Hi All!

Don't know if there is anyone out there who can help or not. I have been treated by several homeopathic practitioners over the past few years with really very little success. However, I have tried many many different alternative therapies as well with very little success.

I'm 27 years old and since January of 1998 I have suffered from Chronic Pain (constant, some days are really bad days and some days are normal BAD days, but it's constant all the time, every second of every day) (mostly thighs and groin). In December of 1997 I had some severe gastrointestinal cramping and noticed a swelling type sensation in my right groin/ileocecal region. The muscle/tendon there began to tighten or tense up, then it relaxed, then it tightened up, then relaxed, then tightened up again. (All this over the course of 1 day, then stayed tensed up, contracted). Then over the course of a couple months, the tensing up, or tightening (contracting) of the tendons/muscles slowly spread down my right thigh. After about three months it then spread to my left side starting in the groin area there (same as the other side), and spread down my left leg (again over a period of months). This tensing up or contracting was something that was beyond my conscious control.

Then again after a period of months, I noticed that this then started in my left arm. Started from my wrist and slowly spread up my left arm (all this was over a course of a day, not months) to my shoulder as if it was traveling along my nerve, or up my nerve, through my nerves etc. Then once finished there it spread over to my right arm, same thing, starting from the wrist, spreading up my arm to my shoulder. Again over the course of a day and I could feel it traveling along my nerve up my arm to my shoulders, tensing or contracting my muscles as it went (as it was going I could feel some parts normal and the other parts that it had already traveled through, contracted, tensed).

My muscles everywhere are basically in a state of tension or contraction. I feel as though I have no ability to make a muscle (you know how you do that when you're showing off how big your muscles are, you tense them up), because my muscles are always constantly in a state of contraction. They also get instantly fatigued. Do you know how when you do the wall sit or you reach your PEAK and the BURN starts to set in? Well that's how I get almost right away. My muscles start burning as if I had been exercising for the past few hours with extreme intensity and I just have nothing left to give even though I just started. The severe burn that sets in quickly goes away quickly as well as soon as I stop doing any repetitive or strenuous activity.

My throat muscles are this way as well, and talking can create a burn or quick fatigue in my vocal cords or muscles there. Same sensation, getting tired very quickly and when I stop talking for a few seconds it helps and then I can go again but again get fatigued quickly.

Very little seems to help. I can tell you that human touch helps a lot, however inanimate objects touching me make it worse. So like having a pencil or pen or other things in my pocket or having a book sitting on me, or even the weight of my clothing touching my skin hurts. (Another keynote, hypersensitive to pain). So touch can make it worse unless it's human. I am wondering if it's something to do with providing extra energy to my energy field as to why human touch helps.

Not getting a goodnight's sleep helps a lot. When I first wake up I feel good, but not too long after being awake I get worse progressively. Its almost like when I first wake up my nerves are numb at first from sleeping and so I don't feel the pain at first.

Extreme hot and cold showers help when nothing else does for the pain. But only going from extreme cold back to hot for a split second. Like if I do a really really hot shower (ONLY HOT, makes me feel weaker and more tense. ONLY COLD seems to make me feel more energetic, but I also get the sensation where my limbs feel more swollen with the cold. Almost like (and mostly my legs) I feel energy or I feel sensations extending beyond the physical part of my body. Like measure a couple inches away from my legs and I feel the vibrations there. It's really strange. But as I was saying, if I start with really really hot, and then go to extreme cold, THEN GO BACK TO EXTREME HOT, it's going back to the EXTREME hot that last time that makes me feel so good. If I stop there, it's as if the pain goes completely away, I feel young again NOT like I'm 120 years old. All the congestion in my body breaks up, my joints don't crack or pop. And I feel like I am moving fluidly again, I don't feel heavy, congested, worn down. But this only last for a few seconds.

Extreme temperature changes outside seem to make me worse though. And it doesn't matter if it's HOT one day and then COLD the next or if it's COLD one day and HOT the next, the extreme change makes me worse. For instance, if it's 30 degrees here for several days and the all of a sudden we have a day in the 50's or 60's I can almost always predict when I wake up in the morning that the weather is gonna be really hot out compared to what it had been cause my pain is so much worse. And vise versa for the if it's hot and going to cold.

