Homeopathy Lec 2

HOMEOPATHY LEC 2 – JAN. 15/08 SHORT FORM: uni = university Usu = usual Ppl = people Imp = important Tx = treatment Px = patient Btwn = between v. = very gen = generally twds = towards Any others, let me know. ( ) = not her words, questions from Dr. Hall or the class. All others, I tried to keep the px’s exact words. For the live cases, I’m going to usu have them pretty detailed and the class lecture/case analysis, I won’t make it as lengthy. LIVE CASE: DR. HALL PX. LEAH Recent anxiety and panic attacks for the past few years frequent H/A’s spells of dizziness (might be related to panic) feeling in balance in terms of my diet anxiety started 3 years ago. First one began out of nowhere, didn’t know the triggers Felt SOB increased HR, clammy hands, v. nauseous – happen in the subway, theatre or at home. First one occurred on a bus. Usu. When I go thru these periods, they’re all v. similar. I can recognize them. Was heading to a class on the bus (psychobiology lab) during the first class. Class was v. enjoyable, v. stimulating. (Frequency?): when they initially started, 1/wk. now, 1 a couple months. (Triggers?): being in crowds, around a lot of people. Ideas in her head of not being able to escape a situation. In the midst of anxiety coming along, psychologically ideas of taking over. Physiologically anxiety when she feels like she can’t get up in the middle of a room, someone blocking me from an exit, too many people (like in a movie theatre). Gone for tx. Saw her dr. when they started getting really bad, I went thru some cognitive behavioral therapy as well. Prescribed cloneazepam when they get bad. Taking it once every couple weeks, now not taking it at all.

(blocking from an exit?): Not being able to escape a situation. Being surrounded. Fear of being sick. Nauseous. I’d can’t leave the room, I have a problem. Get increasingly worried. No nausea outside a panic attack. Fear of being sick in a public place (but this has never happened). (panic attacks effect life?): Negative way – concentration in certain areas. Exams. Positive way – given me realization psychologically. Given me more strength. To gain control, have an awareness. Realize its not a heart attack, not gonna faint. She was having a lot of fears with them. But now just to know to let it run its course is more comforting. (what fear/anxiety in general?): Sometimes getting public speaking, doing presentations. Writing an exam. (MIC MESSES UP). O: px. Grabs her turtle neck and pulls it up to her chin. (during the commotion). Anxiety before an exam. Fear of being ill *** Fear of being sick in public *** Not sure, cuz it’s never happened, but it’s a concern during a panic attack. People would notice. Fear of who’s around me, how many people. (worst thing?): feel uncomfortable. V. embarrassed by being sick in public. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before. Don’t get embarrassed easily. (what would make you embarrassed) not quite sure, never thought of it before. (any warning?) physical manifestations: initial feeling is tightness in throat, trouble swallowing. A few minutes before panic attack (2-5 min). once I feel the warning, I can change my breathing pattern, deep breathing, exercises in my mind, positive self talk. Tell myself its going to be fine. Usually this works, but the anxiety is still there, it just won’t be as bad. If I have more control over my thoughts. The panic attack lasts anywhere btwn 5 -20 min. 20 min was the worst one. I want to reduce the severity of the anxiety during a panic attack so its not as bad, so the physical changes aren’t as drastic. If I could have more control and make them minimal that would be ideal. I usually want to be by myself and I usu. Don’t let ppl know what is happening unless its really bad. Sometimes if its not that bad I won’t say anything at all. I have mentioned it before, I’ve had to say something esp. if I have to get up and leave. (if ppl are close to her and there during attack). After I just try to relax. I usu try to go back to what I was doing. (it doesn’t prevent from what she was doing, the activity).

