Questions Patients Ask-31: Meningitis, the Vaccine, the Remedies

Layers

Elaine, here’s another question for you:  Could my constitutional remedy’s failure to resolve my physical issues mean that those issues are not very important?

No.  As Robin Murphy used to say, “Those are amendments to the constitution!”  In other words, let’s say I’m Calc-carb, which I probably am, and then I stupidly start working with my laptop on my lap instead of on the table where it belongs, and develop weird, uncomfortable sensations in my legs.  Is Calc-carb going to help with that?  No.  I probably need Phosphorus for “ailments from electricity”.

So Much We Don’t Know!

This is a great example of how much a homeopath has to think about everything she’s being told!  This is what I’m always telling my “class” in the Quiz section of the ezine: THINK!  A Client wants to know if I can take the case of her friend’s daughter, 40 years old, who is reportedly “living in squalor”, in a barn, taking care of animals; and, of course, it seems like this must be Sulphur!  But look at all we don’t know:

Hi Elaine!

I’m checking in, and have a question for you.

First, me: I am fine.

Well, that’s the important thing.

Now the question:  A friend of mine has a daughter (age 40).

The daughter is obsessed with rescuing animals.

It could be Carcinosin.  They’re “rescuers”.

And living in squalor (my friend’s words) in the barn with the animals.

Well, I could blurt out Sulphur; but, I would have to ask, is she taking care of the barn properly or irresponsibly (Sulphur, Medorrhinum)?  Keeping it fastidiously clean?  Spotless?  Would it win awards?  (Arsenicum, Carcinosin)  Is she caring asiduously for the animals, cleaning out their stalls, brushing them, washing them, changing their water, preparing special meals for their species, etc.?  Has she given herself too much to do and trying to do it all perfectly?  (Carcinosin, Arsenicum?)  Or does she feel like a mother hen and they’re her babies and she can’t bear to leave them; which wouldn’t mean per se that she wants to live in squalor but that she just can’t leave her “children”.  Maybe she’s too sensitive to their feelings when she tries to leave (Phosphorus?  Or,  again, this could go for Carcinosin.  Their concern is for others, not themselves; and they feel overly-responsible.  Phosphorus feels others’ pain and sadness.)

Parents have been trying for years to help her, without success.   I don’t know about any physical symptoms.  Do you handle cases like this?

Of course.

Also, do you do homeopathy for animals?

Yes, I have a pet section on my website:

Dogs and Cats

Is there some reason she can’t spend the rest of her life rescuing animals?  Can the family afford this?  Or is she driving them into bankruptcy and not even caring?  (Medorrhinum–reckless behavior)

The daughter might not know anything about homeopathy and, on top of that, might not feel that she has a “problem” at all.  Does she ever say to her parents, “The reason I’m staying in the barn is because _________.”  Because that would be the logical place to start.  “Why are you staying in the barn?”  We don’t know what her relationship is with her parents.  It is adversarial?  Is she in the barn because she can’t stand them?  Are they judgmental?  Complain-y?  Is she trying to get away from them?  You know, if it’s their fault, they only need to change their behavior to get their daughter to move out of the barn and into the house again.  I would have to know what the dynamic is between the parents and daughter.

And what kind of animals are we talking about, how many, adults or babies?  All rescues?  Does she try to find homes for them?  And then, what does she do all day, does she have tremendous responsibility?  Do the parents help out?  Are they supportive?  Is this a bona fide farm?  Or just a house with a back yard?  Is she a good animal mother or is it really the animals that are living in squalor?

Does she have a diagnosis?  Does she have any friends?  What’s her history, did she used to be married?  Did she used to work?  How did she get into the animal rescue game?  Does she look for abandoned animals or do people find her and say, “Can you take care of my dog while I go on vacation?” and then never return?  (Staphysagria?  Carcinosin?)

As you can see, I have a lot more questions than answers.  It looked so simple in the beginning, but I actually know nothing!

***

Unfortunately, I never heard back from this family but I wanted you to see how an “obvious” case is usually anything but.

 

What’s The Weather Word?

