Homeopathic Prophylaxis and Treatment of Epidemics/ GELS+BRYONIA

Homeopathic medicines have been used to treat epidemic diseases as well as been used as a prophylaxis during epidemics to avoid infection. 

The founder of homeopathy, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, wrote about epidemic prophylaxis in the 6th Organon of the Healing Art (aphorism 73, footnote 73b). This idea was introduced during a time before vaccines were invented, therefore many M.D.s were open to using homeopathy as treatment and prophylaxis of epidemic disease.  Robert Dudgeon M.D., a founder of the Hahnemann hospital, wrote about the effective prophylactic treatment of 1646 children by 10 doctors. 123 of the children contracted scarlet fever which is an infection rate of under 1%. This is much lower than the rate of infection at that time which was as high as 90%. At that time Belladonna (in homeopathic dilution) was used for this prevention.

Homeopathic medicine  was used for the influenza epidemic of 1918. Mortality rate was generally 2.5% when treated with allopathic medicine, but those treated homeopathically had a mortality rate of 1.05% (History of the Treatment of Epidemics with Homeopathy by Julian Winston). 

For every flu circulating, homeopaths try to find the 'genus epidemicus' of that flu. That means they try to find the homeopathic remedy that can alleviate the specific symptoms common to the circulating flu. That is the reason this blog was started. Each flu has different symptoms--fever, headache, joint pain, nasal stuffiness, chills, etc. We can tally these symptoms in a number of people to find which remedy matches most of the cases we see.  Hahnemann said that the remedy found could be given to healthy individuals to prevent the flu.

To find the correct remedy for the circulating flu, patients are interviewed at length about their symptoms.  Doctors in Hong Kong have compiled a list of common symptoms amongst COVID19 positive patients then watched closely for positive effect of homeopathic given in office. (After listening to symptoms and choosing a remedy, the patient stayed in the office until a positive effect of the given remedy was seen).  The most common symptoms were slow manifistation of symptoms, chill, mind stupification, weakness, tickling cough, and pain in the bones. They found that these remedies were their top four effective remedies:

Gelsemium

Bryonia

Arsenicum

Eupatorium perfoliatum

The Gelsemium picture looked like this: chill and fatigue, mental fatigue, no thirst, headache like a band around the nead, tickling in the throat, cough with involuntary urination while coughing, cough worse at night, and all symptoms worse wet weather. This was the top remedy.

Bryonia follows Gelsemium well especially after suppressive medications such as Ibuprofen and Tylenol are given. Bryonia symptoms were increased thirst (especially for warm water), dry cough worse at night, desire to be alone, chest pain with cough, tickling in the throat worse when entering a warm room, throat pain and a catch in the breath with cough. Many people feel that Bryonia is the top remedy for COVID19.

Arsenicum symptoms were chill, diarrhea and vomiting, minimal cough, thirsty but nausea worse with drinking, nausea at the smell of food, symptoms aggravated when eating and drinking and nausea temporarily relieved by vomiting.

Eupatorium symptoms were fever, severe myalgia even to the point of the back feeling broken, mild cough, and thirstlessness. I have heard reports of severe body aches in people who treated themselves at home (ie: did not have to go to the hospital for shortness of breath).

So we can see that in different people there are different symptoms though many symptoms overlap. What does this mean for finding the genus epidemicus?

1. There are likely different strains of COVID19 circulating

2. There may be regional reactions to COVID19 based on air temperature and air quality, humidity or other factors

3. There may be differing reactions to COVID19 based on the predisposition of the individual. This predisposition could be based on genetics, lifestyle, and the level of something called the 'vital force'--which is thought to be the inherent life energy of an individual which is capable of bringing the body back to homeostasis. 

4. There may be 2 or more remedies for this flu because it is a complex flu.  Is there bacterial infection on top of the viral one? Many feel this must be the case because Azithromycin does seem to help people.

What the doctors in Hong Kong decided to do was recommend a combination of Gelsemium and Bryonia, both in 30c dose, to be taken as prophylaxis. It is estimated that 50% of the population in Macau, China used these as prophylaxis. Out of over 600,000 people there were only 10 local cases of COVID19. 

How often should one take these homeopathics as prevention? The common recommendation is to take one dose once weekly. When 2 remedies are suggested, one can take them alternating or combined into one remedy.