Generally I feel better in cold weather. And if I'm outside and it's really cold and the wind is really blowing it feels really good to have the wind blowing hard against my body. And the wind blowing also seems to help me feel open and alive and helps depression as well.

Summer time always seems to make me depressed. Heat makes me depressed, all I want to do is sleep. I'm tired all day. No desire to do anything.

I'm very sensitive to chemicals. Cigarette smoke (even smelling it from someone smoking inside their car driving past my house (if i were standing in my yard) a brief second of smelling that can sometimes give me a headache. Very sensitive to paint fumes, exhaust fumes, cleaning supplies, again usually manifesting as a headache.

Anger can make my pain worse (mostly I think because my muscles are tensing up even more).

I'm very sensitive emotionally too and things can really bother me. If someone says something to me hurtful or I'm worried that I hurt someone's feelings (usually from misunderstandings, people don't understand me), I can go into the deepest depression and my pain gets worse. One minor thing can make my whole day worse.

Something else that I have struggled with for many years is a pain or weight or heaviness in my chest that makes me depressed. Sometimes it seems to come and go for no apparent reason. But it's an emotional/SPIRITUAL pain in my chest/sternum area that is a feeling of wanting to die, like the worst thing has happened to me, like I lost my best friend ever, a hopeless, despair, I don't know how to describe it, other than just a deep unhappiness, feeling like I can't go on and often the only thing I can do is SLEEP, because I rarely can function when I feel like this. It affects my whole body in the sense that I have no desire to do anything. Indifference. Some days I just wake up with this feeling for no reason. One homeopath had me one Gelsemium and despite the potency he gave me I seemed to get this often, but I can't say for sure it was connected to the Gelsemium. Natrum Murtiaticum seemed to help a SLIGHT bit with this feeling but nothing real concerete, also seemed to give me a slight bit of energy, but again the affects were so minute, and after time it didn't seem to do anything.

I'm a Pisces and feel emotions very strongly am sentimental. Everything, LOVE (lots of disappointed love relationships over the years), WORRY, HOPELESSNESS, DESPAIR. My pain can be worse as well from dealing with people. I am the type of person who is always there for everybody, to listen to their problems and concerns and have nobody who is there for me most of the time. And I give a lot of my energy to others and this drains me and of course makes my pain worse. Can be somewhat obsessive at times. I usually am very detail oriented, indecisive, never know what to do, always want someone to tell me what to do, cause I just DON'T KNOW.

Screaming would make my muscles/nerves tingle and somewhat lighten my load. Also crying does help me emotionally. Crying after a sad movie. Like, I watched THE NOTEBOOK the other day and it really made me cry, I must have cried for about 20 minutes, but oh my gosh if I could cry more like that I would feel so much better. A lot of emotional pain was lifted and I felt so much LIGHTER. Not as heavy and congested, tired, worn out like normal. Whenever I feel any emotions it's in my chest, where I have that really emotional depression feeling that I sometimes get.

Emotions definitely have an impact on my pain. As when I'm really upset about something my pain is like 10 times worse, I can literally feel my muscles getting more inflammed with strong emotions. And often if they are triggering it to get worse, intensive Bach Remedy Therapy can take me from a REALLY BAD HORRIBLE day to a NORMAL BAD or NOT AS HORRIBLE day.

Also during the time when my pain was progressing, I started developing VERTICAL ridges on my nails. Some nails have many ridges (as many as 30 or 40 on one nail, really close together) running the whole length of the nail, other nails have less, but they are VERY DEEP or pronounced. Also my hair started turning grey at this time as well.

Lately, I'm finding that I will (not often, but every once in a while, every couple days), hiccup at the same time that I burp. I had a few weeks ago had problems sleeping until after like 5:00-6:00 in the morning. Even if I went to bed at 12:00. I would be dead tired physically, but my mind was like locked into hyperdrive so to speak and would not relax. I worked on some liver detoxification. Used Cheldonium and other natural remedies and my sleep seems to be much better. Tongue is somewhat coated white (much more coated the further back you go) and patch of yellow toward the back as well.