Elaine, is weather important in solving a case?

My goodness, yes.  Weather is very important.  For instance, Nux vomica and Causticum are both better in cloudy, over-cast weather.  Rhus tox is worse rainy/damp/cold.  Thuja is worse damp, so is Nat-sulph.  Phosphorus is worse before a storm.  Sepia and Carcinosin are better during a storm.  Which weather pertains to you?

No weather condition pertains to me at the moment.  I was just wondering if you knew of any publication on weather modalities and ailments from weather.

Oh!  I thought this was going to help us solve your case!  Well, you just have to go to the Generals chapter in the Repertory and scroll down to:

Dry

Hot

Cold

Rain

Winds

Storms

Stormy

Wet weather

Weather, change of

Sun

Cloudy

and so on, any other weather word you can think of.

 

Wonder Woman Is Back!!!!  With a Question:

“Is it safe to get the Meningitis Vaccine?”

 

Hello Doc,

Colleges require Meningitis vaccine for students especially if they will be living in a dorm.  I have been submitting the religious exception for years.  However, when I read a little bit about Meningitis I got scared, do you think Wonder Boy should be vaccinated for Meningitis before he goes off to college?

NO!

Did you know we have remedies for Meningitis?  I’ll give you more information later as I am busy reading about it now but have to stop because Shana is hungry!  Again!!!! 

And P.S., it’s a very rare disease and hard to catch.  You have to exchange body fluids with someone, or someone has to cough right in your face!  I went all through college, lived in dorms for 6 or 7 years, I never once got meningitis and for that matter, there were no reports of meningitis either.  You’re more likely to get food poisoning from the cafeteria!

Thanks doc, but both Wonder Husband and Wonder Boy are insisting because they read that it can be fatal and is very dangerous. I don’t know what to do, they are getting angry at me.

You know, you could say the same about all these diseases—Measles, Polio, Whooping Cough, Tetanus, Diphtheria….You could say they’re all dangerous and could all lead to death, but you have to ask the following:

1. What is the likelihood of even getting this disease?
2. Is there a way to prevent this disease or protect myself from getting it?
3. How serious is the disease if I do catch it, how sick will I get?
4. Is the vaccine fool-proof, meaning, is it sure to protect me?
5. Are there effective methods of treating this disease if I do come down with it?
6. Does the vaccine have dangerous side-effects and if so, what are they?

In answering these questions, first of all, we should state what it is:  Meningitis is the swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord.  The likelihood that you will get this disease is very low, according to the FAQ’s at meningitis.org.

Typically, we have to be very close to someone for the bacteria to be communicated.  Even when this happens, most of us will not become ill because we have natural immunity!  Yes, isn’t that odd?

It turns out, the bacteria that cause this disease are very common!  At any given time about one in ten of us has the bacteria in our noses and throats without ever even knowing it’s there, and for most of us, it’s harmless!  I’ll bet you didn’t know that!

Moreover, the bacteria cannot survive outside the body, doesn’t linger on dishes, clothing, bedding, etc.; someone would literally have to cough and sneeze in your face or kiss you to pass this bacteria on to you.

Is the vaccine fool-proof?  No.  There are numerous strains of Meningitis and it appears that the most common form is not affected by the vaccine!  OMG!

See below, from an article entitled

“Meningococcal Vaccine Side Effects Quite Serious, Linked To Neurological Disorders” (All the italics are mine.)

Do the Meningococcal vaccine risks outweigh the benefits?

Meningococcal disease (meningitis) is a relatively rare bacterial illness that impacts the meninges of the brain and can lead to serious complications. The disease had been in decline for years before the CDC recommended the meningococcal vaccine for widespread use. The meningococcal vaccine’s side effects are dire, including neurological disorders and death, particularly when given in conjunction with another vaccination. Most meningitis vaccinations do not create immunity against the most common bacterial strain responsible for the development of the illness….

