4.8.3 Ferrum fluoratum, Case 1
A 70 year old woman has come complaining of pain in her shoulder. The pain is located at the end of the bones and often starts on the medial epicondyl of the elbow, sometimes radiating to her fingers. It is < at night, < lying on the painful side, < raising her arm, < turning her arm out. The pain started two years ago after she heard that her sister had died. At the same time she also heard that her son had had a nervous breakdown. She also has pains in her stomach, in the pit of her stomach, after eating. Sometimes accompanied by trembling and sweating. She is taking some medicines for it (Ultracid). She also has pains in her feet, mainly the right one. The whole foot hurts, and it feels as if she has a tight band around her ankle. It is difficult to wear shoes, but there is an immediate amelioration when she walks on bare feet. This pain started after she had had a minor heart operation (Dotter treatment). She had had 2 mild infarctions two years ago and on further investigation it was found she had a single obstruction in the coronary artery and they suggested she should have the dotter treatment. The treatment was successful as far as her heart was concerned, but the following night she had a severe haemorrhage in her right leg. The whole leg turned black and she couldn’t walk on it anymore. It took months before she could walk normally again. The pains in her foot started at that time.
She also has pains in her lower left abdomen, radiating to the left and to the pubic bone, better after stools. She is slightly deaf. She has a tremor in her hands which is worse when she is tense. She has always been a busy woman, trying to please others. She never wanted anything for herself, is very easy going in that respect. She has had 10 children and also twins who were stillborn, which did not affect her too much, she says. She loves all her children very much. But she worries about one of her sons who has drifted from bad to worse. It hurts her to see it happening, especially because she isn’t allowed to help when he comes begging for money.
Her marriage had been difficult. Her husband had been a strict catholic and had suffered a lot because of his desire for masturbation. Once they were married it was even worse. She herself wasn’t very interested in sex, but she complied just to please him, she felt it was her duty to be there for him, their religion had also taught this. At one time she had had to spend two weeks in hospital, and when she came home she discovered he had had incest with three of their daughters. he denied this and she never followed it up. But her anger about what he had done never left her. She still gets angry when she thinks of it: ’How could he have done such a thing?’.
She is very sympathetic, hates hurting other people. She is a real perseverer, ‘If you don’t like doing something you have to make yourself like it’.
She is easy going, people don’t have to worry about her wishes. She is naturally cheerful and optimistic, she enjoys life and takes great pleasure in being with her children.
Generals
Weather: < cold, <- gloomy weather, fear of thunder and storm, < draught.
Perspiration: little.
Time: < night.
Desires: warm food, fruit, cheese, coffee.
Aversion: hot peppers, sour, fish, unknown things.
Food: < sprouts (2), red cabbage (3), bananas (2), pears, sour, fruit.
Menses: feels bad: pain in hips, back, >> being outside, >>> after pregnancies.
Sleep: every other night she sleeps badly, < 1-4 am, and < 5 am.
Analysis
The main complaint is the pain in her shoulder, which immediately makes me think of Ferrum. On the mental emotional level there are several factors that play a role. The first one is the problem around the incest (Fluor) and her anger (Ferrum, Magnesium). Especially because she was always ready (Ferrum) to comply with his sexual (Fluor) desires.
We see the them of Ferrum fluoratum again in the problems with her son. She had to be hard (Ferrum) to her wandering, roaming (Oxygen, Fluor) son, whenever he came round asking for money.
Further Ferrum symptoms: perseverance, < around 3 am.
There are also quite a few Phosphorus symptoms in this case.
Reaction
After Ferrum fluoratum 1M there was a considerable improvement of her shoulder pains. Three months later it had gone completely. She also stopped feeling angry with her husband ‘past is past’.