Hi Snoopy and Divina, I want to thank you for taking the time to analyze my case. I know food makes me worse. All food. I have been on a few very healthy diets and I do feel alittle better on the 3rd day. My mind clears up. But then the next day I feel back to usual. I have been on the Candida diet with nistatin and felt worse. Divina, I think this is similar to what you have mentioned for a diet. I am starting to think that the Mitral valve prolapse or regurgitating heart, is the route of my problems. Does this make sense? Can it cause hypogycemia, hypothyroid?
I read today about Cardiotonics/inotropics. They strengthen the contraction of the heart so the heart can pump more blood with fewer beats to meet the damands of the body, in turn bringing oxygen to blood and organs.
I know homeopathy is based on treating the current symptoms and uncovering layers, but it seems that no matter what remedy I try it is only a temporary improvement, if any. Are there any remedies or even herbs that act as a cardiotonic? I don't mean to be annoying with these questions, and will very likely try Lyc, but I am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this. Thank you, Elly

Actually, homeopathy is based on the law of similars--it does not "treat the current symptoms and uncover layers", and in fact the "layer" theory is just that--a speculative theory. What homeopaths do is take an overall observation of you--not just your symptoms or your pathology... just "you". When we can find a remedy which produces similar symptom and state to the one from which you suffer (and live), then your health will be restored. This is not speculative theory--this part is exact science, mixed in with a little bit of art, because interpretation and "understanding" and intuition is involved. But that like cures like bit--that is rock solid, inductive thought.

The tricky part is that homeopaths have over 3000 remedies to choose from, as any one of those could bring about your cure. So, often you must evaluate based on results when a remedy is given. A remedy which is not the similimum (which is what we call the remedy which does indeed match the patient in similarity) will produce results which are not always pleasant--though they can often be partially curative. What they do very well is cause the patient to go "further into his/her own state"--meaning there will now be new symptoms or a change in the state of the patient which will enable the homeopath to reevaluate the case and find a more similar remedy.

As important as the remedy is, the potency with which it is given must be properly matched as well in order to bring about favourable curative results. In your case, I can't quite understand how a person with your debilities would have been given repeated doses of extremely high potencies, in such succession. Perhaps what you need to do is enlighten yourself a little bit as to what homeopathy is and how it is practiced by those who have some expertise and proven ability. First thing: I don't recommend consulting with people over the phone or via the internet or email, as the prescriber is significantly handicapped by not seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, or getting an overall observation of you as a person--perhaps even seeing you interact with others in your presence. All of this is crucial information to making a good prescription--and, more importantly, for making a good match as far as remedy potency is concerned. You need to find a skilled, well-trained classical homeopath near you who can spend a couple of hours taking your case. A naturopath won't do, an MD who "practices" homeopathy part time won't do, and a "mixopath" who used Voll machines or combination remedies won't do, either. Don't return to your current prescriber, because I don't think he/she understands the need to match potencies properly to your case; nor does he/she understand the need to allow remedies to take their effect over time. The number of remedies you've been given is truly frightening. I am a very strong person myself, and quite robust--certainly stamina is one of my strong points--but I could not sustain a 1M prescription of anything. They have always been far too much for me to bear. It is hard for me to imagine how I'd be slammed with that, over and over again, at half my strength.

As you can see, homeopathy is a very different paradigm from conventional medicine--it is much more difficult to do properly. Anyone can practice conventional medicine over the phone or via the internet, as modern conventional medicine is reliant on a variety of 2 simple procedures (pharmaceutical treatment OR surgery, and sometimes a combination of the two), and very few choices within those procedures (antibiotic, or Steroid? or, if you have pain, steroid? or NSAID?). Observation is not needed, as doctors simply send you out for clinical procedures such as blood tests, MRIs, x-rays, etc. It is rare to find an MD who is capable of performing a 20 minute intake exam--and if they are capable, they no longer do them because of time considerations. Believe me, the technicians who are taking your blood or strapping you down to the MRI aren't observing you, either. They don't need to in their work.
But this is crucial in homeopathy. I don't think your case is that complex--just that you have been severely overburdened by what you've been given. Ultimately, you're still suffering what you've been suffering all along--and as I said before, I suspect that there is thyroid underfunction and a problem with low blood sugar. Those two things may be interconnected; but I don't know for certain whether or not they are directly responsible for any cardiac pathology.
I think you should go and have some definitive tests done to see if the pathology does indeed exist, and to discover how far along it has progressed; but put your research energies into finding a good homeopath who is accessible and competent, instead of into various other "alternative" conventional treatments.

