8.12 Samarium sulphuricum caseWidth 5, Depth 6,
Cure 7, Duration 5
A female homeopath of 60 years of age has had diarrhea for 8 years. She has a stool 8 times a day, 3 times before breakfast. The stool is watery. It’s worse from the stress of seeing patients and better during seminars. The diarrhea started after her divorce from her husband after 15 years of marriage. She was the one who decided to divorce. It took her a long time, because her husband was dominant and could do things much better than her. The divorce was difficult because she was guarantor for his machines. She also had to fight for maintenance money in the courts. She felt bad about this, as if she had a bad conscience. Money has been an existential need in her life.
She didn't know her father, who was lost in the Second World War. Her mother told lies about him. Her mother wasn't nice to her, didn't want to see her as she was. Her mother called her “stinking” and punished her a lot. At the age of 9 her mother took away her doll seeing her as a bad child. At the age of 17 she had to leave her mother’s house, because her mother was making her pay too much money for her room. From this upbringing she got the feeling of being worthless, of not being able to do anything properly.
She also has problems with her son, who has been paying attention only to his girlfriend. She feels left alone, hurt, sad, and helpless.
She’s very practical. She has good ideas with patients. She works often 12 hours a day, to earn enough money and to promote homeopathy in study groups. She’s a great individualist.
Hobbies: gardening, cooking, walking.
She has arthritis in her fingers and toes. Her metacarpal and interphalangeal joints are painful, more right sided. Her feet feel as if someone has jumped on them.
She has a headache from the hot southern wind and has to do things slowly as she can hardly open her eyes then.
She has swelling of feet in the evening.
She’s obese.
At 15 she developed hallux valgus.
She had a hysterectomy at 50.
GeneralsFear: storm, thunderstorm.
Weather: < too hot, < too cold.
Time: < 1 pm.
Desires: vegetables, tomatoes, sour cream, butter, rye bread.
Aversion: smoked food.
AnalysisBeing a homeopath indicates the
Lanthanides. Her individualistic attitude confirms it. Although her diarrhea and arthritis aren't classified as auto-immune, they could very well be auto-immune because they are long standing. This indicates the
Lanthanides.
The marriage problems and divorce makes one think of
Sulphur. But the problem is also connected to the need for money, as a need for survival. This indicates the
Carbon series. The debts more specially indicate Oxygen. The feeling of having no self-worth is an additional point.
How is she handling the poverty problem? By working very hard, 12 hours a day. That indicates
Stage 8.
Together it leads to
Samarium oxydatum.
Confirmations are:Gold series: headache.
Lanthanides: individualistic, diarrhea, arthritis.
Carbon series: left alone, helpless.
Stage 8: often works 12 hours a day.
Oxygen: not having self-worth, earn money, diarrhea, debts, left by father, left by mother.
Sulphur: marriage problems.
Follow upAfter
Samarium oxydatum MK she generally feels better. Her arthritis has diminished 20% in a month, her diarrhea 40% and her abdominal pain 100%. The stool is more formed and easier to control. She has cleared out a lot, and she could reduce expenses. 3 months and 3 prescriptions later she feels much better. Her son is more attentive to her. The rumbling in her abdomen is almost gone.
After a while she feels that the problems are becoming more connected to her love and relationship problems. Six months later she takes
Samarium sulphuricum MK and does even better. Her diarrhea is 80% gone and the blood in the diarrhea has disappeared completely. She feels very good.
Six months later she still feels fine.
CommentShe herself has the impression that
Samarium sulphuricum is the deeper acting remedy. I agree with her. I think though that
Samarium oxydatum was really needed as there are so many themes of Oxygen.