Case 46: A Case of Psychosomatic Depression
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2006
Dr Sushma Jaiswal
'Gelsemium

Mrs VY, 42 years, female, Non-vegetarian. Married, House wife, Resides in Kandivali. Consulted me in November 2006.

Patient is K/C/O, Diabetes Mellitus: F: 129. PP: 169. And Hypertension 160/100 mm of Hg.

Came with the Chief Complaint of

1.     Headache since 20-25 yrs. Nape of neck ascends upwards. Pain < after delivery, > sleep < with increase of blood pressure.
Cries with pain, desire to sleep, does not want to work, and does not want to talk.
Headache → When stops medicine
Headache → Vertigo, Vomiting, Poor Appetite. Poor Sleep.

2.     Depression
Husband is fastidious so shouts at her → Pt starts crying.
Keeps on thinking I am not well → I will die, what will happen of my kids?
She takes tension easily, keeps on thinking, cannot give back answer easily.
Easily, gets hurt.
Brooding +++.
Fear, death, of disease
Husband used to beat her up. Weeping: While thinking about past, when husband used to beat her up.
Decision: Confused.
Company: >. Consolation: >.
A/F Mother’s death, < Grief³ → Loss of sleep, Breathlessness.
Psychosomatic form of Depression.

3.     GIT: Mouth, dryness³.

4.     Respiratory Tract: COLD: Dry cough, Nose block, and yellowish expectorant. Breathlessness.
A/F Mother's death, < Grief³, Loss of sleep, < Winter, < Working in water.
Breathlessness, < crying.
Since 3 years, gets attacks no fixed period but lasts 20 days.

5.     Chest: PAIN, retro-sternal, pulling pain. Fears will die of it Myocardial Infarction

6.     General: Feverish

Patient as a Person
Weight: 58 KGS.
Skin: Whitish discoloration, itching when no medicine. A/F balm application. < Winter.
Hair: Hair fall < Change of Weather
Teeth: 10 Carries teeth. GUMS: Feels hot.
Perspiration: Normal.
Addiction: Tobacco chewing, habitual since 8 yrs. 1 packet /2 days.
Appetite: Normal.
Desire: Fish, fried fish, Sweet³, Tea³.
Thirst: 3-4 liter/day, cold water.
Stool: Normal
Urine: Normal
Thermals: Hot
Sleeps: Screams, talk.
Dreams: Many; of being a widow, frightful, dream as if she is awake.

Menstrual History
Hysterectomy 8 yrs back.
Past Menstrual History: Dark red, Clots: +++, Stains: +++, Odour: Offensive, irregular.
Menses Before: Backache radiating downwards → Used to cry with pain.
Sexual Function: Desire suppressed.

Family History: NAD
Past History: NAD

Life Situation
Patient is the second wife.
1st wife was elder to husband. Pt is 10 yrs younger to her husband.
Pt‘s mother used to take care of elder son.
She has no desire to work in the evening but changed herself to work, but becomes irritable.

Does not tell her family as does not want to worry them.
Husband angry type³, son angry type3. He is fastidious so shouts at her → pt says when it is too much I give back answer and then start crying.
Keeps on thinking I am not well → I will die, what will happen of my kids?

Husband used to beat her up → Pt never said any thing, never complained.
He has stopped beating since 5 - 6 yrs.
Superstitious → Says my husbands wife.
Son → she is calm, takes tension easily, keeps on thinking, cannot give back answer easily.
Easily, gets hurt.

When, after fight pt starts crying and husband gives water to drink, starts talking nicely → Feels good, and stops crying.
Does not stop crying if anybody else makes her calm.
Likes village³ → homesick [village]... no work there → other people do it - likes to go out in village.

Always smiling, smiles even while telling her complaints/or her bad experience.
Calm. Brooding +++.
Fear, death, of disease
Weeping: While thinking about past, when husband used to beat her up
Decision: Confused
Company: >
Consolation: >

Investigations
06/ 04/06: Cholesterol: LDL: 177.9 [upto 150]
28/11/06: Hypertrophied inferior turbinate on Right side.

Totality of Symptoms
Superstitious
Calm, takes tension easily.
Brooding +++.
Weeping
Decision: Confused
Company: >
Consolation: >
Addiction: Tobacco chewing, habitual
Desire: Fish, fried fish, Sweet³, Tea³.
Thirst: Cold water.
Thermals: Hot
Sleeps: Screams, talk.
Dreams: Many; of being a widow, frightful, dream as if she is awake.
Headache, Nape of neck, ascends upwards.
< After delivery
> Sleep
> With increase of blood pressure.
Cries with pain
Headache → when stops medicine
Headache → Vertigo, Vomiting, Poor Appetite. Poor Sleep.
Mouth, dryness³.
Dry cough
Nose block with yellowish expectorant
Breathlessness, A/F Mother's death, < Grief³, Loss of sleep, < Winter, < Working in water.
Breathlessness, < crying.
Chest, Pain, retro-sternal, pulling pain.
Fears will die of it Myocardial Infarction
Skin: Whitish discoloration, < Winter.
Hair fall < Change Of Weather
Gums: Feels hot.
Sexual Function: Desire suppressed.

Remedy Selected and the Follow Up