The diet I recommended is not the candida diet, which I find is simply unworkable for most people (cheeses, many grains, vegetables, and fermented foods are simply off limits there--believe me, I once lived on the candida diet for 6 months before i realized nothing was changing and it was impossible to do simple things like go out to earn a living on the diet). In my mind, doing the candida diet while taking an antibiotic like nystatin is just wasting time, as antibiotics like nystatin kill the intestinal flora and fauna you need to combat candidiasis. In the food recommendations I listed, I highlighted specific nutrient-rich foods so that you could address some deficiencies in your diet, and stressed that you must eliminate as much sugar as possible in order to rectify the blood sugar issue--not to address any issue with yeast. Truly, I believe you are so weak right now you are probably not capable of producing very good symptoms, as you must be rather healthy to do that! So in my opinion, changing your diet to address your nutritional needs a little better is a step which will help lead us in the right direction. It is also a good way to support your body while it rests. Concentrate on eating more proteins and less carbohydrates for a while, and see whether or not your whole body will function a little better.

One final thing I feel I need to say: if you aren't willing to seek out a good practitioner and understand how homeopathy works, then it may not be a treatment method you want to use. It doesn't "cure" overnight, though it does work exceptionally well when it is well practiced. It also comes with a price tag: you will have to endure some serious self-reckoning, some pain as the symptoms return, and some big changes in your life as you get better. It may take time. It definitely takes commitment on your part, and a desire for you to assume responsibility for your self, your actions, and your health.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you luck and health. I hope you don't give up on homeopathy without finding someone really good to help you first.

Divina

[ 12 July 2001: Message edited by: Divina ]

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

Oops! Here's another thing:

(directly from the Complete Repertory On-line

VISION; LIGHT; General; streaks of: 3nat-m., 1am-c.
MOUTH; ERUPTIONS; General; herpes; circinatus, ringworm; tongue: 1sanic., 1rhus-t., 1nat-m.

Clearly, other remedies also feature these symptoms you are convinced are Nat Mur symptoms (namely, ammonium carbonicum, sanicula (and possibly other water remedies, such as acqua marina), and rhus tox (and possibly other ranunculus plants as well).

One more reason to find another prescriber.

Divina

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

Hi Divina, When you say "one more reason to find another prescriber", what do you mean?
I have ordered the Lyc 6c. Is there another remedy you are thinking of? Thank you, Elly

Hi Divina, Forget that last post. I missed reading your longer post before writting. I don't wake up and have pastries very often although I would love to. My eating habits could definately be better and I will do as you say. Beans cause heartburn so will eat other things less bothersome. I think I know of a good Homeopath about 1 1/2 hours away. Do you think it unwise to use the Lyc 6c for now? Elly

Yes. The lycopodium does not include your two most pressing (by your own admission) symptoms--the ringworm on the tongue and the flashing light symptom you see with your left eye.

It also does not aggravate near the seashore, as you did. Your rheumatic symptoms are significant to your case, too.

The right remedy will include all these symptoms, plus all the rest of your symptoms--ones you are aware of as well as ones of which you unaware.

My prescribed remedy: find a well-trained, competent classical homeopath you can access easily and travel to see him or her. If you are in north america, take a look for a good practitioner in your area on this referral list:
www.homeopathy-cures.com

Names listed in bold are highly recommended.

This is not to disparage Snoopy or David JK--they are very astute prescribers, and excellent physicians in that they have a great deal of compassion and concern for people who come to the BB seeking help. I just think your original idea--to make some food changes and wait things out a bit before taking another remedy--is a good start.

So, in the meantime, you might want to follow the dietary suggestions and watch to see what happens when you do. If beans are problematic for now, try eating meat or fish (if you eat meat and fish) instead of the beans for a while--say, a week or two--then try the beans again. Adzuki beans are very gentle to the system, for example, so you may want to try those first and ease into the variety. I suspect the sugar intake has a great deal to do with heartburn symptoms you are experiencing, so eating different foods may become more comfortable once you've cut out the sugars.

As for a heart tonic, Snoopy recommended hawthorn or cretagus a while back. She may want to comment on whether or not that would be beneficial in your case.