What strength should be used? This is debated amongst homeopaths and each individual has their favorite method of dosing homeopathics. Hahnemann tested out differing methods of dosing and in his later years gave doses in water rather than by pellets. This was thought to have a more gentle effect, especially when given as prophylaxis.

Can people get symptoms from taking a homeopathic prophylaxis? Yes. Similar to getting some flu symptoms from a flu vaccine, taking a homeopathic prophylactically can, in some people, create mild symptoms. Symptoms could be felt for a few hours to a couple of days for most people, although the majority of people will not note any symptoms from homeopathic prophylaxis at all. 

I have taken a homeopathic combination formula developed for bronchitis during this (COVID) time. Any time I have felt shortness of breath, I have taken it. It has always relieved symptoms within about five minutes. One week when I felt very exhausted, shaky and drained at the end of the day, I took Gelsemium twice and I felt better within a day. I am currently working on a homeopathic combination in liquid dose that should be effective for the symptoms we have seen with COVID19. I must note that I did get a nasopharyngeal COVID 19 test after 5 days of mild shortness of breath and the test was negative.  I will be taking the antibody test soon.

I also would like to note that most homeopaths believe that if someone has a 'constitutional remedy', that remedy should be taken as prophylaxis.  A constitutional remedy is a remedy which matches a person's constitution--or their typical weaknesses and recurring symptoms. Since the remedy brings the body back into balance or to a position of strength, their constitutional remedy has a good chance of helping them fight off an infection while remaining asymptomatic.

Stay tuned for the availability of our homeopathic flu prophylaxis for 2020. 

Coronavirus Homeopathic Update Straight from Hong Kong!

Homeopathic doctors from Hong Kong today reviewed cases with naturopathic and homeopathic doctors from around the world. Theses are case studies followed up by initial epidemiologic study of homeopathic prophylaxis in Hong Kong.  This is what they found for patients who tested positive for COVID 19:   (caveat--these were outpatients who were ambulatory presenting to clinic, generally younger than 40, healthy)

-homeopathic principles must of course be followed such as:
            1. take the case for each patient (different patients may require different remedies)
            2. the strength of the dose should match the strength of the symptoms in the case
            3. homeoprophylaxis does work to decrease cases

The top remedies for Hong Kong (compiled from 18 COVID positive patients) were:

Gelsemium--symptoms are slow onset of chill, lethargy, mind stupefication, no thirst, cough worse at night, tickling in the throat, involuntary urination with cough

Bryonia--slow on set of symptoms, chill without fever, stupification, weakness, desire to be alone, increased thirst for lots of cold water, tickling in the throat, headache increases with cough, difficulty breathing worse at night and worse with motion (wants to lie still). Bryonia follows Gelsemium well so it is not surprising that these are the two top remedies showing up together.

Arsenicum--symptoms begin with diarrhea and vomiting, chill, nausea with smell of food and better temporarily from vomiting. Minimal cough.  This could be a good remedy for those presenting to hospital or a good remedy for the elderly

Eupatorium perfoliatum--fever, severe myalgia, cough. The back feels like it is broken. No thirst, mild cough

Homeoprophylaxis was then used in thousands of people with very good results in terms of preventing infection (or at least preventing symptoms as asymptomatic people were not tested). Gelsemium and Bryonia were the homeopathic prophylaxis remedies used. In Macau where up to 50% of the population used homeoprophylaxis there were only 10 COVID cases in a population of over 622,000 where there are visitors arriving from mainland China daily! https://www.usnews.com/news/cities/articles/2020-03-24/macau-how-a-densely-populated-chinese-territory-is-keeping-coronavirus-at-bay
For prophylaxis what was given was once weekly (or daily for known contact with infected case) 30c dose in water. Remember, these suggestions are based on epidemiologic facts as we have them now. Full and complete studies have not been completed. The CDC does not support the use of homeopathic prophylaxis for COVID or any other illness.

Homeopathy is a great treatment to give during the time between a sample is taken from the patient and a test result comes back.  Even in Hong Kong they experienced 7-10 days before they got results from the lab. As hospitals and even doctors are not allowed to give precious new potential treatments to patients with only mild to moderate symptoms, homeopathy is really one of the best options we have at the moment. It can be combined with vitamin or herbal therapies (as long as herbals are given at a different time or in capsules).

Colocynthis-the crampy stomach flu

There is a stomach flu going around since about the week before Thanksgiving. It has gone through whole families and it takes days for everyone to be done with it. 