Liver Congestion is definitely an issue. I see a health practitioner who does Reams Testing (urine/saliva) and the Liver is always congested. Before all my symptoms began I had been on Accutane a potent Acne Drug for my serious acne. My physician who decided that I was handling the drug well based on my liver tests decided to give me a dosage of the drug that was indicated for people TWICE my weight!! Back then I didn't know any better. And since I had been on that drug (retinol deriviative/Vitamin A) my health has gone way down hill. Used to sweat, don't really sweat any more. And produced oil, my joints were well lubricated, now they are dry and have joint pain.

The pain in my right groin is probably the worst of all the pain. I can only describe it as a severe swelling in that area. As if it were swollen, sometimes I tell people that it feels like a gunshot wound even though I don't know what one feels like. The pain is worse when sitting. Better when standing or laying down.

Even the tendons/muscles in my feet are contracted. Like I feel like I'm walking on my muscles instead of on a cushioning. So my feet hurt very much too, so sitting down hurts my thighs/groin area, and yet standing up hurts my feet. I'm just very weak. Pale.

Slight walking helps the pain, but anything beyond slight makes my muscles fatigued, tired easily. Reptition being much worse of course.

Also of keynote was, several months after the Accutane/Vitamin A, (POSSIBLE FATTY LIVER??), I had some continual vommiting. Everything I ate, I would throw up on, couldn't even keep RICE down. I talked to a homeopathic practitioner and took Kali Bich (I believe 200c, but can't be sure). And was taking it every hour, several times a day, until it stopped and it did stop very quickly). Then I backed off and I think it was just a 30C dose.

Also, before this incident I had a leg inflammation where my whole right leg became inflammed, swollen. And I had tried herbal remedies to no avail and eventually went to the emergency room (interestingly I had a dream a few days before that my right foot became swollen and it had to be amputated), and they gave me keflex (antibiotic) and it cleared up.

Then after my vommiting and Kali Bich episode we near the December 97 when my pain started in my right groin area and I really felt strongly at the time that it may have been somehow related to the leg inflammation. After that I noticed that I was losing my balance somewhat and then came the progression of the symptoms.

In addition to what I've already stated, sometimes when the pain is really bad, I don't know how to describe it other than saying, my nerves just feel shot, or destroyed, frayed, fried. Like something has short circuited my nervous system, and/or something has just totally drained my body, like it's sucking the life or energy out of me.

Have had tests done and really all that comes up is Creatine Kinase Muscle Enzymes elevated, showing muscle damage (myositis). Basically as if I were going to the gym and punishing my body, even though I'm not.

Lastly, another odd phenomenon, is that often when I've tried natural remedies, whether it be herbs or homeopathics, the first dose I take if the remedy is like really close to being right, i'll get a response where my muscles will start bubbling (almost like how boiling water looks when you see it bubbling in the pot, my muscles will kinda twitch and bubble like that) and when my muscles do start doing that, IT FEELS AWESOME, it feels great, like the pain is going to go away and almost like I'll be cured instantly. But it lasts for only several minutes at the most and then it stops and then nothing after that.

For instance, one night I took Lactic Acid (on my own), 30C and got this effect, I was ready to wake up my whole family and tell them I was cured just like that, cause it seemed to really be working, and then it stopped and the muscles stopped bubbling and went back to the tension they were in and no effect after that. Then I took a 200C and same response, initial, but nothing after that. Then no potency worked.

Also took Botulism (Clostridium) Nosode, again, exact same effect as the lactic acid. Seemed like it would bring a cure instantly, then stopped, no effect after that, higher potency induced the same effect, then nothing after that, and no potency remedy seemed to bring any effects.

Zincum Metallicum 30C seemed to help SLIGHTLY (Somewhat like Natrum Muriaticum 30C did emotionally) with the muscle fatigue, but my homeopath seemed to think it wasn't doing enough or wasn't bringing much response so he switched me.

I've also taken Causticum, Calcarea Carbonica, Pulsatilla, Staphysagria, Phosophorus in 30C potencies. Eupatorium Perforatum in a 30C as well, but that one I could never tolerate, always got terrible headaches from it. Like my whole skull was being crushed or something. My homeopath took me off that one. This was all over 2 years ago, maybe more that I took these remedies under the guidance of a homeopath.

