Case 13: I have not slept till 7 years
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2006
Dr Rashmi Nagar
'Stram

Mrs NV, 62 yrs old came with the:

Chief Complaint
INSOMNIA since 1999. Sleep is disturbed, unrefreshing. Dreams: Many³, Unremembered³ and frightful. She cannot do without Ativan 1mg every night since 1999. No Sleep since 7 years..was a tip of an iceberg...a story of guilt and fear which haunted her and tormented her without reprieve for 7 long years, the image of a dead body with whom she had to stay with alone for 2 hours, took away the peace of her eyes to leave behind sleepless nights.

The Full History: It all began when her 97 old mother-in -law died She took her morning bath laid in bed never to get up again, and turned cyanotic within an hour. It was not only the terror of seeing and staying alone with the dead body for those 2 hrs. But what really ate her from within was the fight she had the night before her death, what haunts her still is. Apparently MIL passed stool in the clothes; patient helped change her and then soaked the soiled clothes, saying she would wash them later after her kitchen work was done, But MIL wanted them washed off immediately. She had enough strength to get up and do it herself!! Had this exertion proved too much?! Oh! why, did she fight with her just the day before she died? She is unable to forgive herself for this. Even when the sister-in-law and all arrived after the death, she had expected someone to accuse her of this- that she was responsible for the death! (Though no one even knew about it!)

This GUILT is still bothering her. She still can visualize the same scene in front of her. She had delusion then and now that people are talking about her. She was then taken to the psychiatrist, diagnosed Schizophrenic, is on Tab Regrace and is. now better.

Known Hypertensive. On Aten since 94. But in 2005 it shot up to 200/105mm of Hg. So in addition to Aten, Stamlo and Losar was added. All 3 barely manage to keep the BP under control.

Chest Pain 1-2/m for 15 minutes when in stress³, < HS, < when eats late, > Eructations.

Known Diabetic since 2002.

Allergic reaction around eyes due to dust or sour food since Dec 2005.

Bilateral knee pain Lt>>>Rt since 2000 < walking for 15 minutes, < 1st motion, < standing for 30 minutes. Takes a pain-killer as a preventive if she has to go out.

Loss of hearing Lt sided in Dec 20005 when had an attack of high blood pressure.

Head heaviness < sun, < head bath.

Patient as a Person
Wt: 80 Kgs.
Reading Glasses since 10 years.
Perspiration: Scanty³.
Appetite: Normal.
Flatulence: +++.
Thirst: 8 glasses a Day.
Desire: Salt², Sweets, tea.
Aggravation: Sour.
Bowels: Normal with laxatives.
Urine: Normal.
Menstrual History: P/H Normal. Hysterectomy at the age of 38.
Sexual Function: Desire Nil since 7 yrs.
Obstetric History: 3 FTND.
Thermals: C3H2.

Family History: Father Died of Brain Hemorrhage at the Age of 75 years.
DM: Fa, Br. HT: Br, Si. Gangrene: Fa.

Life Situation: already described.

Mentals: Irritable in the evening if she does not gets her afternoon nap.
Her husband has to travel a lot on work and she is terrified of being alone, so feels alone and neglected.
Brooding - Cannot forgive ever.
She had two close friends who have died, so no one to share with. Completely alone.
Fears³. Fear of crossing the roads, cannot go out alone or stay alone, of sudden noise.
Quiet. Anxious³.
Fastidious³, now since cannot work, it adds to the irritability.

Understanding of the Case
Initially we thought of Opium - the insomnia, A/F fright, the image of the fright still fresh.
But as the case revealed later it was the guilt which was the culprit. The fears in abundance which later confirm the remedy - Fear of being alone, crossing the roads, water falls, giant wheel, sudden noise. Stramonium was the remedy!!! And just that one dose was enough! What amazing power is there in our medicines to wrought such a change in the psyche.

Follow Up