You start with a little nausea then comes the crampy abdominal pain which can continue throughout the ordeal. The cramps are so intense you have to bend over double and/or press in on the abdomen. Pressure and heat both help the crampy pain. Colocynthis is perfect for this.  These symptoms also go very well with Mag phos, however so far, Colocynthis has worked well for several people.

The cramps cause diarrhea, urgent diarrhea. The patient will have to head right back into the bathroom after coming out. When the stomach cramps come, the bathroom better be close by. Babies with this flu can have colic all day and night. Men have described the cramps as akin to being able to understand how labor feels. So you can imagine what a little baby who can't talk feels.

The good news is Colocynthis works quickly no matter which phase of the flu you are in. If you are lucky enough to take it when the only symptom is a little nausea, you will avoid this flu altogether. If you have the stomach cramps, just keep taking another dose every time they come back. One dose should last a few hours or even a whole day. If you get little sharp pains, such as a pain low down, making you think you might have appendicitis, take another dose of Colocynthis.

Gelsemium, Hepar sulph, Arsenicum --and don't forget the Aconite!

No energy? Feel like just laying in bed? Chilly? Headache? Tummy ache?

I heard that last week 30% of of the 8th grade was out of the local middle school sick. At an elementary school all the 5th grade teachers except for one were out sick. Three flus are operating concurrently this spring. Two are carry-overs from the winter. Here are the main symptoms of each flu, according to the remedy that treats them:

Gelsemium: This is the main flu right now. Typically this flu comes on more in spring when weather changes from cold to warm. Person is tired and weak. The brain also feels foggy or too tired to think. There is a significant heaviness and chilliness which alternates with feeling of fever. Head feels heavy, eyelids feel heavy. The voice can be hoarse. The throat feels swollen or as if there is a lump in it. Pain and swollen feeling can extend to the ears especially on swallowing.  This remedy is also useful for muscle weakness or fatigue that lasts long after the flu seems to be gone.

Hepar Sulph: This can be used concurrently with Gelsemium or by itself. Use Hepar sulph when there is a lot of mucous that is difficult to cough up. The stuck mucous can also fill the sinuses or continue to drain from the sinuses to the throat after the person feels that they have gotten better. Mucus is always thick in the case of Hepar Sulph. The cough will sound terrible even when the person doesn't feel bad anymore.

Arsenicum: There have not been many people complaining of this but there have been some. This time the arsenicum flu symptoms are focused on the gastrointestinal tract. Arsenicum flus will exhibit some burning symptoms while the person feels very chilled overall. The person feels as if they just cannot get warm but the nose, throat and stomach (mucous membranes in general) can feel burning or acidic. This can lead to feeling nauseousness and vomiting. Warm drinks such as tea feel good to the throat and stomach. The nose can have thin, watery, acrid coryza rather than the thick mucous of Hepar sulph.

ALSO: as we get into spring don't forget Aconite!!! When people are exposed to a cold wind and sickness comes on quickly (within 12 to 24 hours), give Aconite. This happens a lot in springtime because although it looks warm and sunny outside, the temperatures have actually not risen to summer levels. People often go outside without proper clothing or kids take jackets and sweaters off while playing then a cold wind comes and gives them a chill. Aconite Aconite Aconite first, then choose one of the remedies above.

Get these remedies now and you will be set to ward of a flu when the first symptoms strike this spring. If you have already gotten over your flu but have residual symptoms that just won't seem to leave, Gelsemium, Hepar sulph and Arsenicum with set you to rights.

November 2018--Gelsemium flu

It is time for Gelsemium again. Whether you got the flu from a friend, family member or flu shot, consider Gelsemium for treating these symptoms:

--flu that comes on slowly. First you're tired, maybe the body/muscles feel a little heavy. Your brain feels a little slow or dull. But you don't yet realise you're getting sick.

--symptoms are worse with cold, damp foggy weather.

--heaviness in the limbs. All muscles feel relaxed, but not in a good way, more weak, heavy.  The weakness and heaviness can lead even to paralysis, which is why it may be a good remedy for Guillan barre or other paralysis caused by vaccinations.

--aching felt in the joints, but the main feeling is that of heaviness. The pain is a deep ache.

--Despite the relaxation of the muscles there can be twitching around the eyes or face and also writer's cramp in the hands.

--low back pain that feels deep, stiff, weak and goes to the hips.

