Minutus

Hi Emily,
There are a few more rubrics that may apply to this case:

Through reverse predictive logic, from the following rubrics, it may be
possible to show that this is actually a case of ailments from nursing a
loved one who died -- that the real issue is not grief from loss, but:

-- overtaxing of his already susceptible nervous system with "cares"

MIND - AILMENTS FROM - cares, worries
Ambr. arg-n. ars. Calc. carc. Caust. COCC. con. cypra-eg. germ-met.
hippoc-k. ign. kali-br. kali-p. lyc. mag-c. nat-m. nit-ac. NUX-V. Ph-ac.
Phos. pic-ac. sanic. Staph. Vanil.

(Arg-n shows up here, with Cocc, Ign, Nux-v, Phos, and Hippocampus and
Cypraea eglantina, two newer animal (sea) remedies, along with Kali-p and
other overwrought, "overcaring", or nerve remedies.)

or possibly
MIND - AILMENTS FROM - cares, worries - loved one; over a
COCC. vanil.

--and lack of sleep leading to vertigo:

VERTIGO - SLEEP - loss of; from
COCC. NUX-V. tritic-vg.

(potentially a key rubric for the case?)

--and sleep problems:
SLEEP - SLEEPLESSNESS - nursing the sick, from
cimic. COCC. Coff. zinc-act.

-- and, via a weak nervous system, getting "infected" with the fear that
his friend's fate will be his fate as well.

RU PLUS SYNTHESIS REP
MIND - ANXIETY - hypochondriacal combined
ACON. AGAR. agn. All-s. aloe alum. am-c. anac. anag. Arg-n. ARN. ARS.
asaf. asar-o. asar. Aur. bar-c. BELL. bry. calad. calc-sil. Calc. CALEN.
cann-i. canth. Carc. caust. cham. CON. conch. cupr. dros. ferr-p. graph.
GRAT. hyos. ign. IOD. KALI-AR. KALI-C. kali-chl. kali-p. lach. lat-h. LEC.
lob. lyc. m-arct. med. mosch. nat-c. NAT-M. NIT-AC. NUX-V. ol-an. orot-ac.
ox-ac. ph-ac. PHOS. plat. psor. Puls. Raph. Rhus-t. Spect. Sep. squil.
staph. sulph. SYPH. valer.

Probably the simillimum for the case will have to be in this rubric…
Nux-v is bold type for hypochondriasis, other rx are there (arg-n,phos,
nat-m ign etc) and Cocculus is not there, seemingly favoring the others..
But these symptoms from the proving seem to indicate that Cocc can indeed
be hypochondriacal:

Cocculus – from proving
- Hypochondria, especially in the afternoon, [_a1].
- Anxiety concerning the curability of a slight complaint, in the
morning, [_a1].
- * Thoughts directed to an unpleasant object;she is absorbed in herself,
and notices nothing about her, [_a1].
- * Very sensitive mood;everything worries him, [_a1].
Cocculus can create significant general anxiety and fearfulness as well,
as this person displays, waking and when sleeping or trying to sleep:

- Overpowered with the most frightful fearfulness,
- Frightful anxiety, like a dream, which prevented every attempt to
sleep, [_a1].
- * Sudden excessive anxiety, [_a1].
which increased every second(soon after), [a15].
- * Anxiety, as if she had committed a great crime, [_a1].
- Great anxiety, as though he had done some evil(after twenty-nine
hours), [a7].

and despair:
- Despairing mood, [_a1].

So maybe Cocc should be in the rubric Anxiety, hypochondriacal and these
proving symptoms have not been confirmed enough clinically to have made
it to the repertory:

Cocculus, Nux-v, Ignatia all have a compromised nervous system, among many
others of course. Arg-n, many other remedies as above tend to
hypochondriasis The nerves look to be going haywire in this case. But
because of the connection to vertigo -- and if this is not so much a loss
response, but a fear response from a horrible experience; nux-v and cocc
may eclipse Ign as a candidate. Arg-n and others could have vertigo as a
response as well, however, this angle favors Cocc and nux only if we see
the sleeplessness as the cause of overtaxing.

Cocc, arg-n, nux-v etc all have anxiety for others (the dying friend).
You said the pt was not an angry person, which could tend to go against
nux, though we cannot really generalize that nux-v absolutely has to have
irritability and anger to resonate. As Sheila Creasy says, nux-v can
present looking very much like Phos.