(relatives?) not that I’m aware of. My brother has anxiety right now, but nobody else in my family. (in life) I came home from my undgergrad and moved back home. It was stressful going thru those changes. Issues with parents moving back home. Basically just expectations of parents and the stage of my life that I was in. what am I going to do next now that I’m done. The pressure of my mother and father with time urgency. Something has to happen right away, get going. Stressful, uncomfortable, effected the way I felt about myself. Apprehensive, uncertain of lots fo things, confidence decreased slightly. Expectations were from parents primarily, but partially my own too. (relationship w/ parents) pretty good overall. Improved over the last few years. Gen at this point of my life, 3 yrs ago it wasn’t terrible, but not balanced. A lot of negative energy. Them stressed out about a lot of things and then it would project into our relationship. A lot of arguing. Not enjoyable at all (arguing) father is v. dictating and controlling. Father is critical, judgmental. V. high expectations of anyone around him. Mother is v. much influenced by this, so then it comes from her as well. Personality different, but in this regard, she’s taken on his traits. She’s been affected by what he thinks of others and what he expects from them as well. (negative energy w. parents): I would tense up, withdraw become more quiet. Feel fearful, anxious. Wanted to escape that atmosphere, didn’t want to be around it at all. (opposite): feeling comfortable, relaxed, content, feeling a larger sense of inner peace. (ever felt this?); yes, a feeling of being balanced. At peace with my thoughts, it affects my thinking, my ability, my performance, the way I converse w ppl. Don’t feel the need to withdraw and tense up. I feel this way when I’m by myself or with ppl who are positive and not critical and accepting of more things. (biggest are on contention w parents?): my success and where I’m going in life. My efforts twds things, academia. That’s the main issue. (how parents define success?); getting a professional degree. Fixation for them, more so my dad. For me it depends on the individual, their capabilities. Success is the best you can do and reaching your potential but doesn’t mean reaching certain designations. (where would you escape to when neg. energy at home?): avoid coming home. Stay longer at school or go visit friends or my grandmother. Avoid being in the house. (frequency of this feeling?): a couple times a week. (describe an argument w/ parents): gen it would be both my mother an father stating what they expect or what they’re unhappy with. Condescending and belittling remarks. Insult to character. Raised voices. Varies in terms of duration. 5 min to an hour. It depends.

Usu. End w. me being v emotional. Sometimes we resolve things and talk through, but sometimes I would have to leave cuz the comments and I would get emotional. Leave unresolved. I cry v easily. Often record my thoughts in a journal. Usu try to go off an be on my own and not be around anyone or I’d call my bf at the time and talk to them. I fell better after I cry. (typically journal?): typically when I have a conflict or concern about anything. Something on my mind I will often record it. I write about my life, where I’m going what I’m doing, relationship issues, stuff that Is in my family. My aspirations, my dreams. But often when something has happened and has upset me. I’ve been doing this since 10 or 12 yoa. (aspirations and dreams now?): to be successful within my profession, pursue graduate work, go abroad and travel do some international work with nursing. I was studying psych before nursing. Always had considered it when I was young. Always loved working with people. Have had an interest in sciences have volunteered in a hospital when I was an adolescent. Volunteered with working with children with autism. High school and uni. Volunteer in rehab clinics. Stuff with international and volunteer organization (one at Queens… I forget the name). just for the students, I never went away but I was on the committee. I love working with ppl I love the feeling of making a difference in their day, changing their routine, interacting with them, seeing that. Working w kids with disability, it was v stimulating, learned a lot about how their lives were affected. Grad work: I want to do… I’m overwhelmed w areas to go into. Want to do some aids relief work, go abroad somewhere and do health promotion in various countries. I have cared for px’s in hospitals who have had aids. Finishing my last semester of a 2 year program right now. I’m in the process of applying for grad work, but I want to get work experience 6 mo to a year before. I want to get out there first before I make a concrete decision. Travel related to my career. Its something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve always wanted to volunteered abroad and have never done it, so I wanted to incorporate it into my career. I’ve traveled for pleasure, but that’s it, never to go to Africa and volunteer. (hobbies?): love art, I paint. I play the piano. I’ve been into writing poetry. Usu I love going to the opera and symphony. Films, so that’s where I spend my time outside of school. I paint a lot of floral stuff but I also do some abstract stuff too. I’m not really selective with colour choices really (when painting). (poetry subjects?): usu most my poems are on love and people. I started writing poetry when I started writing my journal. I used to share poetry with others when I was in high school. Now its more personal.