Right now I'm just at a stand still and have tried some things on my own, but just am still not getting anywhere. Does anybody have any ideas, suggestions, or insights? I've consulted with so many practitioners and so many different modalities. My pain just affects me so much every day of my life and I don't know how much longer I can go on like this. I've lost my job, I'm depressed, unhappy (family members told me that I seemed very unhappy even as a child, not like normal kids. Also at five I was worrying about my parents financial matters etc. Took everything seriously). I eat a good diet, (health nut), don't drink alcohol, smoke, etc. There has got to be something that can help, but at the same time feel hopeless about it because I've tried so many different therapies and seen so many practitioners.


Thanks so much for all your help,

Steve

Dear Steve

Every homeopath must have seen “impossible” cases such as yours. I believe there are two types of “heart-sink” patient – the first type are dysfunctional attention-seekers and, albeit often unconsciously, do not actually have any vested interest interest in getting well. The second type have a myriad of medically inexplicable symptoms and are really difficult to treat because of this – but they try and try and keep trying because they desperately want to be well again. The first type are hopeless to treat; the second type are really problematic and need lots of time, study and dedication on the homeopath’s part, but with patience on both sides, they will often slowly and gradually improve – often over years rather than months.

I have no doubt from what you have written that you come into this second category. You have apparently very vivid physical symptoms and pronounced aggravations and ameliorations. And I’m sure that all the homeopaths here have experience of trying carefully chosen remedy after remedy in this type of case with no apparent benefit. It is most frustrating for all involved and your previous homeopaths may have even breathed a sigh of relief when you took your problems elsewhere – we are only human after all, and if all the patients we saw were as problematic as you, then I suspect there would be few practising homeopaths.

However, I can honestly say that some of my most rewarding patients have been the slow, difficult variety. It is working on their cases that has made me a better homeopath, a more flexible prescriber, and a more caring doctor. I have even needed to be prepared to put a temporary halt to homeopathic treatment whilst we tried acupuncture or hypnotherapy, maybe returning to homeopathy later – I always let the patients mood and wishes guide me on this, provided the protocol is quite clear.

Now, I have read your story above, and a few things strike me. One is that you give very clear, strong, dramatic emotional symptoms and as a homeopath I would want to explore these much further, enquire about your childhood and formative experiences, your love relationships, your emotional reactions to your illness, your life, your family and friends - in particular anything which happened before the onset of your illness. Your physical symptoms are unusual and dramatic too, but I would imagine this simply mirrors your emotional state. So I would look for a remedy or remedies which covered your emotional state, but not expect to find your unusual physical symptoms listed within the remedy. The second striking aspect of your story is that you have taken mostly low potencies of remedies, where I would have thought higher potencies more likely to act.

Two remedies come strongly to mind which you have apparently not already had, but it would be remiss of me to say what these are without taking your case fully (and this would always be face to face). Also, if you take a new remedy, the follow-up consultation is crucial in assessing its action, and deciding on future treatment. So my advice is to find a new homeopath – someone with experience in difficult cases and prepared to prescribe high potencies, and be prepared to see them every month for at least the next couple of years. Perhaps someone on this site could recommend one within striking distance of where you live. Of course I could have said this without the preamble, but you might have taken it less seriously.
Wishing you long-term success

I understand MCT1 but if you read the story of Steve he went to so much homeopaths and alternative therapies. He also got several allopathic therapies without succes and also suppressing symptoms. I think that in your case, Steve, help is welcome and we got a lot of information about you.

In my understanding Steve is an very emotional man needing a plant remedy and in the description of his symptoms pain, terrible, contracting, tension, tightening, tension we have to find the remedy-family. Another point is finding the real miasm.
Like you say MCT1, he got only light potenties but ... he has the feeling that het had good reactions in several remedies.
He has also a lot of real repertory rubrics but i have to check it... but also to combine another way of looking to the symptoms... trying to elucide the real sensations...
I hope we can help you. I mentionned that once you took Chelidonium and that there was a reaction... It is a remedy from the Papaveracea-family where all remedies have to do with strong, intolerable pain. May be there is some connection ... ?? From the sensations we can also have to look at the Euphorbiaceae family (tightening, contracted, tensing)...
I will take time to repertorise and may be ask more information.
Like MCT 1 says a face to face consultation is always the good homeopathy but you did it several times and without results ... so. Greetings Fons