Good luck, and pay close attention--who knows, the lycopodium may be needed somewhere in the future. What happens as you try to nourish yourself will be telling.

Divina

[ 12 July 2001: Message edited by: Divina ]

__________________
...and deliverance has many faces<br />but grace<br />is an aquaintance of mine

You have asked for a cardiotonic. An excellent herbal remedy which tones up the heart muscle if this is your problem is Crateagus (Hawthorn) berries. Try to find a fresh tincture and take 20 drops 3x a day in a little water after meals. I have my 89 yr old mother on it and I am sure this is the reason why her allopathic medication after having an angioplast was able to be reduced.

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Hi All.
Divina, I admire your intellegence and intuitiveness in prescribing the Mag Sulf 200c , with great results, in your post to Barb. I also assume you edited your message with my thoughts in mind. I truely am impressed. Personally I feel I would be better off with the people on this board and their combined opinions than with one homeopath in person. Unless, of course, they are as perceptive as I've noticed here. Maybe part of my thoughts are based on the laziness of packing up the kids and driving 1 1/2 hours to a good homeopath. Is that a Symptom? I love discussion and feel it shows intellegence. I used to read this board a year ago and found the verbal fighting to suppress any intellegent discussion. I avoided this board because it was more like a soap opera. I knew the personalities and how they reacted to eachother. It is different now. If two heads are better than one, then 3,4,5,20 heads are better than one. What will one homeopath in person see that a group of homeopaths will not beable to perceive via written message? This is truely a question and not ment for any dissention.
Ricky, thank you for your cardiotonic. I really think this is the rounte to my problems since everyone in my family with my major symptoms have the mitral valve prolapse. That is my son, father, uncle, aunt, and grandfather.

I will diet and take the cardiotonic (hawthorn) for a week and check back in. I would love to also take the Lyc 6c if anyone thinks it is wise. Thank you, Elly

Dear Elly,

Would you mind telling us what city/state/country you live in, in case you happen to be near someone one of us can enthusiastically recommend?

I have looked in Murphy's repertory in the heart chapter: Heart, Valvular heart disease,
regurgitation, mitral--and crataegus (hawthorn berries) is listed there as a "2" and in fact, it has the highest rating in the rubric. So Ricky's suggestion is the best and should really address that problem.

It's always best to order an herbal tincture from a homeopathic pharmacy because they have high standards they have to adhere to in making their herbal tinctures.

As to your question about whether you should you take the Lycopodium you ordered. I would take it if it were me, because I do see low blood sugar and craving for sweets as a big part of your case, and the thing with low potencies is, if it's a mistake, it's a small mistake, which can be corrected by stopping the remedy or replacing it with a better-chosen one. In the meantime, more crucial is the diet. I, too, had a love affair with junk food-- years ago...ice cream, donuts, frozen dinners--come to think of it, the standard American diet--and when I started learning about nutrition, I came to see why I would get dizzy when I got up suddenly from a chair, or why I had such horrible headaches. So, no remedy can be taken that will allow you to continue eating refined carbohydrates and dairy or wheat or whatever else you may be sensitive to.

I know you're saying, Look, no matter what I eat, I get worse! This is why I emphasized RAW food. I've learned that getting back to the original foods our bodies were genetically programed to accept will normalize whatever is wrong with you, no matter what it is; though there may be an aggravation in the beginning, as the body rebels against not receiving the "food fix" it's become used to. But ultimately, original foods will cure--but only if the diet is mostly raw and vegetarian; because otherwise it's like the people who have tried to "cut down" on smoking will tell you--it doesn't work. It's like, as long as your body has one foot in the door of modern-day eating, it won't make the Switch-Over to "Healing Mode", if you will, and start detoxifying.

What Divina says about fruit: yes, it's true, fruit tends to be sweet, and at first this may aggravate; but as we are all fruitarians (as a species of primates), this is the food that is given to us by nature, and ultimately is going to do us the most good. Again, if we continue with the cooked food, etc. diet, the fruit will, as Divina suggested, aggravate.

It's true, this bulletin board now is a very safe place for patients to come; still, the homeopaths here often don't come to an agreement; so it's up to you consider what each of us has said and follow up on the suggestions that made sense to you, and do more investigating on your own, if you can't find a safe homeopath nearby.

Sincerely,
Snoopy

Crateagus in a Herbal tincture has to be taken for months and often permently. It is not a quick fix!!!

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath