Woman mid fifties, with the problem of non-stop pheleghm which rises from her throat as a frothy mass and causes her to spit all day long. It has been going like this for nearly 5 years.

It started one night while reading a book before bed. Suddenly her mouth became bone-dry. Not a drop of saliva. Then she began to salivate. Her saliva had an odd texture--like honey. It stopped for a few minutes and then started again and has not stopped since.

She is frantic because after many doctors of all sorts, no one has been able to stop the saliva. A few say that it is all mental.

The only way it stops is when she is asleep or eating.

Cannot swallow hern thick saliva. Chewing gum thins the saliva enough that she does not gag as much as usual.

Quiet and shy as a child she had colds that went from bronchitis to asthma. "Wonderful childhood" Was a wild teen during the 1960s-drank, pot, LSD, rebelled, motorcycle gangs--disappointed parents who were "red-diaper" liberal intellectuals--felt she was a failure but now feels fully resolved with parents and appreciated.

Perimenopausal

Many fears: heights, noises, thunderstorms,

Better: music, eating, chewing, total involvement (such as climbing high mountains or tackeling a difficult craft project))

Worse: drinking water, resting, thinking about the problem

Dreams about dead people (friends), of stabbing mother in throat, being disappointed by husband

Husband had herpes simplex and passed it to her soon after marriage. Content with husband although she rarely has sex now

She had taken Wyethia 30c with brief relief. I have her Aurum Metallicum 1M and the saliva almost stopped, for 6 hrs--the saliva became thin enough to swallow.

Total reapse.

It has been 2 weeks, with no change. I will repeat with a 10M Aurum.

Any opinions?

Dear Jarf,

Do not give "AUR" 10M. "AUR" is not the right remedy ; unless there is some information that you have not presented here.

Based on information; caust, merc, lyc, sil,.. are better choices. Pressed for a choice; I would go with 1 dose "CAUST" 30C if it is mucous from throat; 1 dose of "MERC" 30C if saliva; 1 dose of "LYC" 30C if it is saliva and there is gagging.Just guesses so far.

What symptoms were you basing your prescription of "AUR" upon? 1M???
Why did you feel so certain?

Is it mucous and/or saliva?

Has she undergone anti-biotic treatment lately (for anything)? (please explain)

Is she currently using any medications? (legal-illegal)

How outstanding are the fears?

How is her vitality? Is she active?

How '..frantic...' is she about this condition?

How pronounced is the gagging?

Is she constantly hawking?

VERATRUM ALBUM.

Forgive me, I was not thorough.

She still suffers from guilt after taking her child from the father, a drug addict. She is still traumatized by the death of her best friend many years earlier and feels she will never stop grieving.

She is very depressed and on Paxil. She was recently addicted to a tranquilizer, Klonipin. She has suisidal thoughts--feeling that she will never recover from the spitting and gagging; that life is not worth living. She longs for and yet is afraid of death

She is so frightened of thunderstorms that she will not speak on the telephone and must cover her ears.

She is easily startled and is sensitive to noise, touch, light and sounds.
Emotionally her only relief is music.

She used drugs (LSD, cocaine, pot) 25 years earlier and for the year before the saliva/mucous began she abused antibiotics--taking them without prescription, as needed.

The saliva has the thickness of honey but no taste and cannot be swallowed unless thinned by chewing gum. When the throat is examined there is a thick white frothy mass which cannot be swallowed.

She can be enthuastic when distracted but only for brief periods of time.

Considder natrium mur, or causticum.

Dear Jarf,

Yes , "CAUST" is very much indicated and is the 1st remedy to be started with. If there is no response , then "PHOS" should be given as the follow up.(ESPECIALLY if the FEARS are TRUE).

I understand now why you chose "AURUM"; But the suicidal thoughts is not enough to go by.
"CAUST" also has these thoughts (though approached differently).

GM's suggestion of "NAT-M" is also to be considered; Where it will fall away is if her fear from noises is a very OUTSTANDING characteristic.Also the mucous ,and its characteristics, in throat lean towards "CAUST".

I say that she was in a "PHOS" state before this ; And now "CAUST" is required.If "CAUST" is the remedy needed and it is administered, then you need to be patiently aware. Because there will(?) be a point when "PHOS" will(?) be needed. This may be due to the overuse of "mind" drugs. If you can get her to this point , then you will need to decide (at that time) the remedy she needed before going to 'happy land'. We do not know yet.

Next , we must address the use of "PAXIL".
If and when "CAUST" gives a response , then she must be informed ' ...that to maintain this new 'energy' she must remove herself totally from the 'PAXIL'.This adjustment must be done without delay ; as soon as "CAUST" gives response. You as the practitioner in charge must be there for her.

But as we know it is easier said than done. At least inform her and she shall have no problem with the mucous/saliva.

My suggestion is 1 dose "CAUST" 30C. Avoid coffee,and encourage cold food and drinks.Which she may be doing already if she has the "PHOS" element .

Another note is that - If she does remove herself from "PAXIL" , then "NUX-V" will most probably be needed as an inter-current remedy.

That is my thinkings.You may want to wait to receive more input from others before following my suggestion.

------------------

Thanks for your responses.

New discovery during a lung x-ray: an adenoma has been found on the left adrenal-which effects the saliva and could be the cause of overactivity. The Dr. is just watching it at the moment.

Under adenocarcinoma, Aurum Metallicum is still a possibility but Conium Maculatum and Phytolaccia are of greater importance.

I thought of Causticum and Mercurius Vivus and they are still considerations but this adenoma leans me towards Mercurius V.

Natrum Muriaticum is the remedy of her childhood.

Dear Jarf,

Do not seperate the patients physical symptoms from the patients mental/emotional.
Need both. No 'piece ' work.

"AUR-M" is a better choice than "MERC"; Yet still does not include the whole picture.

If the 'suicide' is an OUTSTANDING characteristic and she has NEVER attempted it , then start the case with "NUX-V". "NUX-V" because of the above mentioned and the much allopathic dosing. "CAUST" does not follow "NUX-V" so well; so follow soon after (1-10 days, depending on response) with "PHOS". Depending upon what "PHOS" does , "CAUST" will be next.

Dear Jarf,


What are the 'true blue' OUTSTANDING symptoms, in this case; we can use for finding the remedy?

MENTAL ? EMOTIONAL ? PHYSICAL ?


.

Hi all,
I'm starting my classes with Vithoulkas/David Kramer this weekend and will consult with them...I will post their response. Many thanks!