--head feels heavy as do eyelids. The eyelids might even droop halfway. It's too difficult to keep the eyes open. Everything takes too much effort, even keeping the eyes fully opened.

--if there is a headache, it is in the occiput (back of the head) and behind the eyes. If not headache, the bones around the eyes feel bruised. Many areas of the body can feel bruised.

--there is not much thirst and the inside of the nose might be dry.

--trembling, dizziness, shakiness

It is always good to have Gelsemium on hand. Because by the time you realise you have the Gelsemium flu, you are too tired, weak, achy and dizzy to go to the health food store.

If you don't have any on hand, rest is the only thing that works for this flu. Gelsemium flus typically don't last too long once they are in the acute/feverish stage. But it's effects linger, with the achiness and slight heaviness lasting longer after the acute phase is over. So get some Gelsemium now so you can get better faster. A 30c dose is best.

Bryonia, dryonia --the horrible 2016-2017 flu

I think I've finally figured it out! The homeopathic remedy for this years flu.

It has been tough. People have had sinus inflammation, severe headache, cough, even pneumonia. Pretty much every symptom in the respiratory tract. Antibiotic herbs or even antibiotics have not helped the sinuses or cough. It's definitely been viral. Even the pneumonia has been viral only. I have resorted to using lomatium--the most potent anti-viral herbal tincture we have--for treating this flu (and it has worked). But the homeopathic for this flu eluded me.

We tried Belladonna because of the intense headache and quick sinus inflammation. I tried Gelsemium because although some of the symptoms (especially in the nose) come on suddenly, most of the other symptoms develop over a series of days, starting with having a chill. We have been using Droseraplex (a combination of homeopathics including Drosera, Belladonna and others) for the cough and headache together, but it has only helped reduce symptoms during the virus (especially the cough) rather than stimulate a very speedy recovery. Speedy recovery is what we want when using homeopathics.

I had this flu and it was bad. Then I felt like I was getting it again. Took lomatium.  Then a few weeks later felt like I was getting it again. It started with feeling chilled--like not being able to let any cold air touch my body. I don't like having to have a space heater next to me all the time. It makes me feel like a wimp. I especially felt cold after getting hot and sweaty, such as when I left the gym the previous 2 mornings after a workout.  Then I got pain in the sinus which leads to a frontal headache. I did NOT want to get this flu again.

I also realized that my nose had been VERY dry and I had woken up in the night with a dry throat. Heating houses in winter dries the air. Dry mucous membranes do not defend the body against invaders as they should. I got out the humidifier. Then I realised the remedy: BRYONIA.

Bryonia-dryonia. That is what Dr. Will Taylor, M.D. and homeopathic doctor and professor, used to say so that we remembered the state of the mucous membranes when Bryonia is indicated: dry.  My nose was so dry even a saline rinse with a neti pot did not help. I considered putting vaseline or some herbal salve in there. But luckily I remembered about Bryonia.  Here are the list of symptoms that seems to match this particular flu:

Nose: dry, painful. Cold air moving into the nose and sinuses hurts. Nose and sinus can also feel burning and inflamed.
Head: severe headache. This seems to be the hallmark of this flu. The headache, which at first is in the frontal sinus and then extends to the rest of the head, brings you to tears.
Ears: shooting pain in the ears
Eyes: eyes are sore, moving them hurts
Body: chilled. Worse with cold drafts, person wants to be wrapped up and laying in bed. Chill can be felt as achy pains or sharp pains and most of the pain is in the muscles. The chill and ache was so bad at first that I considered Eupatorium. It had even pushed me into buying a hot tub last month (which I had been looking at doing for awhile) and spending more than twice as much as I thought I would to do it! Bryonia can also treat swollen inflammations with sharp pains, such as those that come from gout, but I haven't seen this during this flu.
Respiratory: cough. Dry cough which is painful, breathing deep produces cough so the patient tries to only breath lightly. Holding the chest may diminish the pain. Pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchitis.
Gastrointestinal: constipation from dryness in the intestines. Stools can be hard, dark or black tinged, and there can be rumbling and abdominal pain. There has not been much vomiting with this one.

Here's a pic from Portland to help you remember a little about Bryonia and see how well we fare in snow. The below freezing temps dries out the air. Then imagine pushing a bus, getting hot and sweaty, then standing out in the cold and getting a chill. Perfect environment for a Bryonia flu!

I just ordered this supplement to better treat this flu.