Thanks everybody for the responses, appreciate all your time and effort in reading my story and responding to it. Yes it has been a long haul with trying different approaches. I've taken almost every herb in the book, all the latest and greatest supplements, I've had IV therapies (Ozone, Hydrogen Peroxide, DMSO, Vitamin C), had radionics treatments, kinesiology/muscle testing, dowsing, chiropractic, consulted homeopaths as mentioned, acupuncture, counseling (traditional), Reiki/Energy Healing, reflexology, went to a pain clinic where they do THERMOGRAPHY (supposedly helps to determine the circulation to different parts of the body and the nerves, used successfully with people who have Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/Complex Regional Pain Disorder). I've also had Electrodermal Screening (Voll). And the only thing I've gotten any kind of response or reaction to is Homeopathy and that's why I've been so dilligent in this regard with trying different homeopaths and remedies.

One thing I forgot to mention was that when I was younger I used to get strep throat EVERY year, sometimes 3 times a year, mostly two times a year, but definitely every year at least once. And I'd be on antibiotics of course all the time. Until I was about 13 years old this would happen, can't remember when it started, but let's say around 9 years old at least. Then I started getting horrible horrible allergies to Pollen every Spring/Summer. Similasan was my first experience with homeopathy (Apis HPUS 6X , Euphrasia HPUS 6X , Sabadilla HPUS 6X) and it worked great!! (Pretty sure it's the Sabadilla that really helped but could be wrong).

I'm wondering if my body has a weak immune system from childhood, as I could never tolerate my mothers milk, and thus missed out on the immune factors (immunoglobulins) present, I would always spit up the milk and throw up on any other milk (cow's milk). And of course the years of antibiotics didn't help any.

Well thanks again for everything,

Steve

One note. Too many remedies. Don't (PLEASE) rush anymore into another one. Might happen that at least one was close or even the simillimum and the reactivity was spoiled by the other. I know it is difficult to refrain but that's how it goes. Homeopathy is not a try upon guess game.

How fast was your acne suppressed by Vit A derivatives ? Did eruptions still appear somewhere, and where was that ? How did your acne look ? Where was it located ? Did it reappear when you stopped vit. A der. ?

Thanks for the message!

It's hard to say regarding the Vitamin A derivative, because it was so long ago, but I would have to guess it was somewhere around 5/6 months before the acne was surpressed. I had been on the medication for 3/4 months and still was not responding and that's when my doctor doubled the dosage way above and beyond the dosage recommended for my weight class. And then several months later it cleared up. I would have to say that the worst areas were neck, sides of the face (areas where you would shave), and forehead. Worst thing was the joint pains that developed (which almost completely went away when I stopped meat consumption). And just the DRYNESS of my skin and body as well as casuing circulation issues. Like I just felt really dry, old and congested. Joints cracking etc. If only I had known then what I know now! Definitely wouldn't have taken it.

Steve

dear steve
accutane for acne is verry extreme the adverse effects are scary,for females it is not recomended to become pregnant while on this med,it last in your system,i know of a female that took this accutane for acne she developed immune breakdown after it,then years later tried to get pregnant with zero results.She ended up adopting. The lasting effects of accutane are horrid.Secondly the strep you had several times,treated with antibiotics i suppose (is an allopathic answer for everything) is still within your system ,homeopathy can stop the strep but only with a 'nosode' for strep,why has your homeopath not done this,have you not told him about this strep?
Gina Tyler

"i know of a female that took this accutane for acne she developed immune breakdown after it,then years later tried to get pregnant with zero results."

I agree that Roaccutane is heavy stuff, Gina, but there could be many other explanations for the failure to conceive here.

"Secondly the strep you had several times,treated with antibiotics i suppose (is an allopathic answer for everything) is still within your system".

Again, I'm not disputing that a Strep nosode might be indicated at some point, but that's hardly because the strep infection is still present in the body after 14 years. Maybe that's not what you meant.

Incidentally, I hold by what I said above - that Steve's case is too difficult and involved to unravel and to manage successfully on this forum. I'd like to think that it would work for him, though.
Clare

dear clare
Strep does not just "go away" on its own it lays dormant within the patient after the suppression of antibiotics takes its toll. Strep has enough power to manifest itself into RH in the later years.
Once a person gets strep they will get it over and over again untill homeopathic nosodes take care of this finised off by a constitutional.
Strep-rheum fever-RH.............And yes this case is too diff.to handle on line as you said.
Gina Tyler