Hi Kerry,
The Pocketbook method is the one that makes most sense to me, and I'm most
familiar with now, so I always go to it first. I guess 60% of the time I can
stay within that range of remedies and the complaint is resolved
satisfactorily. If I do a repertorization and 2 or 3 remedies show through
in the highest genius grades then I have confidence the case can be resolved
even if it means alternating between the remedies once or twice. There are a
few more remedies outside of that range I also use, e.g. Gels and Apis,
Berberis, and the nosodes here and there. Those cases are fairly easy to
identify without any repertorization. I don't know how that compares with
others' rates of success, but I think it's realistic and in line with
patient compliance and attendance. Researching proving material and being
case-familiar with several hundred or thousands of remedies is just beyond
my capablities and clinical experience. I believe if I know around 150-200
well-proven remedies *really* well and their relationships with each other,
I have an excellent toolkit and can offer a good service.
Something else I'd like to add... I'm sure it's the same with everybody,
success really depends on how well we can organize and prioritize the case
details from the outset. Sometimes there are so many constitutional
concomitants to draw from that we can lose sight of the centre of the case.
For instance, in the Oleander case I guess I initially focussed too much on
some appetite and digestion concomitants which the patient mentioned (tended
to gulp food down then complained of abdominal distention and feeling full
of wind). This led me to select Sulph, then Lyc both of which had minimal
impact. The centre of that case was really the degree of sensitivity of the
skin eruption around the hairline which reappeared alongside a couple of
other menopausal complaints. Most people get at least an initial relief from
scratching an itch, but with Oleander any scratching or rubbing or friction
on the affected part just corrodes and bites further into the skin, and it
is very sore. Then the other symptoms, *flushes of heat, sweat entirely
absent* (SRP), and dullness of the mind, began to fall into place in
significance. This is only time I've used Oleander and I think I'll
recognize it sooner next time, I think of it as being like a Causticum skin
with a Lycopodium belly
. Of course, there are other important Oleander
symptoms too involving paralytic, numb sensations in the extremities but
didn't feature in this particular case.
Hope useful,
Chris.