665.46.16 Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Case
Woman, 45, oedema.
She retains fluid in her legs, feet, hands, belly and face. It’s worse in the evening at 11 pm, worse from warmth and before her menses. She feels ugly and heavy and does not want to become an old woman prematurely.
She also has allergies to cats, dust, mites and hay. She has hay fever, better in winter, worse early morning at 5 am and worse going to bed at 11 pm. With it she has a runny nose, runny eyes, throat pain and coughing.
In general she does not feel really healthy. She has problems hearing, which is gradually increasing and was diagnosed with otosclerosis. She has throat infections with pains extending to her ears. It is worse in the morning, waking between 4 and 5 am, without fever, with nose blocked and a burning feeling in her throat, worse swallowing. She has pain on her Adam’s apple women do not have Adam’s apples!, pain in ears when sneezing. She has a feeling of sharp stitches in her trachea. In the past she often had angina.
Ten years before she had a period of depression, she did not know what to do. She was a teacher and had an affair with the married director of the school for 3 years. She felt guilty because he had children. She was enormously divided about what to do. After 3 years she stopped the relationship, quit her job, and moved to another village so she would not to see him anymore. She lost everything, her job, her friends, and her love and went into depression for two years. Later she married and had two children. She was happy, but later it turned out she was not completely happy with it.
She has a lack of self-confidence, does not feel good, always felt others were easier going and she was the timid one. She is sensitive and romantic. She is creative and plays music.
She is sensitive to criticism, wants a good environment, does not like quarrels and aggression. She cannot stand her children quarrelling. When the neighbour does not greet her she thinks she did something wrong. When people criticise her on something wrong, it hurts her very much.
She is always sacrificing herself for the family, giving attention to the children and being sure not to play favourites. She was the youngest of 3 kids. The eldest child had most of the problems so she felt the attention of her mother for her was lacking; although she was very caring and sweet. Her mother is now gentle as a grandmother. Her father was a good man, more passive and sweet. When her mother was away from home and he had to take care of the kids, they were outrageous doing things they were not allowed, but the father was so passive they would just go on.
Fear of high places. She is afraid to speak in public and afraid in groups when someone is speaking to her.
Toxaemia during pregnancy with her eldest child.
Dream: many; going to a strange city and has to search for an address, but cannot find it.
Dreams: she came too late.
Dream: her husband has someone else or a girl is flirting with her husband and she is angry.
Dream: all the tables and chairs in class are in chaos; her lover is not connected to her, which did not touch her so much; a Dutch comedian told her to sit on the back of his bike and she went away with him happily.
Weather: < cold; < grey weather; > mountains.
Time: < 11 pm.
Desire: sweets, salt, meat, fish and eggs.
Aversion: white beans.
Female: menses pain in sacrum with nausea; white or pale and green face, sick, Must lie down, > warmth, > sleep.
Sleep: lightly, > sleep.
Analysis
The main problem is a grief about an old love. She made the choice to leave him out of a feeling of responsibility for his family and children. This is the theme of the Oleaceae family, the conflict between love and responsibility for the family.
The way she handles it is by leaving, by removing herself from the situation. This is the way of stage 16, becoming an outcast.
Stage 16 in the Oleaceae family is Nycthantes arbor-tristis.
In Anshultz we find: “Slight dropsical swelling of hands and feet”, “Swelling of the face”.
DD: Ignatia, Phytolacca.
Follow up
After Nycthantes arbor-tristes she does much better. She is urinating more and her oedema is diminishing. She has worked out her old grief and love. She has met her ex-lover and could just talk with him without getting emotional and feeling hurt and regret. She can accept it as it is and can let go of him. She has much more energy. Her abdomen feels loose instead of stuck and tense. She is not chilly anymore. She is less timid and has more confidence in herself. She stopped criticising herself so much. Her marriage is going better because her husband does not expect as much form her. After a few repetitions of the remedy she feels good and is not tired anymore. She lost a few kilos. She is less sensitive to criticism and how she looks.