It has the typical cough homeopathics: Drosera, Spongia, and the flu inflammation/pain remedy Belladonna, but also has Bryonia, which the Droseraplex did not have. It will be in tomorrow and we will start using it. Then I'll post and update. For now, I am taking Bryonia 30x and immediately after the first dose, my nose was became more moist and the sinus pain diminished greatly. You can usually find Bryonia at your local health food shop but this combination remedy pictured here is only available at doctor's offices.

Call the office at 360-433-2727

Lycopodium--attack of the club moss

Lycopodium. Club moss.  Technically it's a moss, but it doesn't lay low or horizontal like some other common mosses.  Although it propogates by travelling along the ground, it sends up shoots which stand straight up, resembling a pine seedling.  This gives  it one of it's names: 'ground pine'. Lycopodium clavatum is the species found in Europe, so is the species used to make the homeopathic medicine. 

When most homeopaths think of Lycopodium, they think things like abdominal bloating, gas, and feelings of inferiority.  The classic phrase "if you don't like a podium, you might need Lycopodium" helps us remember how the Lycopodium individual is not keen on public speaking and so the remedy can be used for these occasions. 

However, a well known homeopath recently identified Lycopodium as the genus epidemicus (flu remedy) for the flu this winter.  Indeed, many of the symptoms of this year's flu are symptoms that match the potential Lycopodium picture:

FEVER-Remittent (the illness waxes and wanes, coming back just when you think it's over)

MIND-Dullness-headache, with 

HEAD-Pain-light; from -agg.  (light in the eyes causes headache)

NOSE sinuses, complaints of -frontal sinuses

NOSE-congestion

EXPECTORATION-rusty (this was towards the end of the cold)

CHEST-inflammation-Bronchiol tubes-bronchopneumonia (seen in a couple of patients)

VERTIGO-lying-amel.

update 3/3/15: got the cold again, here are some more symptoms I forgot about:

THROAT-DRYNESS-lying agg.

THROAT-MUCUS-greenish (by the way, it is all coming from the adenoids but Lycopodium is not listed in the very few adenoid rubrics available).

HEAD-PAIN-Forehead-Middle of (one is tempted to use sinus rubrics here but more simple head pain rubrics seem to have been used)

I first got this flu in September. Usually I am happy to get the flu early in the season because then I can figure out the homeopathic remedy and use it on other people.  With this flu, you go down. Fast and hard.  Your head feels like lead, at least mine did.  I could not think. The sinuses were completely congested and heavy. Sinus headache.  Light shining in my eyes while driving made the headache worse. I felt vertigo when watching moving objects (although Lycopodium did not show up in the computer repertory for that symptom).

I had tried several flu remedies and nothing worked. I finally used an herbal bronchitis formula which worked for the cough with which this flu ended. (update 3/3/15: herbs seem to work well for this flu. When i got it last weekend, I was up at a hike-in cabin in the mountains and did not have any homeopathics with me (doh!).  Luckily I had thyme and oregano which I had just picked from my yard before heading out for the trip.  I chewed on the thyme and oregano buds and the sore throat went away and I felt much better in the morning).

Then Paul Herscu, homeopath, naturopathic physician and teacher, suggested lycopodium as the flu remedy this winter. I was over the flu so I couldn't try it (see update below). I asked other people to tell me their symptoms but it wasn't until late January when my family came down with the flu.  Lycopodium seemed to work. I had a few symptoms again, took lycopodium right away and was fine. I also took other remedies though (I can never keep myself to one remedy). Then a friend of mine took Lycopodium when she and her family were sick. She got better within hours but her husband who didn't think Lycopodium fit his picture refused to take it and his flu carried on for days.

After reviewing Lycopodium again, I can see how it can be a cold/flu remedy. Although it's classically used for gastrointestinal distress (which also is apparent in this flu in the form of loose stool and gas), like any remedy it can treat a multitude of other symptoms. It's interesting that Lycopodium, the plant, contains triterpinoids with acetylcholinesterase inhibitor activity.  Use of acetylcholine esterase inhibitors can carry an increased risk of bronchitis, pneumonia, and chronic cough.  Acetylcholine increases mucous secretion and congestion in the sinuses. So if Lycopodium as a plant can cause the symptoms associated with increased acetylcholine (via acetylcholinesterase inhibition), then using Lycopodium in a diluted and potentized homeopathic dose should treat the same symptoms.  This would prove Hahnemann's theory of 'like cures like'.

