National Journal of Homoeopathy - The most widely read Homeopathy Journal

A Difficult Case
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1998 May / Jun VOL VII NO 3.
Dr Kishore Mehta
'Lyco

This case shows how a Diabetic case progressing in a very adverse environment, could still be controlled with proper Homoeopathic treatment. This case teaches us:
1. The use of Zincum-sulph as an intercurrent selected on the basis of physiology i.e. insulin contains zinc and sulphur thus leading to Zinc-sul,
2. That an intercurrent drug can be one other than conventional intercurrents, thus truly living up to the name-intercurrent, ie one which provides help when the current stops flowing.
3. That a very difficult case may need unconventional handling.

Case: Mr H, Muslim, 68 years old, married and in the business of filmmaking, consulted me for the following complaints.

Chief Complaint: GIT- Distension of abdomen < after eating.
Skin - Burning ++ soles 6 months ago.
H/o boils which led to the diagnosing of Diabetes.
Calf pain < fan
Hypertension since 1995.
H/o numb feeling on tongue.
Was hospitalized, but now treatment has been stopped.

Past History - Typhoid.
Snake bite -Thrombosis - Hospitalization.
H/o rheumatic joint pains now aggravated.
Family History - Diabetes= Br and father -
Personal History:
APPETITE - less.
BOWELS - Constipation. No urge at all.
PERSPIRATION ++, smells.
THERMAL state - Ambithermal.
DREAMS of daily routine, talks in sleep.

Life Situation: Patient is extremely irritable, especially at home said his wife. Relations with family members are not so good. H/o litigation on him as regards a house in Indore. He is domineering and demands discipline both at work and home. He was looking after the finance side of his cousins film unit and later joined him in production. He gets anxious about the success of his work. He feels "film line is full of liars" and he is, therefore, always tense and irritated if things do not go well and if commitment is not fulfilled. Although not earning much, he is content. His wife is perpetually sick and is of anxious type. As her thinking is exactly opposite to his, there is constant conflict in the house. But finally it is his wife who yields. There are fights for small things like food, proper arrangement of things at home etc. So we get the rubric AGG by contradiction. He started his life as a telephone operator in a private company. He then got a job of a storekeeper. Later on, he joined a film distributors company but his due increment and promotions were not given. He retired from the Film Company at the age of 60.
Wt -95 kg.

Investigation [Before medicine]
Blood Sugar [F] - 111mg%; PPBS - 231mg%
USG - Hepatomegaly Fatty liver infiltration.
Brain scan -NAD.
Prescription:
Lycopodium 1M (1)

Follow Up:

Date	Symptoms	Remedy
21/10/97	Weakness SQ; episode of hypoglycemia. In the last week. Constipation >; Burning soles - SQ	Lyco 1M[1]
29/10/97	Constipation better. Pain in [R] side of abdomen going to back < on bending not better by lying on painful side. > Methi water.FBS - 131, Urine sugar - nil. Weakness SQ, burning soles SQ	Zinc-sulph 1M [1]
3/11/97	Joint pains - weakness ++ Burning soles AGG. Boils + sleepy+ bitter taste in mouth, dryness. BP 120/80	SL
20/11/97	Pt generally better. FBS - 112mg%	Lyco 10M[1]
8/12/97	Weakness +; feels drowsy; constipation>; Distension SQ;Tongue cracked; wt 96 kg FBS 130mg%; Joint pains started.	Zinc-sulph 1M [1]
12/12/97	FBS 135mg%	Lyco10 M (7)(alternate day)
29/12/97	FBS 116 mg%; Constipation; Weakness >;Dryness of mouth. Numbness in [L] side with pain > pressure.Burning soles	SL
10/1/98	PPBS 166 [Test done 5 hrs after lunch] Constipation present; Dryness of tongue >; Pain in calves; Burning of soles. BP 130/90 Wt. 93 kg	SL
28/1/98	FBS -107 mg%; Urine sugar nil. Coldness of feet in the evening; [Between 6-8 pm] Burning palms and [1]soles > pressure	Zinc-sulph 1M
9/2/98	Burning palms & soles > 50%; sciatica like pain. Wt 96 kg. BP 120/80	Lyco 10M OD x [15]DAYS
2/3/98	Knee pain and calf pain ++ Constipation+	Calc-fl 1M[1]
20/3/98	FBS - 98, PPBS 156; # [R] 2nd metatarsal bone; urine sugar nil	Lyco 10M[1]
31/3/98	Pain in [L] toe; Gases ++ Bitter taste in mouth. Pain > cover, >fan; wt -92 kg	Ruta 10M[1]
21/5/98	FBS - 95mg%, PPBS - 135mg% SGPT-150	Lyco 10 M (3)alt HS
3/6/98	No taste in mouth. Motion < leg pain, burning of soles	Nux-vom 1M[1]

Observation	Interpretation
1] Patient suffers from diabetes since 6 months. Symptoms expressed were burning soles and boils.	Susceptibility was medium throwing up of symptoms H/o typhoid and hypertension in 1995.
2] BSL F 111 PP 231 Before Rx USG Hepatomegaly, fatty infiltration of liver.	Pathology in liver and development of only diagnostic group of symptoms without any changes in general condition and associated constipation, are suggestive of sycotic miasm being dominant. This case of diabetes is of a sycotic nature.
3] Totality of the whole case indicated Lycopodium, which, when given, brought down the BSL in the next 15 days along with new symptom of right sided abdominal pain (29/10/97)	Medicinal aggravation. New symptoms belonging to the domain of Lyco appear
4] Weakness and burning in soles still persisting which are disease symptoms. Also BSL inc	Medicinal symptoms + disease symptoms present
5] Zinc sulph was prescribed on the basis of weakness and burning remaining after medicine. The concept of element of relationship with disease was applied. Zinc, and Sulphur being one of the constituents of insulin and Zinc sulph having symptoms of weakness and burning soles was selected.	Zinc-sulph has acted as an intercurrent
6] There has been irregular rise and fall of BSL from 14/10/97 to 27/1/98. whereas from March 98 to date, BSL has been normal Refer graphical repr of BSL] below:	Initial irregular pattern now stabilizes. Susceptibility brought to normal
7] In march'98 knee pain, calf pain and occurred, constipation, marked with absence of diabetes symptoms. Calc flour was given	Homoeopathic drug showed its effect-Change in circumstances further helped the susceptibility in becoming normal.

Lessons Learned:

Maturity onset diabetes can be successfully treated.
Any drug can act as an intercurrent provided it is indicated.
We should not stick to conventional intercurrent like Thuja, Tub bov, etc.
Stress from environment plays an important role in maintaining the BSL. Right Homoeopathic medicine reduces the BSL inspite of stress.
Right Homoeopathic drug and favourable environment hastens the process of cure.

Case Study Title : A Difficult Case