SIDE EFFECT: NARCOLEPSY

It is reported in the Norwegian news today about children suffering from narcolepsy after receiving the flu vaccine pandemrix last winter. The state health ministry confirms the facts, and adds that it is more serious than expected..

The definition of narcolepsy is as follows: "A disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable, though often brief, attack of deep sleep, sometimes accompanied by paralysis and hallucinations."

From a homeopathic point of view, there are some issues that we have to look at carefully when we are analyzing this case. First of all, we need to look at remedies that are known to be needed where there is aggravations after vaccination. Secondly, we need to look at the constitution of this patient, which probably leads us to a remedy which is prone to develop symptoms such as the ones present in the narcolepsy diagnosis. Thirdly, we might want to prescribe a remedy for the patient suffering from narcolepsy a constitutional remedy, but often - in these cases - we first chose an acute remedy, specific for the situational symptoms, such as overpowering sleepiness, and then follow up with the patients constitutional remedy.

Two homeopathic medicines that might be considered helpful in narcolepsy cases are:

1. OPIUM. Homeopathic opium is indicated where we see a patient who is in a state of confusion, somnolence and dullness, and it is commonly used in neurological conditions such as narcolepsy, convulsions, delirium and strokes. Homeopathic opium can also be used in acute conditions like stupor and coma caused by shock/fright. One interesting symptom we often see in these patients is a painlessness (anesthesia) of normally painful complaints. The respiration is slow, noisy and obstructed, often there will be snoring. The sleep is heavy, stuporous and difficult to disturb.

2. NUX MOSCHATA. The central features of the nux moschata patient is confusion and drowsiness. This mental picture can occur acutely following infection, allergy, shock, etc. or as part of a constitutional condition. Often the patient has a marked mental dullness or stupefaction and often we see a weak memory and confusion which results in an absentmindedness. Especially when mental confusion or haziness is associated with sleepiness we must consider this remedy.

As always I do not recommend you to start a homeopathic treatment without consulting your local homeopathic practitioner. Finding the correct remedy for your symptoms - after a thorough analyzes by your homeopath - is vital if you are looking for a true cure.

THE DON JUAN OF HOMEOPATHY

The homeopathic remedy Fluoric acid is often called the Don Juan of our materia medica. The person needing this remedy will be indifferent to those who love and serve him and to any commitments to other people.

Fluoric acid people need their freedom to pursue the opposite sex, and they do not want to stay married. They have an inability to accept responsibility, and are justifying their actions with comments such as: "these people are standing in my way".

The Don Juan is also driven to gain money and luxurious possessions.

Other symptoms include:

- rapid speech, rapid eating

- extremely warm blooded; generally worse from heat

- coryza, copious watery discharge

- alopecia areata (falling of hair)

- painful varicose veins

- hot feet at night which must be uncovered

We can speculate to what effect the fluoridation of our water supplies will have on our health. When we look closer on this remedy picture, the thought is alarming - especially because it works deeply and affects the metabolism, the bones and the connective tissue.

Will we see more of the materialistic and domineering Don Juan's in the future? Those who are constantly preoccupied with the fulfillment of their sexual cravings?

I hope not.

RETURN OF THE SUPER BUG

I was reading in an Norwegian newspaper yesterday about a patient receiving antibiotics for 130 000 NOK's (about 21 000 dollars) in one month due to the treatment of the bacteria NDM-1. NDM-1 is said to be one of the most powerful super bug which exists, and because it is resistant to most antibiotics it is very difficult and expensive to cure.

The article reminded me of another story, about a filmmaker who treated such an infection with homeopathy. After very expensive visits to the hospital, the super bug returned in the infected area of his body - which indicated that the antibiotics had failed. Because of the lack of results of the treatment and because the treatment in the hospital became too expensive, he turned to Homeopathy.

This is the story about Marc Wishengrad, a New York City filmmaker, who had been documenting various forms of medicine around the world, turned the camera on himself when he contacted the potentially lethal "Super Bug" or MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.)

Please take the time to watch the video of Marc and his process of recovery based on homeopathic treatment.

Also please note that no homeopath will recommend only homeopathic treatment in such conditions, but we surely welcome collaboration with MD specialists on these matters, as I'm sure homeopathic medicine will speed up the healing process and lower the costs of the treatment (!)

HAHNEMANN HOSPITAL

A couple of years ago, while visiting Philadelphia, I was happy to find a hospital named after the founder of Homeopathy - namely the Hahnemann university hospital.

Today, when English homeopathic hospitals are struggling to keep "alive", due to the strong antagonistic forces of the pharmaceutical business world, I am allowing myself to dream of long forgotten times - as I'm reading the first part of chapter one of the book: An Alternative Path: "The Making and Remaking of Hahnemann Medical College and Hospital" by Naomi Rogers:

In the winter of 1848, Constantine Hering, Jacob Jeanes, and Walter Williamson met to establish a homeopathic medical scool in Philadelphia. On April 8, 1848, the state legislature in Hariisburg granted the Homeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania an act of incorporation, and over the sumer the organizers found a building on Arch Street which had been used previously as a schoolroom and also as a Swedenborgian church and now housed a homeopathic pharmacy n its front rooms. The first lectures began in October 1848 and were attended by fifteen students, six of whom received a doctor of homeopathic medicine degree the following March. The college was financed and managed by a goup made up of faculty, other eminent homeopaths, and some business and philanthropic supporters. This goup, whose powers were formalized in 1849, was initially known as the board of managers, but he name was later changed to the board of trustees.

The first chapter is called "proudly homeopathic" - and I feel that here is the essence of our future plans for homeopathic medicine and new homeopathic hospitals. We have to BE proudly homeopathic, in all our actions.