A Disease in Decline Since 1998

Between 1998 and 2007, the number of reported meningitis cases decreased by 60 percent. Current statistics reveal an all time low of annual cases, with the CDC reporting 550 instances in 2013. Although the illness is fatal in approximately 10 percent of situations, it can be effectively treated with antibiotic therapy if initiated shortly after the onset of symptoms which are typically flu-like in nature. While these statistics may seem alarming, it is important to compare them with the number of adverse events associated with the vaccination. It is also important to consider the fact that the vaccine itself does not protect against the most common strain of bacteria responsible for the meningitis illness.

A Host of Dangerous Meningococcal Vaccine Side Effects

A study published in Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics as well as documented research completed by the Southern California Permanente Medical Group in Pasadena, California have linked the quadrivalent meningitis vaccine with a nearly three fold risk in the development of neurological disorders such as Bell’s palsy within 12 weeks following an initial vaccine dose. The dangers increase significantly when the meningitis vaccine is administered in conjunction with another vaccination…. In 2007, a year after the release of the HPV vaccine known as Gardasil, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) showed a 1000 percent increase in the number of cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) when HPV and meningitis vaccinations were administered on the same day.

Meningitis Vaccines Do Not Protect Against the Most Common Bacterial Strain

The original versions of the meningitis vaccination provide temporary immunity against the A, C, W-35 and Y strains of meningitis. Unfortunately, no protection is developed against the B strain which is responsible for half of all bacterial meningitis infections in adults and children over the age of five and 70 percent of all cases in young children. In 2016, the FDA approved a vaccination intended to produce antibodies against the B strain, yet limited effectiveness has been observed in practical applications, with more than one third of all patients failing to develop antibodies against this particular meningitis bacteria.

Nearly 2000 Adverse Events Reported to VAERS

As of 2015, nearly 2000 serious adverse events following the meningitis vaccination were reported to VAERS; of these cases, 99 were deaths. Experts estimate that vaccine injuries reported to VAERS are chronically underreported and likely represent anywhere from one to ten percent of the actual cases which occur nationwide. Taking the conservative estimate, if ten percent of all adverse events are reported, this translates to nearly 1000 deaths associated with the meningitis vaccination over the course of roughly 15 years. In comparison, the CDC reported 550 actual cases of meningitis in 2013; if ten percent of these cases were fatal, this translates to 55 deaths per year, or 825 deaths in 15 years. Do the benefits outweigh the risks of the meningococcal vaccine side effects?

https://wmwlawfirm.com/blog/meningococcal-vaccine-side-effects-serious-linked-neurological-disorders/

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What does the package-insert say?  That fainting is very common side-effect after the vaccination.  I nearly fainted from a vaccination once myself!  It’s a real possibility, so, be aware of it.  Apnea is actually a possibility!  That means that breathing stops.  Irritability, pain at the injection site, muscle aches, sleepiness, crying, diarrhea, headache and nausea can also occur; again, this is according to the package insert.

https://www.fda.gov/media/78514/download

But why would homeopaths ever have to worry?  We have remedies for this disease!

Homeopathic Remedies For Meningitis:

 

Meningococcinum–Just like we have Influenzinum for the flu?  We have Meningococcinum for meningitis.  Order it here:

Meningococcinum

Order the 200C, 1M and 10M just to be on the safe side, but start with the 200C so you’ll have something to go up to if needed.  Don’t play your high card right off the bat!

Take it at the first sign of symptoms or if you think you’ve been exposed or if you’ve received a diagnosis of meningitis.  What are the first signs or symptoms, you might ask?  Well, here they are:

Onset is acute with fever and severe headache, neck rigidity, vomiting, and photophobia.  Fever is usually high, intermittent, and associated with chills.  Drowsiness, confusion, delirium, and coma supervene.  Convulsions are common at the onset, especially in children.  In children, early signs such as leg pain, coldness of the extremities and abnormal skin color may develop even before the classic signs of meningitis.

