Depression

October 2008

Female patient, 45 years old, came to see me in October 2008, on recommendation of another patient. The presenting complaint was depression; she had been on antidepressants for the past eight years. The depression was currently fuelled by the breakup of a relationship and the sudden death of her dad three months back.

The mental symptoms the patient presented were:

• Low self esteem
• Feeling to be a victim
• Feeling alone, lonely
• Grief, due to the sudden death of her dad
• Resentful
• Lack of help from others, but doesn’t ask for it anymore
• Lack of trust; has been let down often; has been cheated on
• Desire to cry and send people away
• Desires comforting
• Anxiety, panic attacks, dread – as if she had done something wrong; cannot relax
• Doesn’t see anything nice about herself
• Anxiety of not having control
• Fear of failure
• Dreams of punching people
• Short term memory weak < alcohol
• Dreams and reality are not distinguishable at times – scary

General symptoms

• Severe lack of sleep; cannot sleep without sleeping pills during day or night; wakes 3.30 am. Has taken sleeping pills for last five months. Wakes exhausted.
• Warm person
• Poor appetite and thirstless
• Tidy
• Observation: exaggerates (never/ always/ …)
• > wet cold weather
• > open air
• > movement
• < 2 to 4 am
• Desires spring
• Desires cooking and eating
• Desires salami and cheese
• Desires red wine – high alcohol consumption
• Bread upsets (gets bloated)
• Aversion being late
• Aversion hot weather
• Aversion wind
• Aversion noise
• Aversion crowds
• Clenches/ grinds teeth
• Saw psychologist twice, but is not convinced about him

Physicals – Top to toe

• Tension headaches, occipital; sensation of constant stabbing from blade of knife from inside out. Intensity is sometimes ten on scale of ten and causes vomiting
• Hearing of voices difficult
• Vomiting < strong anxiety < strong pain
• History of chronic tonsillitis; tonsils were removed when she was 19y of age.
• Under active thyroid – takes thyroxine
• History of bronchitis
• History of kidney problems; too much protein in urine
• Thrush often through her life, excoriating < hard intercourse, > contraceptive implant for four years now
• 17y old: constant leucorrhoea, was stopped through surgery
• High blood pressure – is on beta-blockers
• Bruises easily
• Hay fever < last four years

RUBRICS CHOSEN (RADAR)

MIND – CONFIDENCE – want of self-confidence (194)
MIND – DELUSIONS – wrong – done wrong; he has (45)
GENERALS – COLD – amel. (116)
STOMACH – APPETITE – wanting (348)
STOMACH – THIRSTLESS (189)
GENERALS – PAIN – Internally – cutting pain (160)
FEMALE GENITALIA/SEX – LEUKORRHEA – copious (150)

FACIAL ANALYSIS

This patient needs a blue (syphilitic) remedy
The repertorisation brings up the following remedies
Puls, Sil, Lyc, Sul, Ars, Merc, Aur, Cocc, Alum, Lach
Merc, Aur and Cocc are blue remedies – Cocc was chosen because it read best in the materia medicas.

REMEDY AND DOSE

5-NOV-08 Cocculus 30, single dose; observe for three days. If OK, take daily thereafter. Recommended no consumption of coffee.

FOLLOW UP 27-NOV-08

Follow up three weeks after remedy was prescribed:

Took Cocculus 30C as instructed; takes dose right when she wakes up.

– Haven’t been angry at all – noticed difference after the initial dose
– A lot calmer; things don’t bother her as much anymore
– Doesn’t get upset or anxious
– Has been able to get two hours sleep a day – in the afternoon – without sleeping pill
– Still takes sleeping pill at night; wakes at 4am now.
– For the first time in 30 years she read a book for leisure
– Went to see new psychologist; very happy with her
– Appetite normal; probably eat more then I should. Dieted for 7 days: fruit, veg, no alcohol
– Don’t feel I need the red wine anymore; cut down to two glasses a night (from a bottle most nights)
– Hasn’t had tension headache since initial consultation
– Bruise a bit less easily
– No longer resentful
– Have been a lot more assertive
– Aloneness has not been a problem
– I do what can be done to have as much control as possible
– I am handling things so much better
– More positive and initiative
– Haven’t had any problems to distinguish dreams from reality
– Vomiting hasn’t occurred; both known triggers are no longer existent.

Complaints still present:
Acute hearing except for voices

Prescription: Cocculus 30 once daily. Keep fluid levels up and alcohol level down.

FOLLOW UP 23-DEC-08

– Has seen her GP since last consultation, who advised to halve the dosage of Beta blockers and antidepressant.
(Blood pressure (medicated) now 109/79; was 153/111 in September 08.)
– Feels so much calmer; things don’t upset anymore
– Takes everything in her stride
– Things she doesn’t have control over, she lets go and doesn’t get anxious anymore.
– Has cleaned up relationships “so they are done and dusted and the old stuff can be put away”.
– People apologised to her about their behaviour.
– “Self esteem is increasing slowly”. – comment from patient
– Doesn’t feel as needy for help anymore.
– Hasn’t felt lonely at all
– She now sees nice things about herself
– Feels pretty in control in the moment
– 1 to 2 glasses of wine per day; there are two alcohol free days a week.
– Every now and then she wakes at 4.30am, but now can go back to sleep. Still takes sleeping pill at night.
– No headaches other than from dehydration.
– No hearing difficulty

Complaints still present:
• Appetite not very good; hasn’t been eating fruit or veg

Prescription: Cocculus 30 every second day.

6-JAN-09 Patient contacts me asking if dose could be taken daily again as some symptoms start to return.
Prescription: Cocculus 30 once daily.

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Rogér Walti, Homeopath
Ad Dip Hom Med, Prof Memb AHA, AROH regd
Health Unlimited, Geelong, Australia.