I will definitely be keeping this remedy in mind for future flus which have the sinus and bronchial symptoms listed above as hallmarks.  

UPDATE 3/3/15: did take Lycopodium this morning again as the cold is still lingering after getting back from my mountain excursion over the weekend.  The sinus pain is definitely right in the middle of the forehead, is sinus in nature, and worse with inspiration although it is not listed in this rubric in RADAR.  This shows the difficulties of using an incomplete repertory to find a remedy. Also my throat was very dry (THROAT-DRYNESS: 379 remedies) but only bothered me at night when I lay down (THROAT-DRYNESS-lying-agg.: 2 remedies). Although using large rubrics and tiny rubrics are both ill advised, using the smaller rubric brings us to the remedy in this case.  After a 200c dose, then a cup of coffee (I know, I know) then another 200c dose, the sinus pain is still there but congestion is improved.  Hopefully the dullness of mind caused by the headache will subside as I need to contemplate the periodic table in relation to disease for an upcoming discussion next week.

J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Fall;17(3):e379-89. Epub 2010 Oct 26.

Cholinesterase inhibitors and the risk of pulmonary disorders in hospitalized dementia patients.

Helou R1, Rhalimi M.

The China Flu hits the West Coast

China flu.  I'm not talking about H1N1, H7N9 or any other bird flu. I'm talking about homeopathic China, or Cinchona officinalis.

Cinchona officinalis

China bark, quinine bark or Peruvian bark, as cinchona is sometimes called, was used for it's quinine content to make anti-malarial medication.  This was the first item from nature that gave the founder of homeopathy, Samuel Hahnemann, the idea that 'like cures like'.

Dr. Hahnemann noticed that although cinchona (China bark) cured malaria, when taken in large quantities it actually caused symptoms similar to malaria: headaches, nausea and vomiting, fevers, chills, etc. He then went on to study the toxic and therapeutic doses of many plants, minerals, and other items from nature. And today we have a myriad of homeopathic medicines to treat illness.

Most users of homeopathy only think of China in cases of debilitation especially after loss of fluid.  Perhaps this is because we don't experience malaria.  Although quinine derivatives and China bark are still used to treat fevers in the lesser developed world, those of us in the northerly latitudes do not have as much experience with malarial type fever.

But I do. Due to having had malaria a few times while living in Africa, I am acutely familiar with the symptoms of the China flu.  I can tell you it is especially bad while travelling (what illness isn't).  

The intense headache, chills, body aches, vomiting and diarrhea all come on quickly. So quickly that a doctor may think of Belladonna or Aconite.  However the difference between these and the China flu is that the China flu is any of these flus times 10. Think of the worst sickness you've had times 10.  Also, think of every flu symptom you've ever had--all at the same time.  That is malaria and that is the China flu.

The headache feels like it's in the sinuses, but then the pain extends back, or maybe it's in the occiput and extends forward, anyway eventually it's all over and bursting, pressing as if in a vice, maddening. At least this is the way it's described in the repertory, and it's all true. The repertory also says that everything except lying down aggravates the headache. Too true.

Then the chills. Other flus have chills, however if you start shaking uncontrollably, think of China.  Very similar to Bryonia, you just can't get warm.  But eventually all the other symptoms feel worse than the chills.  There is nausea and if not treated soon enough, vomiting.

Debility, one of the symptoms China is known for, is definitely part of this flu. Similar to Gelsemium. However Gelsemium flus come on more slowly. The China flu can come on within a few hours.

I only tried this remedy on a couple of people.  I had asked others to try it for the flu but I don't think anyone had it on hand. But plenty of people had flus that came on quickly, lasted a few days to a week, and felt awful.  So if anyone out there has a flu similar to what's described above, try China, and let me know how it works.

Bryonia hits the West Coast Jan-Feb 2014

We all know that the actual snow storm hit the East Coast, not the West in the last couple weeks.  However, the temperatures here have dropped to freezing briefly.  The weather is cold and dry. Although the dryness brings us bits of nice blue sky, if you have the Bryonia flu, the picture above shows what you feel like on the inside.

With a case of Bryonia, you just can't get warm.  Even when you put on a long sleeve shirt or get in bed, the usual amount of layers is not enough. Any draft is felt.  It's not quite the hot/cold fever/chill you get with Gelsemium and other flus.  You just feel cold.  And you don't feel it on your skin so much like you did in December with the Gelsemium flu. You feel it in your joints.