An elimination using a rubric which crosses stomach pain sx concomitant
with hypochondriasis and Nerve weakness

RU PLUS SYNTHESIS REP-
1 STOMACH - MODALITIES - HYPOCHONDRIASIS, in combined
bry. calc. chin. COCC. con. grat. ign. lach. mag-c. NAT-C. NUX-V. stann.
staph. SULPH. verat.

BOGER SYNOPTIC KEY REPERTORY - (could not find a general nerve rubric in
Boger-Boenn, RU, Synth)
2 GENERALITIES - Nerves, nervous patients, etc.
Acon. arg-n. asaf. aur. Bell. carb-v. Caust. cham. Chin. cimic. Cocc.
Coff. Con. cupr. Hyos. IGN. iod. kali-p. LACH. Lil-t. mag-m. merc. Mosch.
nat-m. Nit-ac. nux-m. NUX-V. Phos. pic-ac. PULS. sep. SIL. Stram. Sulph.
Tarent. ther. vib.

Elimination: Calc, china, Cocculus, conium, Ign, lach, NUX-V, staph,
Sulph, verat
If we consider a possible grief factor, Cocculus again does not make it:
Is he really grieving?

MIND - AILMENTS FROM - death of loved ones
ACON. Ambr. anthraci. ARS. aster. Aur-m-n. calc-sil. calc. caps. carc.
caust. gels. IGN. Kali-br. kali-p. lac-c. LACH. lyc. mur-ac. nat-m. nat-s.
nit-ac. nux-m. nux-v. OP. PH-AC. plat. podo. rhod. sal-fr. spig. STAPH.
sulph. tritic-vg. VANIL. verat.

MIND - AILMENTS FROM - death of loved ones - parents or friends; of ambr.
anthraci. ars. aster. aur-m-n. Bar-c. calc. CAUST. IGN. kali-br. lac-c.
lyc. mur-ac. nat-m. nit-ac. nux-v. ph-ac. plat. rhod. staph. tritic-vg.
VANIL.

----------------------
Here are a few other rubrics, but none seem to have the considerations of
Nux-v, Ign, and Cocc, at least with the angle being taken here, except the
stomach pain hysterical (which may or may not be able to be said in the
case).

MIND - HYPOCHONDRIASIS - vertigo; with
phos.

MIND - DELUSIONS - disease - every disease; he has
Aur-m. stram.

STOMACH - PAIN - hysterical
asaf. ign. plat.

MIND - PHENOMENA - BEGGING, entreating (RU plus Synthesis)
achy. ars. aur. bell. kali-c. lys. oxyg. plat. plb. puls. stann. stram.

----------

The Cocculus complements - Caust, Petr, (Rehman) and Ignatia (added,
from Mathews)

Caust has anxiety for others and hypochondriasis, but also has other
characteristics..

Causticum (confirmatories)
-----------------------------------------------
Paralysis of single parts. Slow paralysis (R side).
Twitch, cramps, chorea (from fright).
Neurologic disease from cold, dry wind.
Drooping eyelids. Warts (face, near nails).
Cough > cold drinks, w/ incontinence, w/ rawness.
Difficult expectoration - must swallow.
Tenacious mucous larynx, scraping. Hoarse stool.
Stomach pressure 1-2 hrs. after eating.
Chilly warmth.
Argentum nitricum
-----------------------------------------------
Anxiety health. Fears heights (concerned about impulsively
jumping), claustro, fainting.
Anticipation causes diarrhea. Impulsive.
Hot. > Cold, cold bathing, cold wind.
Desires sweets, salt. Belching, flatulence (no >).
Stitching pains. Palpitations binding (expanded feeling).
Green mucous stools, spluttery.
Vertigo w/ tinnitis, trembling, weakness.

Ignatia
-----------------------------------------------
Ailments from grief (romantic especially). Silent grief. Sighing.
Aversion to consolation. Fears birds, chickens.
Aversion to fruit.
Perspiration on face.
Paradoxical/unpredictable: behavior & symptoms: sore throat >
swallowing, thirst w/ chill, etc. Emptiness stomach not > eating.
Lump in throat, chest constriction: when near tears.
Twitching/spasms. Chorea.
Neuralgias. Unexplained numbness.
Anal pain extending up into abdomen.