(piano?): all classical pieces. I focus more on sad pieces, minor key. Slow classical pieces typically. In my free time if I go on an outing or on a weekend, I’d prefer to go to the symphony or the opera. (Hobbies?): figure skating. Now recreational or leisurely. Used to play a lot of team sports ,but not now. Baking. Regularly I bake a lot of desserts. My favorite dessert is cheesecake. Anything with chocolate in it. (Other foods?): I like Indian food and anything carbohydrates, pasta, bread, fruit. Mangos and berries, rasp and straw. I like soups and stews. I think the way they’re prepared and the texture and mixture of flavours. Ad versed to?: not really. I don’t eat a lot of vegetables, not enuf. I enjoy the taste, but don’t eat them enuf. (hx. Of depression): during my undergrad. More reactive, it was a reaction to a couple things going on in my life. An issue with a family member and a break up happening at the same time. I was quite depressed for 4-5 mo. I got tx for it. High school in gr. 10 I had bouts of it too with no apparent triggers. I didn’t do anything about it and it just passed. Months of sadness. O: pulling her turtle neck around her mouth Sadness: Frustrating, it inhibits me, loss of control. I find it extremely difficult. I wish I could just get rid of the feeling. Its always taken more time than ii wanted to to feel better and not be depressed. Exercise and focusing on better eating habits, being around close friends and my siblings have been helpful. Taking an ssri to helped me too, only for 5 mo. O: px. Wears a black turtleneck (family member?): it was my brother, not directly with me, just issues he was having that affected me. We’re very close now, our relationship is quite good. (w other bro) ok, not very close but we have a fairly good relationship. (closer bro to describe you?): easy to talk to, supportive, understanding? Helpful. Those are the core things. (father to describe you during an argument?): O: clears her throat. In the past he would call me lazy, someone who’s distracted by things. O: HANDS ON HER MOUTH. CLAW HAND FORWARD REPEATED MOTION. An attack on it, I’m having trouble answering that question. I feel pretty bad when he does this. Questioning how I’m doing over the years has made me feel doubtful and apprehensive about what I’m doing. The feeling that nothing is good enuf. Up to his standards.

(panic attacks anything else): not really. (H/A’s?) don’t recall when they started. Happens quite regularly. Every few days. Lately I’ve been waking up with them. I used to see my doctor about it. Because they use to wake me up at night. She never thought they were migraines. I went for scans and testing but nothing showed up. On ave. now every three days. Quote painful mostly in my temples or in the front sometimes. Sometime I feel a bit nauseous. I feel like my eyesight is affected. Sometimes they won’t go away unless I take advil. I take advil quite often. I take it only when I get the h/a’s . The pain) can be quite sharp at times, a steady pain and then a peak where it will get more intense and that will last for a few minutes. (sharpness?): several points. Also pressure, feeling coming from the outside. Sharp points coming from the outside. To feel this you would have to have your head compressed from the side with a hard object. .object is jagged not tiny points. Very very hard. Starts as a dull pain then peaks at a certain time. (onset): read small print for a long period of time. Computer screen. Not eating. Bright lights, fluorescent lighting triggers it too. Lack of sleep too. Weather changes, on a cloudy or rainy day when the air pressure changes, I notice the pattern of that as well. (amel?) not really. Even if I eat the h/a might diminish in pain slightly, but it won’t go away completely, it still is lingering. (scale?): 8/10 at the peaks, gen 6-7/10 (onset?) more sudden, no warning. Makes me want to lay down in a dark room or just close my eyes. Block out the noise around me. Dizziness that I mentioned comes and goes. Often feel light headed, vision is affected. Extremely uncomfortable. When I’m trying to focus on something I find it hard to fixate on something (when dizzy) even when I’m sitting down. Sometimes I feel dizzy w/o h/a too. It’s hard to describe cuz I don’t know the freq. it can happen anywhere. I often feel this way. My vision is somewhat impaired and I have to focus. I feel off balanced sometimes. Once a week for sure it happens. Depends on what I do for how long it lasts. 10 min to 30. gen improves when I eat something. (Uncomfortable): I don’t feel a balance. I start thinking about how I’m feeling physically. It doesn’t feel right. I don’t feel like as healthy as I wanna feel. (what would have to change?): increased awareness of dietary changes. My eating patterns, how often, portions. Making more of an effort, sleep wise. (sleep like?): gen its pretty good. I don’t have a steady pattern. Usu need 8 hrs. if I don’t get 7-8 hrs I feel off the next day. It affects me. In terms of my concentration, my thinking, my awareness. My energy level. I have nightmares, but not often. Recurring dreams, not often. But my teeth falling out (dream) has happened in the past 2 months a few times. I felt v unhappy and upset and scared. Nightmares were unpleasant, not violent. Always was me being extremely scared and running away from something. Trying to escape the situation. I don’t remember the ppl, situation, event I was trying to get away from. In a few cases it was someone who was dangerous to society. Nobody I knew in my life.

