3.1.3 Natrium fluoratum, Case 1
A 35 year old woman suffers from vaginal infections. She has yellow/green slimy, thin and burning leucorrhoea. The urethra is red. The complaints are worse before the menses, the day after coition and after stress at work. Four years ago she had cancer of the cervix which was removed by cryocoagulation. Seven years ago when she was pregnant she had a chlamydia, trichomonas and gardnerella infection. But the general complaints in this area have been there since puberty. The first pregnancy went very well, with only slight nausea and anaemia. The birth was ‘over like a flash’ but the placenta remained behind for a long time. During the second pregnancy she felt very sick for three months and she was afraid her baby would be born too soon. When her daughter was born 6 weeks early she felt guilty and got depressed. She also had bad after-pains. At the same time she got very disappointed with her mother who did not come to see her until she could get a cheap rail ticket.
When she was 9 years old she had come to the conclusion that she had to do everything on her own in life. She felt that her parents couldn’t help her because they did not understand her.
She had a very protected childhood, being brought up in a Calvinist environment with strict rules. She always had to be home by 12 o’clock. Her mother was very intimidating and used to blackmail her, which gave made her feel guilty.
Nobody ever told her about sex, the subject was totally taboo. When she was 17 she first went to bed with a boy who was just out for a laugh, it was awful for her. She is still not keen on sex: there is always a feeling deep down of having to be on her guard in case ‘she gets terribly hurt’. This is still a problem in her relationship with her husband, because she doesn’t feel like sex. Her way of dealing with it is to think: ’Let’s do it and get on with it, perhaps the enjoyment will come later’.
When she was 20 she left home; it was a resolute break with the old way of life. She broke off her engagement, never touched her violin again and started to go out with many different boyfriends.
She can be very stubborn at times. When she wants something she doesn’t give up. Sometimes she screams like a common fishwife when her children are going too far. She is very sensitive to noise.
Generals
Weather: cold, < heat; < gloomy weather; thunder, mountains.
Perspiration: cold sweat under arms.
Time: < evening, 8 pm.
Desires: sweet, chocolate, savoury, cheese, sauerkraut, carrots.
Aversion: sour (2), fish, milk, sprouts, fruit.
Menses: every 35 days; irritability and spotting beforehand.
Sleep: good, on left side.
Analysis
Sexuality plays a large role in this case. This is a pointer to the whole Carbon series, but to Fluor in particular. The Fluor theme is present in other aspects of her case, like the taboos and the sudden break with taboos. She broke off her engagement and started to go out with lots of boys. The same theme of suddenly breaking with the old shows in her suddenly leaving the violin and never touching it again.
Sexually she feels blocked: she lost her virginity to someone who did not care and it was awful. She has to be careful that she doesn’t get terribly hurt. This aspect of holding back points very strongly to Natrium. It is quite remarkable that she still thinks that the enjoyment will come eventually.
Another Natrium symptom is the feeling that she has to do everything on her own, and that nobody understands her.
Other Fluor symptoms: screaming like a fishwife, blackmail, mother did not come till she could get a cheap rail ticket, < heat, < 9 pm, sweat under armpits, retained placenta, yellow, green leucorrhoea, < before menses, < coition.
Natrium symptoms: sensitive to noise, irritability before menses, <-sour (2), fish, milk, sleep on left side.
Reaction
One month after Natrium fluoratum 1M she feels better and has more energy. She feels more warmth towards her son who has become more open towards her. She has started to appreciate how nice he really is. The leucorrhoea is less, sometimes not even there at all. She is less irritable before the menses. The headache is almost gone: it is only there occasionally when she done a lot of exercise.