The joint pain can be described as a soreness throughout the body and from my experience, all the joints are painful.  Although the entire person may be cold, the joints might feel better with application of a cold pack rather than heat. But most of all, the pain is better from pressure or splinting.  What does this mean? If your neck hurts, although it may be sore to the touch, it feels better with the hand pressing on it, giving it support. Or when lying in bed, a sore back, neck or shoulder will actually feel better when laying on the side that is sore.

Part of the reason for this is that with Bryonia motion generally makes a part feel worse. For instance, if your lungs are feeling sore or you are generally feeling achy, stop breathing for a few seconds.  You will notice a reduction in pain because your chest is not moving.  This is one reason Bryonia is often used for pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining or sac between the lungs and chest wall.  Bryonia can also be used for lesser complaints such as coughing and bronchitis when splinting--or holding the chest while coughing--makes the pain decrease.  By the way, a bryonia cough will usually be dry.

Despite being better at rest--not moving--the entire body may be restless due to the pain, and the patient (or family member) with the bryonia flu will want to be still and wrapped up but will then be up and down or moving about, all the time irritable because they cannot feel completely at ease.

There have been a few people with nausea or even vomiting with this flu.  Generally liquids will go down better than solids and the patient will often thirst for large quantities of cold water.  This is because the mouth feels dry.  Dr. Will Taylor, homeopathic professor at the National College of Natural Medicine, always said "Bryonia, dry-onia".  The mucous membranes will be dry and this can result in thirst or even constipation.

In fact, dry-onia is what gave me the clue for the remedy for this flu.  I was laying on the couch wrapped in a blanket trying to be still and I kept needing to get up for a glass of water.  My mouth felt dry.  It was then that I connected the achy joints with the Bryonia flu picture.  Interestingly, I had experienced low back pain a day or so before I really started to feel sick. It had hit me suddenly in the produce section of the grocery store.  I was just standing when it hit.  It felt stitching and shooting as if my back would break, needing to be splinted--classic Bryonia.  As the days progressed, the pain has settled in the neck, always a trouble spot for me anyway, as an aching pain which is also a way for Bryonia to express itself.

I had started to become nauseous yesterday evening so I took 3 doses of Bryonia 30x at 2 hour intervals. By morning I felt better and went to work as usual with no problem. I do need to take more now for the neck pain which came back.  A higher dose such as 12c or 30c may have been longer lasting, but I did drink coffee today and it may have antidoted the doses I took. It is usually adviseable to start with a lower dose and if that works well, stick with it.  And don't drink coffee.

Also interesting to note, a Bryonia flu will bring on the most interesting dreams at night.  Bryonia is found under these rubrics:
DREAMS- unpleasant
DREAMS-vivid
SLEEP-Disturbed, dreams by
DREAMS-riots
DREAMS-many
and many other dream rubrics.  I had interesting vivid dreams two nights in a row. The type of dreams that usually come from a fever delirium--the kind you only get when you're sick.  I asked other people who have been experiencing joint pain/cold/flu starting symptoms and they also said they had very weird vivid dreams last night.  So I think Bryonia is going around.

Write in with your experiences and let me know if Bryonia helped you.

December 24th Gelsemium. West Coast USA

Gelsemium

 

 

Do you feel shaky, weak, chilly? Has your throat started to be kind of sore? Have your symptoms come on slowly giving you the sneaking sense of "uh-oh, i think I'm getting the flu"?  If so you could benefit from Gelsemium.

A Gelsemium flu comes on slowly and some of the first signs are fatigue, chill, and achiness with skin sensitivity.  Although sore throat that is sometimes burning in nature can present itself, the soreness does not become severe such as in a Belladonna or Hepar sulph way.  Although appetite is wanting, vomiting is not a hallmark of this flu.  Headache may be present especially in the occiput or back of the neck.  The eyes can feel heavy making it hard to keep the eyes open.  One generally feels better in bed resting with this type of flu.  The general discomfort in all mucous membranes travels down through the body and the patient feels better for awhile after urinating.

Gelsemium is the number one flu remedy for a typical achy flu. Its good to keep on the shelf because the flu takes a few days to come on and to pass...Gelsemium will not be one of those 24 hour flus.  A 30 c dose taken one to three times a day will help relieve symptoms, but quicker complete healing will only happen with rest.