(sig. events in your life?): when my grandfather passed away. That was a moment that made me feel…… it affected me but not…it was more me seeing how it affected other people. Like my grandmother. The insane rxn of my family members and certain personality traits that surfaced of my family members. Another event was moving away from school. (more about the rxn?): noticing how it affected others around me. Other…moving away and moving back from school. It wasn’t negative. Obviously having fears of what was ahead and what to expect. But more of breaking free, it felt liberating and was exciting. It was a smooth transition. Another thing was starting nursing. My first clinical rotation. My clinical rotation in OB and various floors. b/c the environment was v positive, newborn babies and happy mothers. Also being in a hospital setting and applying my skills, being a nursing student. This felt like things coming together and falling in place, this was the right place for me. (#1 thing about nursing?): the impact that I’ve seen that all my professors have had on other individuals. Caring. I’ve seen the impact to being v admirable also like knowing that so much can be researched and done down the road. That I like and find v exciting. (constipation): that’s always been sort of an issue. Clearly its my lack of effort and diet habits. Last 6 mo. Its been recurrent I’m not regular at all. I’ve tried with my fiber intake, but its still uncomfortable. 1 every 3 days. Its more like a lack of things in my diet. Not what I’m eating. Nothing that I’m aware of. Might have to do with not getting enough fiber and not enough water. I don’t drink a lot of water. 4 glasses a day, maybe 5. (exercise?): lately skating I’ve got back into a routine. I’m active 2-3 times a week. I’ll go for 5 mo’s without doing anything than I’ll get back into a routine. (menstruation?): regular cuz I’m taking the pill. I never actually got it when I was 16 I still didn’t have it, so I had to take hormone pills to induce it and get my cycle going then it was fine. And it became regular. Now it lasts for 4-5 days on average. I get cramps initially, but they’re not that bad. I don’t usu take anything for them. Its painful but its not a severe pain, just mild. It doesn’t radiate that much, its localized. (digestion in gen?): I don’t think its that great, its ok. I get more gas with milk, dairy products. I try to stick to lactose free. Gas isn’t usu too bad. (back to men): sometimes clots, but its rare. I can’t recall the last time. (respiration issues?): none (eyes?): not really. I wear glasses to see the board or when I’m driving. But I don’t wear them all the time. My vision isn’t perfect (hair/ears?): no issues

(skin?): no (what are you sensitive to?): not really. Heat actually. I sweat v easily. Bright lighting. I sweat usu my face and underarms. Around my T zone. My forehead. (easiest way to get you angry/upset/emotional?): if I am being yelled at or talked to a certain way. If I am watching a film about something political or extremely upsetting that will get me worked up v easily. Violence, maltreatment, injustice, how ppl are treated. I’ll complain, I might cry, I’ll vent. I usu will talk about it if its appropriate, of course. And if I’m with someone I fell comfortable to talk to. Its how ppl talk to me or seeing other ppl in a position of…in a caring position, treating ppl badly or being rude. That sets me off. (anything about you that is unusual?): people that know me well point out certain things. I have 2 extremes to my personality: I can be kind, caring and thoughtful, but I can also be extremely tight, anxious get into a bad mood. Take my mood out on other ppl. (how often this mood?): not often, it depends on so many things. Once every couple of weeks. Getting in a really bad mood. Mood fluctuations. (win the lottery?): I would give at least half of it amongst my family. I would take another portion and donate it to some charity or organization involving medical research. I would take a trip for sure. To argentina. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go, I’m intrigued by their culture. Tango dancing, it’s something I’ve dreamed to do. When I got back I’d put it twd nursing or work overseas. Go away and try to start something up in another city. Or join another organization abroad. (anything you’d change back in your life?): nothing really jumps out. No. I don’t have any major regrets or anything. (stop the world for 3 hrs what would u do?): I don’t know. (anything else?): no. OPEN TO CLASS (extreme?????? What situation is worst): the worst was in cuba, in a foreign place. Sit in a backseat crammed in a v close place. Fear of not being able to escape the car, I was driving with someone I didn’t know. Being so far away from home. Feeling like I don’t have control. Exiting. Whether its in a car or a room, few ppl or many ppl. Anxiety provoking, not scary, I get the physical sensation, then psychological. I can’t escape. How do I escape, and the fact that I can’t. it’s a vicious cycle. I can only describe the physical. Its hard to describe. Its v uncomfortable. It feels like I’m going to have a heart attack. Losing control of your body. Its like your on shaky ground. You have this stability in your life then your thrown off for a moment. Its like pulling the carpet from beneath you.

