.

In November, she took apple cider vinegar and a few days later she was following a vitamin protocol. She also had an osteopathy session. She had a massive headache, dizzy spells and palpitations. She also tried Cranial therapy and she felt shaky, whirling in her head, itchy skin and anxiety.   Opium prescribed again.

I had been encouraged that Opium improved her health, but did not understand her need to try different therapies. It seemed that the need to try different therapies was a symptom in itself. I was pleased that she kept coming back to me, as she said that ‘my remedies’ made her feel better.

Phos 30 was then given to address the strong anxiety about her health.  Her oversensitivity was extreme. While she seemed to be struggling to find some stability, she also seemed to be disrupting the process. She had a lack of focus.  She kept going from one interest to another to try and solve her health problems. I felt frustrated that she didn’t let the homeopathic remedies balance her energy. I had sympathy for her worries about her health as she had been so ill in hospital and she was worried that it would happen again.

Anxiety about their own health PHOS

Fear of impending disease PHOS

Phosphorus 30 was prescribed as it seemed that her energy was unstable and to test her reaction to a new remedy. It was one of the few remedies she had not previously tried before. She said it helped everything clear. It brought up feelings of vulnerability from childhood. Her nose cleared and she felt calmer. She said she felt good for a change. Her legs were still shaky and stiff, and she was easily tired. Her energy was better and her blood sugar was OK. She craved sugar, had a fever and a sore throat. This seemed like a good reaction as she had produced a fever, and her nose was clear and energy was better.

She took Olbas Oil and her psoriasis flared up.

She responded well to Phos 30 so we went up the potencies 200, 1M, 10M, CM and MM throughout 2015. She said that Phos 1 M was her favourite remedy. Her energy gradually improved. There were still blockages in her ear and head, but ongoing changes in their quality, feeling liquid in her ear. Her nose remained clear. She had a few acutes, with digestive problems and colds. She was keen to move up potencies and take more remedies.

She then tried castor oil packs. She had acid reflux, and another virus. She worried about thrombosis when she had pain in her legs. She saw an osteopath. Her head was whirling, and after Phos MM she cried all day and felt better.

By 2016, she felt she was nearly better. Her psoriasis was disappearing.  Her left ear had improved. She tried B vitamins and Selenium. She took too much Selenium and Pulsatilla 6 was prescribed to antidote the effect of the Selenium.

She tried Chinese herbs and progesterone, and had Bowen therapy.

LM 1 was prescribed, and we progressed to LM5 in fits and starts by mid 2017. She had a strong reaction to LM1, so was reluctant to take LM potencies. She was impatient with the changes in potencies, and resistant to taking any more than LM6.

In 2018 she had acupuncture and began Iodine protocol. She did a detox for heavy metals. Her health deteriorated. She tried a homeopathic detox, with Chelidonium 6, Nux vom 6 and Sulph 6. She felt better, as if a weight had lifted and she had more energy.

She tried coffee enema and anxiety returned and palpitations. She was not sleeping.

She said she was fine until she took iodine and too much selenium. She had a meltdown. She stopped adrenal support and thyroid support. Two days later she felt like she was having a heart attack all day and her body was on fire. Opium 30 was prescribed.

She went to the doctor and took anti-depressants. She took Lyc LM1 from a new homeopath. She felt well initially, then her legs felt awful and she was dizzy. She was taking Kratom, which was from the coffee family. She did a detox for parasites. I suggested distance healing to balance her energy in May and she said she felt the calmest in 5 months.

Opium 30 was prescribed again for 1 month and then Amniotic Fluid 24 in November 2018.

Amniotic Fluid 24 covers the deep feelings of grief for her miscarriage, and her grandmother and partner’s father. Her problems began with a miscarriage and anxiety was first experienced during pregnancy. The remedy covers feeling of being overwhelmed by chaos and the start of a new journey. It should enable her to become more autonomous, and happy with her own potential. The remedy should help to resolve chronic symptoms. The remedy should help to increase self-confidence. After the Amniotic fluid she drove 140 miles and said she felt “not too bad”. She got in touch in December to say she had no symptoms.

In August 2019 got in touch as she had symptoms of cystitis, but she had taken Apis for it.

About the author

Fiona Chaff

I have been using homeopathy since I was 18 and just turned 60 this year. I qualified as a homeopath in 2016, with a BSc(Hons) in Homeopathy from Middlesex University, in partnership with the Centre for Homeopathic Education in London. I studied at the Royal Homeopathic Hospital in London, now the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Care. I had a practice room in Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, UK for 3 years and have just moved to Wrexham in North Wales to set up a new practice. I originally came from North Wales, so I am going back to where I came from. I lived in Shetland for 27 years and home-educated 4 children and used homeopathy on them and a lot of our own animals.

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