Belladonna—  Belladonna stands for Acute, Intense and Sudden. There is intense heat of the body with cold feet and possibly cold hands as well, strong pulse—full and fast, bright red face, pupils dilated with extreme photophobia and delirium; intense pain in the head, possibly throbbing; starting out of sleep, crying out.  No thirst.  Fever with dry heat.  Can’t bear noise, light, touch, or draft of air; worse lying down, better propped up with pillows.  Witnessing a Belladonna state usually throws the on-lookers into a panic to do something fast!  You would probably want to start with Belladonna 200C.  Don’t be surprised if the patient vomits after the remedy but immediately feels fine afterwards and falls asleep, wakes completely well.

Aconitum— Meningitis from heat of the sun after long exposure.  It is only useful at the onset. Fear is a marked concomitant.  Fear of death.  There is almost always great thirst, restlessness and sudden onset in an Aconite case.  Skin is hot and dry.

Rhus tox—Muscles stiff, restless, can’t get comfortable, worse from resting, worse after sleep, thirsty.

Hyoscyamus—Grinds teeth (Belladonna), limbs thrash about.  Delirium.  Unconscious after convulsions.

Bryonia—When moved, the patient screams with pain.  Sharp, stitching pains, copious sweats, white tongue, very thirsty, high fever.  Stiff neck, pain in the joints and limbs, nausea, stupor.  Worse heat, worse sitting up, dry lips and mouth.

Apis–-The characteristic Apis high-pitched scream, Cri Encephalique, it’s called (the “brain cry”), often during sleep.  Thirstless.  Edematous, red, hot, puffy face.  Scanty urine.  Nervous agitation.  Worse slightest touch, worse heat, better cold—opposite of Belladonna, though both have redness and heat of the face and both are thirstless.  Sleepy but restlessness prevents sleep.

Stramonium—Very fearful and worse from darkness.  Worse from being alone, better light and company, wakes screaming.  There may be night terrors.

Camphora—Collapse, cold but does not want to be covered.

Helleborus—Apathy, dull, groggy, neck is rigid and bent backward, great pain in back of the head and neck, lack of reaction, automatic movements of the limbs, shooting pains in head, bores head into pillow, crying out, screaming.  Slow in answering, thoughtless staring.  Cold sweat, moaning, sudden screams, threatened unconsciousness.  Pupils are dilated but no photophobia, opposite of Belladonna.  Shrieks in sleep.

Gelsemium—The usual Gelsemium look: stuporous, dull, can’t finish sentences, looks intoxicated, limbs feel heavy, staggers, needs help walking, trembling and wants to be held, very cold; profuse urination and better for urinating.  Collapse, numb, trouble breathing, thirstlessness, nausea.  Gelsemium usually has severe headache in the back of the head and neck.

Cuprum—Violent convulsions, screaming; thumbs clenched, pale face, blue lips; later stages.

Veratrum v.–Patient is pale, chilly with cold, clammy perspiration.  Dilated pupils, slow labored irregular pulse, threatened loss of consciousness.  Collapse, feels like he may faint, even when lying down, prostration, nausea, worse rising up, numbness; you may find a red streak down the center of tongue.  Pain in nape of neck.

Zincum (Zinc)—Twitching and jerking of limbs, restless feet, hyperesthesia.  Low fever or fever absent.

Arnica, Hypericum and Nat-sulph–Meningitis after head injury and spinal injury.

Opium–Coma, pupils contracted, stupefaction.

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Sources:

Murphy’s Materia Medica

Meningitis.org

Homeobook.com

“Meningitis – Homeopathic Remedies” by Manish Bhatia, MD (Hom)

Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook by Alan V. Schmukler

For tips on dosing in acutes, see “Dosing In Acute Cases”:

Dosing In Acute Cases

 

So, what is our take-away on Meningitis?

1. You probably won’t get it.
2. The Vaccine seems both risky and inadequate for protection.
3. This disease is on the decline anyway.
4. It’s very hard to catch, it doesn’t linger in the air or on objects.
5. We have a certain immunity to it.
6. We have remedies for it–order the nosode, or go to the ER for antibiotics in the unlikely event that you do come down with it.

I am so outta here!

Bye!  See you again next time!

_______________________________

 Elaine Lewis, DHom, CHom

Elaine takes online cases. Write to her at [email protected]

Visit her website: https://ElaineLewis.hpathy.com