I'm afraid I'm seeking help once again, this time its close to home, my partner.

I have been trying to treat a problem which is a sort of recurring acute.

She works in the kitchen of a restaurant and despite trying to drink loads of water and various nutritional measures she is constantly on the borderline of dehydration. The problem arises after a busy day, she feels herself that evening getting dried out.

The following morning she awakes to a splitting headache which nothing seems to relieve. (I can't get from her the typoe of pain nor exact part of the head, so I guess its all over). The headache is always accompanied by nausea and today for the first time by vomiting which gave only a minimal relief. The pattern is always the same it gets worse upto about noon, then remains constant until early evening. During this time she has to take to her bed whre she tends to lie pretty motionless; she is neither averse to nor craves company. when it abates only if she eats a good hot meal; doesn't seem to matter what of.

Other information, she is an extremely chilly person. The only thing that warms her is a hot bath which she must have immediately prior to bed or she will be cold all night regardless of how many blankets are on the bed.

She generally prefers hot drinks to cold; but will enjoy cold food unless she has an attack.

Mentally I would describe her as fastidious, everything must be tidy and in its place and extremely sensitive especially to any form of conflict which she tries to avoid at all costs (and not just with me!)

I have tried repertorising this a few ways and come up with a number of remedies which I have given during an attack all with seemingly no effect.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be extremely gratefully received.

Mant thanks

Dave

Dear Dave

It is important to treat Mrs Dave's case constitutionally because the repeated acute episodes she has are flare ups of the active miasm.

This means taking a full case of her whole picture, not just this problem in isolation.

The headache getting worse until noon with dehydration reminded me of NM, but the hot bathing and general extreme chilliness put Arsenicum ahead in the guesswork stakes.

Have you looked at Bryonia???

Yes, if it turns out to be a NM case, on no account give NM during the acutes - instead give Bryonia and when the acute is over, you can use NM. [I believe it was Dorothy Sheppherd who advised this.]

I am becoming more averse to precribing for acutes in isolation since without knowledge of the miasm it often either fails or suppresses. See for example Ortega's Notes on the Miasms with the example of a case that appears in the acute phase to require Mercury, but when taking a full case it becomes clear that the psoric miasm is primary, and Calc Carb is the correct remedy.

Dave, this is clearly not a recurrent acute, but rather a chronic illness from which Mrs. Dave suffers.

Right off the bat, I can think of a whole slew of remedies--probably the ones you've repped out, right? Bryonia, Nat Mur (as mentioned...that headache really does sound like Bry, as does the extreme thirst), Arsenicum, Phosphorus comes to mind especially for me at the moment...because of that conflict issue....but this is not going to be too much good. You need to have objectivity to do this well, and that is a very difficult thing to have with family members/partners.

Is there no one near who can take a full case and give a constitutional remedy?

Divina

Dave,

Just a thought - you mention that the problem arises after a busy day at work - I know I get a horrible dehydrated feeling after being around smoke, either cigarrettes or even smoke from our grill. Since she works in a restaurant I thought there may be a conection?

Get her Hb checked and give her China.

Thanks for all your help and advice.

I didn't include this in the original post as I really wanted as much input as possible, and the remedy kit I have is much travelled around the world, through X rays etc. although always in a lead film bag so I worry sometimes if they are OK.

I have tried Ars 30c, Nux Vom 30c, and China 30c on different occassions during the attacks all to no avail. I thought about Nat Mur from the repertorisation but I had read somewhere about it being a no-no during headaches etc. I couldn't remember the alternative of Bryonia, so thanks for that.

The problem is that my partner is distictly not for alternative medicine. I can get her to take a remedy during an attack only because she is desperate enough to try anything, she has already tried all the NSAIDs going and they don't work. I agree about being way to close to get an accurate case taken, but there is no chance of persuading her to see my own homoeopath.

My instinct is to try Bryonia 30c if it happens again, but I am pondering a dose of Nat Mur in the interim if she will take it. I have NM 30c or 1M here, are either suitable?

Thanks once more

Dave

Dear Dave,

Please try a dose or two of Ipecac 30, when the headache with nausea comes on and let us know.

I am sure she will benefit from this. Mind you this is out of experience.

sang, lac-def and Ipecac and tabacum also come to mind. see if something fits better.