Okoubaka aubrevillei
Case by Maarten van der Meer.
Remedy code: 3-655.74.05.
A 69-year-old woman, cautious, her demeanor slightly troubled, friendly. She has had fibromyalgia for years, the pain has diminished over the years with homeopathy, physical therapy, osteopathy, and herbs. She uses a list of herbs, to which she also responds very sensitively. The most persistent place is pain on the face, especially the right eyebrow, temple, shoulder, and arm. For twenty years she has had frequent hot flashes, a redhead that seems soft like bread dough during the hot flash, and squinting eyes (which became much less after Tanacetum). She has lots of nerve pain in her back and head, also sciatica, intestinal problems (irritable bowel syndrome), always diarrhea, lots of headaches, worse after cheese, lots of muscle pain, dry mucous membranes, hay fever, sleeping problems, and restlessness. Last year was emotionally tough, her son passed away after years of mental illness and schizophrenia, and she often cared for him at home. Her husband also passed away after a short and intense illness. On bad days everything comes up again. She frequently feels very flat, she does fun things but she has no feelings about them. She does enjoy the pets. She refuses the GP's statins, “It's my body,” she is tired in the head, and can't stand crowds or noise. The pain often keeps her awake. The pain can be sharp, it scares her, and she imagines it getting worse. She can be startled by the shooting pain, she gets angry easily and is irritated. She doesn't feel like doing anything. The sadness can come out at home, she can then “roar,” but not anywhere else. Her husband used to do all the paperwork, but now she wants to do it herself, she finds it very exciting. She comes for consultations every month for years, she needs it as a hold and the pain is often temporarily less.
Analysis 1
On the theme of loss (Phase 7), shoulder belt complaints (Silver series), responsibility without any doubt and accountability to her husband and son (Phase 4), the theme of persistence, help, and the stiffness in her body (Stage 11) brings you to Comocladia dentata. Q-search using the search term “stiff” within Phase 4 and Subphase 7 gives some possibilities, including the chosen drug. All the possibilities given by Q-search has to be evaluated. Follow up Mentally she is doing much better, she is no longer gloomy or depressed. She can handle the sadness, she feels like doing things again. She is very excited about this progress, she has a life again. The pains, however, continue to come, it is as it has been for years a changing picture, with attacks, with severe pains. The bowels give more symptoms, the pain slowly decreases in intensity over the next two months. The bowel is now alternating constipated or diarrhea, and pain in the lower back and legs. In the lower abdomen, pubic area, and groin. It is still difficult to be alone. After Schinnus molle she gets an old complaint back, cramping in the esophagus, it is a scary feeling. She keeps a strict diet and can do less around the house because of the pain. The tongue is often discolored red centrally, and its shape is frequently different, a sign that the mucous membranes of the stomach and trunk also look like this. When the symptoms return she becomes restless, it is worrying, and surely it will not return. What if the sadness grows again to depression? This is interpreted as doubt, Stage 3-5. Both her feelings and the nature of the complaint, increasing, and decreasing. Follow up 2 Searched was for a more appropriate medication, she is improving partly, repetition of the remedy does not help her anaymore, a reason to look for a more appropriate option. In case of a good response, it is worth reversing the Phase and Subphase, and then seeing if an appropriate solution or possibility emerges. Rutales subphase 7 then becomes Santalales subphase 4. Within the Santalaceae are known Santalum and Okoubaka, known of digestive disorders. Judging from the Stage, Okoubaka has been chosen.
Prescription: Okoubaka aubrevillei C200.
Follow-up
The bowels are progressing gradually, she notices that the teeth are becoming firmer, the gum inflammations are disappearing, and the wounds in the nose are rapidly disappearing. The first week she had an agitated feeling throughout the body. The pains are much less within a month, but the bowels still play up regularly. What remains now is stiffness and sensitivity of the shoulder girdle. The burping and associated esophageal cramping gradually disappear. For the first time in years, the flu does not persist. There are still problems in the family, but she can now distance herself, she is amazed that she can do this. After a few months, her bowel movements are completely fine. She still scared easily, but she can live with it better. She stops counseling, it is no longer needed. She says she is always unsure of herself, with choices, fitting the theme of Stage 5. For the first time in 15 years, she has not needed medication for a year.