(what would happen if you didn’t have control?): I would say my fear is something happens to me like being sick in public, fainting, passing out, having a seizure, the consequences of that would be me needing help from ppl around me, but I don’t’ want that. The thought of others around me to have to take that initiative makes me uncomfortable. (??????): diet, my exercise not being consistent, these bouts of anxiety makes me feel unbalanced. I don’t have full control, its part of me. Its more about my efforts on my well being. (if you were balanced, what would it feel like?): cohesion and harmony, equal portions. Less up and down. More stable. (equal portions?): intake, output, energy levels, nutrients. Energy expenditure and feeling relaxed, feeling anxious. (how would you feel?): much more healthy. Knowing I’m making an effort psychologically and then the result too. (what would stability look like?): equal portions, spherical, nothing drastic, equal colours a blend of things. As opposed to separate entities. (painting looks like): I use so many different colours, floral things. I like to create different images and bring them together as one. A lot of drastic changes in my strokes and style. Abstract so there isn’t much confusion in that. (…….): to me it means having your…. Stepping out of your comfort zone. I’m v interested in different cultures. To me its exploring and entering a different world. (what about argentina?): I started learning Spanish in uni, it’s a culture I’ve always been interested in. its also the people and the nature of them. A warmth to them (not generalizing) there’s a beauty and a richness in their culture that I want to be exposed to. I’ve traveled to various parts of Europe, parts of mexico, certain cities in the states. I got the panic attack on the plane going to mexico. (any other time on a plane w an attack) once when I was going to new york city. The same experience, except it wasn’t that severe, I took medicine and fell asleep. (how does the anxiety feel in your body?): I start sweating, my hands get clammy. My hr increases right away. Sob as well, sometimes light headedness. Nausea. Tight sensation in my throat. I’m feeling hot. I can feel it on my face and my skin and my hands. Sometimes I get tingling in my feet, but not all the time. My hands are usu warm and wet at this time. (what is your perception of the environment during this sensation?): I focus on whats happening to me. Unless it’s a bunch of ppl, I feel frustrated that they’re around me. I’m more irritable. But gen I’m fixated on whats going on with me. (define uncomfortable?): feels like off balanced, unsteady I feel physically I’ve been thrown off. I don’t feel relaxed. I don’t like the feeling of worrying.

(you’ve brought your shirt up a few times, what comes to mind?): more being fidgety. I feel to move my hands, that’s all I can thinking of. (out of control, what is it to you?): having power over what I’m doing and how I’m feeling. Being able to determine how I’m gonna feel. I wish this wasn’t happening right now, why is this happening. (her thoughts). Pure loss of control is public speaking. You’ve got this room of ppl and you can’t speak. Power = being the master of yourself, not letting others overpower you. Controlling your destination is really impt to me. Avoidance of other people destructing that is impt. (don’t want ppl around to help you?): b/c I’d rather…..i don’t like showing signs of weakness. It’d be like a cry for help. If I don’t have control over what is happening to me and need to ask for help, I don’t like that feeling at all. (how do you react to ppl with control) I’m extremely sensitive I get really defensive quickly if someone’s trying to overpower me or control me or dictate. I react v quickly. I might get emotional I might throw back a comment that I might insult them . I might justify why I am the way I am. More of a defense mechanism. (??????) letting down ppl or myself could be embarrassing. Lack of strength. I’ve always been and got msgs to be strong and not cry in situations. So that’s my mentality. It might be wrong or its not accepted. That’s how I feel. (control and destination, what is the sensation?): when if eel nervous…. I don’t get anxious, I just feel nervous when ppl try to control me, it changes in every situation. I feel uptight or feeling…. Not at ease. (????) A rope… I feel tightening something or feeling wrapped up so tight and trapped up in a way. (traits in family when grandfather died?): certain coping. Like my brother; first thing was to go out and drink and party. It was disappointing to me. I thought how could you do that. I couldn’t fathom his ignorance. It bothered me it was a disappointment in his character. I thought he was very selfish. I hoped everyone would be there to help, I thought it was ignorant and rude. Everyone reacted in a way and it was weird to discover how that happened. I tried to discipline my brother and tell him how he should be acting, but then I realized that there was nothing I could do so I just left it. My father was really disrespectful to the way my grandmother was feeling. Lack of respect of how she was feeling. He may not have been affected to the same degree, but it was bothersome to me. I couldn’t get my head around how he could tx someone who was so fragile in that way the way he did. I speak up now how that affected, but I didn’t speak up or do anything in that situation.

I don’t agree the way my father treats people, my grandmother and everyone in general. Its been a build up and that was the first time I noticed it, but its consistent. Ugly. Nasty. (father being disrespectful). I see me in my grandmother. She’s sensitive, she likes to talk and be around ppl. Emotional awareness of others. She notices a lot of things that my mother wouldn’t.