patient after back operation

[VR VR]

Hi,
I have a patient, a woman in her early 80s, who's recovering from an operation on her lower back. Apparently a disc was pressing on a nerve, and causing intense pain in her left leg. While she was in hospital, her husband of 58 years died. The operation was last Monday. She has no sensation below the waist, in her left leg, and in both feet. Her feet are very cold, although they are warming up each day. Although she has lack of sensation she does feel intense pain in her left leg, especially between the hip and the knee, especially at night. She says "anything below the waist doesn't belong to me". This is making her incontinent, which makes her feel worse. She can't stand for more than a minute, and can't walk even with a walker. She also feels tremendous guilt - she believes her husband died because he couldn't handle the strain of taking care of her. In personality she is very quirky, she has a sharp tongue and enjoys seeing if she can provoke or shock, but does this
quietly.
I have been treating her so far with reflexology at her request (hope this doesn't upset anyone...!), but would like to give a remedy to help the recovery process - physical and emotional. My computer has surrendered to a bombardment of viruses (anyone have a remedy for that?!!) and the hard drive is being formatted as I write this. I was wondering whether to go for Arnica, or whether there is a remedy more specifically related to post-op back pain with extension to the left thigh. The pain in the left hip and thigh is from before. She has also had a hip replacement in her right hip.
If anyone has any ideas, I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks,
Vera

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[jmateo01]

Vera, Judith Mateo here - Have you investigated the following...?

Mind, grief, ailments, from : am-m., anac., ant-c., apis., ars., aur.,
calc-p., caust., clem., cocc., colch., coloc., con., cycl., gels.,
graph., hyos., ign., kali-p., lach., lob-c., lyc., naja., nat-m.,
nit-ac., nux-v., ph-ac., plat., puls., staph., tarent., verat.

[jmateo01]

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "jmateo01" wrote:
aur.,

Sorry for the truncated message... I have been heavily involved with
some long distance attempts to give aid and assistance to tsunami
victims and was called away to the phone... Could YOUR patient be
suffering from *survivor's guilt* (?) as guilt is a very real
component of the grieving process...

Further to my previous post, the above is from Kent - I do believe
Nat-M has a component of coldness of extremities (feet?), for
instance... I don't have my Kent's at hand right now, but I'm
sure others can weigh in on the M/E factors... Poor woman - what a
double whammy she's suffered...

Judith Mateo - Portland OR

[Dale Moss]

I would strongly consider Causticum.

Peace,
Cinnabar

[VR VR]

I posted a question a couple of weeks ago about an elderly patient after a back operation who had lost sensation in her legs and feet. I'd started with Arnica, and several of you recommended Hypericum and Causticum (she has become incontinent due to lack of sensation in the pelvis).
Thank you all very much for your responses. I moved her to Hypericum, started on 6C 3 times a day, and she has significantly improved. Part of the side effects of the operation was that her left foot had turned itself inward - after two days of hypericum it started straightening out. Although she lacked sensation in the feet she was extremely sensitive to touch (paradoxical) and almost any touch caused pain. She also had a sensation of a thick extra layer on the sole of her foot. In addition she has increasing carpal tunnel problems in her hands and loss of sensation in the fingers. Another strange symptom is that touch on one foot will cause pain in the other foot - I'm not sure how to rep that one.
The hypericum has made a significant improvement in her legs and feet, and both the arnica and hypericum have helped her sleep. I see some causticum symptoms edging their way into the picture too so it may be on its way. Thanks to all for your help.
Vera

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[andyh]

VR VR wrote:
((( Dear Vera, Search did not yield much and may be other ways to approach it-- Mirroring meridians are typically sympathetic as any acupuncturist will say, so it may not be peculiar. Still, it may be an indication of alternation and sympathy within the client.

this one is not exactly what you are saying as one side may or may not be more painful as it seems to be either foot.
Viola tricolor
Worse from pressure on side opposite to painful side.

There is also this, not really the right rubric, but these rx have the tendency for some kind of alternating. Pulsatilla (excess water) is an idea (very sympathetic and alternating in nature), and astrologically Pisces (sympathetic water sign) rules the feet. Wild card idea for you to eliminate

But note also that Caust is in this rubric, and it is "sympathetic" emotionally to a high degree, and is a neurological rx including of the lower extremities, so if Caust picture is already there, then this sx may just be part of that. Arnica is also there.

GENERALITIES; CONTRADICTORY and alternating states (40) : abrot., aloe, alum., ambr., apoc., arn., ars., bell., berb., bry., camph., carc., caust., chin., choc., cimic., croc., croto-t., dulc., graph., Ign., kali-bi., kali-c., lac-c., lach., lyc., mosch., nat-m., op., plat., plb., podo., Puls., rhus-t., sanic., sep., staph., thuj., Tub., valer.
Best,
Andy

[andyh]

VR VR wrote:
((( Dear Vera, Search did not yield much and may be other ways to
approach it-- Mirroring meridians are typically sympathetic as any
acupuncturist will say, so it may not be peculiar. Still, it may be an
indication of alternation and sympathy within the client.

this one is not exactly what you are saying as one side may or may not
be more painful as it seems to be either foot.
Viola tricolor
Worse from pressure on side opposite to painful side.

There is also this, not really the right rubric, but these rx have the
tendency for some kind of alternating. Pulsatilla (excess water) is an
idea (very sympathetic and alternating in nature), and astrologically
Pisces (sympathetic water sign) rules the feet. Wild card idea for you
to eliminate

GENERALITIES; CONTRADICTORY and alternating states (40) : abrot., aloe,
alum., ambr., apoc., arn., ars., bell., berb., bry., camph., carc.,
caust., chin., choc., cimic., croc., croto-t., dulc., graph., Ign.,
kali-bi., kali-c., lac-c., lach., lyc., mosch., nat-m., op., plat.,
plb., podo., Puls., rhus-t., sanic., sep., staph., thuj., Tub., valer.

VR wrote

(((( Also that Caust is in this rubric for alternating states, and it is
"sympathetic" emotionally to a high degree, and is a neurological rx
including of the lower extremities, so if Caust picture is already
there, then this sx may just be part of that. Arnica is also in this rubric.
Best,
Andy