And as we are just that, I'm looking forward to getting the chance of reading the whole story about the history of the Hahnemann university hospital - and remembering wise words from a supporter of homeopathic medicine, Thomas Jefferson:

We certainly are not to deny whatever we cannot account for. A thousand phenomena present themselves daily which we cannot explain, but where facts are suggested, bearing no analogy with the laws of nature as yet known to us, their verity needs proofs proportioned to their difficulty. A cautious mind will weigh well the opposition of the phenomenon to everything hitherto observed, the strength of the testimony by which it is supported, and the errors and misconceptions to which even our senses are liable..

HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF CHOLERA

The mail.com news tonight are stating that: "A cholera epidemic was spreading in central Haiti on Friday as aid groups rushed doctors and supplies to fight the country's deadliest health crisis since January's earthquake. At least 150 people have died and more than 1,500 others are ill."

We knew that this was in the coming, but I hoped that it somehow could be avoided through all the medical assistance/efforts that has been launched in Haiti since january this year. My hope now - since the epidemic is already there - is that proper homeopathic treatment will reach the diseased and improve and relieve their symptoms.

Some facts.. Cholera is the illness caused by a bacterium called Vibria cholerae. It infects people's intestines, causing diarrhea, vomiting and leg cramps. The infection typically brings up diarrhea and vomiting, and quickly leaves the body dehydrated. The dehydration and the following shock can kill a person within hours.

Hpathy.com are listing homeopathic remedies for cholera treatment:

Veratrum album. This remedy should be given early in the true cholera. It has profuse watery stools with a cold, blue surface and cold sweat on forehead and great prostration. Its characteristics may be summed as follows:

1. Pain in the abdomen preceding stool. 2. Profuseness of the stool and forcible evacuation. 3. Great prostration following stool. 4. The sense of inner burning. 5. The cold sweat. 6. Cold surface of the body.

There are sharp, cutting pains in the abdomen and great weakness, almost fainting with stool, at the same time there is vomiting and purging, cramps and rice water discharges. There must be pain for Veratrum to be well indicated. Stools are worse at night and the patient emaciates rapidly. It is our first remedy in cholera infantum with greenish stools, sometimes containing flakes like spinach. Jatropha. Cholera, vomiting of ropy, albuminous matters, great prostration, vomiting and purging and rice water stools. Cramps and coldness. It pictures cholera perfectly.

Camphora. With this remedy the system seems overwhelmed by the violence of the poisoning even before the vomiting and diarrhea appear; there is at once intense prostration, bluish, icy cold face, cold body, weak, squeaky voice, stiffness of muscles, coldness and collapse, burning in stomach and oesophagus.

Coldness, dryness and blueness express its characteristics. The discharges are scanty, if present at all, the tongue is actually cold. It is an almost infallible remedy at the onset of cholera, and was so considered by Hahnemann. It corresponds to a dry cholera, where the patient is taken simply with coldness, has not the vitality to vomit and purge. It suits especially, therefore, the period of invasion..

Cuprum. Intense spasms and cramps mark this remedy; there is coldness of the surface of the body, dryness of the mouth, thirst, blueness of the skin, cramps of the muscles of the calves, violent pains in the epigastrium and ineffectual efforts to vomit. It has vomiting and purging nearly as great as Veratrum, but not the cold sweat.

Cramps are more prominent under Cuprum than any other remedy. It has also spasmodic twitchings, and has been used as a prophylactic. Probably the acetate is the better preparation of the use. Hale recommends Cuprum arsenicosum. The evacuations of Cuprum are choleric; they irritate more than they inflame, thus coming nearer to cholera than Arsenicum. Everything is spasmodic, and it is indicated only when vomiting and purging have set in. In the chest the cramps produce dyspnoea; there are cramps in extremities, even in fingers and thumbs.

Arsenicum. Arsenicum poisoning has been mistaken for cholera. There is intense vomiting and purging, brownish yellow, profuse, offensive yellow or green stools with thirst, cold body, and burning internally. It has more restlessness and less sweat than Veratrum. In cholera infantum with undigested stools, restlessness, and rapid emaciation. Diarrhea when the child begins to eat and drink. Ptomaine poisoning calls for the remedy. It is distinguished from Veratrum by the scantiness of the discharges. Lachesis. Vomiting renewed by the least exertion.

Carbo vegetabilis. The remedy where reaction seems extinct; the prostration is so great that the patient is too weak to move, has cold body, rapid and thread-like pulse and cold breath. When vomiting, diarrhea and spasm or pain have ceased. Prostration from drain on the system, lips bluish, breathing weak, is an excellent indication group for Carbo vegetabilis.

Secale. Suits the stage of collapse with desire to keep cool; cholera infantum with profuse undigested stools, watery and offensive, followed by prostration; the movements are copious and come in spurts; the skin is wrinkled , dry and cold; patient is almost pulseless, cold, but averse to being covered, spasmodic twitching of muscles, spreads finger apart, eyes sunken, features pinched, are important indicating symptoms of Secale.

Podophyllum. This remedy pictures cholera morbus; there is a painless watery stool coming out with a gush and a loathing of food; undigested diarrhea worse mornings may also be present.

Calcarea carbonica. Cholera infantum, craving for eggs; vomiting of milk in curds, diarrhea, worse in the evening, of greenish, undigested, watery and sour stools are characteristic of this remedy.

Aconite. This remedy has greenish or chopped spinach stools and inflammatory symptoms Hempel recommended Aconite tincture in cholera where there is a rapid collapse unattended with copious evacuations. A quiet,subdued, passive condition contraindicates Aconite. Aconite is one of the most important remedies in the active stage of cholera infantum.

For the full article, click here..

Please, also check out Homeopathy Film Project, who are reporting on homeopathic treatment in Haiti.