Help sought on acne rosacea
Posted: Sun Jun 06, 2004 12:54 am
A local homeopathic MD who, unfortunately, does not speak English, has asked me to seek help on the following case.
Patient: Woman, born 1954, with butterfly shaped acne rosacea on her cheeks
Anamnesis:
1972: Acne vulgaris with a variety of treatments (antibiotics, facial creams and later on herbs and honey which "cured")
1977: Surgery to remove tonsils after recurrent tonsillitis. After this, allergic problems started: Allergy to (canned) tuna-fish (fresh fish does not cause adverse reactions, neither does other canned food), peanuts and maracuya fruits. Also allergic to certain yellow colorants and some antibiotics.
1981: Diagnosis of a toxic node in the left lobe of her thyroid gland (it was suspected that she had suffered from hyperthyroidism from very young, as she always was very skinny). From then on, she took (not regularly, though) thyroxin medication. First problems with chronic colitis, no treatment.
1982: Surgery to remove lipomas from her right breast. She still has a small lipoma on her left breast without causing her problems.
1990: Operation of appendicitis, where a strangulated uterine myoma was detected and removed.
1994: Premature menopause (due to her thyroid problem, according to the medics).
1998: Pre-surgical treatment of hyperthyroidism with a medicament (she does not remember the name) which, as a side effect, lowered her immune response. After an insect pricked her left ankle, her foot and ankle swelled greatly with a bluish discoloration. After a treatment with a "fifth-generation antibiotic" (she does not remember the name), she developed a pseudomembranous colitis with diarrheas resembling mashed strawberries. She had to be hospitalized.
1999: After increased growth of the thyroid gland, surgical removal of ¾ of the gland (all of the left lobe, ½ of the right lobe). Subsequently, until now, regular substitution of Thyroxin.
Present state:
Mentals: Timid, low self esteem (although she is very intelligent, a graduated economist. She runs the financial area of a larger company). Easily frightened. Fear at night, of the dark, fears that the "devil" or some evil might hurt her. Very religious, prays much, before leaving her home, she blesses it several times with the cross sign (fear that something evil might happen?). Mild disposition, but stubborn on occasions. Easily offended, and suffering form the impression that other people might laugh over her facial problem.
Generals: Acne rosacea worse from heat, heat of the sun (we are living here at 2500 m above sea level, very near to the equator, so the sun radiation is tremendous), extreme cold. Even hot food or drinks aggravate. Worse from alcoholic drinks (wine). Worse from physical exertion, from emotions.
Abdominal symptoms worse from fat food, which she does not like. She likes sweets, chocolate, meat. After the thyroid operation, she has gained weight.
She easily catches a cold (which has improved tremendously through Gels 12 as a prophylactic).
Very sensitive to smells and noise.
She is easily impressed by bad news, scenes of suffering on TV, etc.
She likes bright colors and elegant, tight fitting clothing.
Particulars: Acne rosacea, butterfly shaped on cheeks, with pimples on cheeks and nose. Rosacea on forehead (which she also had before) has disappeared. Aggravation expresses itself in form of an intense red coloration and swelling of cheeks, especially and foremost of the left cheek. Gastritis with burning, after eating fat food. Chronic colitis with flatus. Varices on her legs. Painful corns on the soles of her feet (starting right, which was removed, now on her left foot). Retention of liquids, with swelling of her feet, ankles, and hands. On both feet, hallux valgus (? "juanete" in Spanish)
Treatment:
1. Allopathic treatment of rosacea: Antibiotics (Oxytetracycline, with no effect; Metronidazole, with slight improvement); anti-allergic sun blocker which caused a severe allergic reaction.
2. Homeopathic treatment: She has received so far a series of remedies, with no positive results:
Sulphur: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Rhus toxicodendron: Caused aggravation with a slight, temporal improvement
Arsenicum Iodatum: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Lycopodium: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Her present homeopath considered this to be a clear case of Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla caused initial aggravation with no improvement in none of the applied potencies (30, 200, m, xm, 50m). Presently, after waiting for several months, her doctor has prescribed a single dose of Silicea 30 (Pulsatilla's chronic), with slight aggravation so far.
Any input would be highly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Hans Radax
Cuenca - Ecuador
_____________________________________
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Patient: Woman, born 1954, with butterfly shaped acne rosacea on her cheeks
Anamnesis:
1972: Acne vulgaris with a variety of treatments (antibiotics, facial creams and later on herbs and honey which "cured")
1977: Surgery to remove tonsils after recurrent tonsillitis. After this, allergic problems started: Allergy to (canned) tuna-fish (fresh fish does not cause adverse reactions, neither does other canned food), peanuts and maracuya fruits. Also allergic to certain yellow colorants and some antibiotics.
1981: Diagnosis of a toxic node in the left lobe of her thyroid gland (it was suspected that she had suffered from hyperthyroidism from very young, as she always was very skinny). From then on, she took (not regularly, though) thyroxin medication. First problems with chronic colitis, no treatment.
1982: Surgery to remove lipomas from her right breast. She still has a small lipoma on her left breast without causing her problems.
1990: Operation of appendicitis, where a strangulated uterine myoma was detected and removed.
1994: Premature menopause (due to her thyroid problem, according to the medics).
1998: Pre-surgical treatment of hyperthyroidism with a medicament (she does not remember the name) which, as a side effect, lowered her immune response. After an insect pricked her left ankle, her foot and ankle swelled greatly with a bluish discoloration. After a treatment with a "fifth-generation antibiotic" (she does not remember the name), she developed a pseudomembranous colitis with diarrheas resembling mashed strawberries. She had to be hospitalized.
1999: After increased growth of the thyroid gland, surgical removal of ¾ of the gland (all of the left lobe, ½ of the right lobe). Subsequently, until now, regular substitution of Thyroxin.
Present state:
Mentals: Timid, low self esteem (although she is very intelligent, a graduated economist. She runs the financial area of a larger company). Easily frightened. Fear at night, of the dark, fears that the "devil" or some evil might hurt her. Very religious, prays much, before leaving her home, she blesses it several times with the cross sign (fear that something evil might happen?). Mild disposition, but stubborn on occasions. Easily offended, and suffering form the impression that other people might laugh over her facial problem.
Generals: Acne rosacea worse from heat, heat of the sun (we are living here at 2500 m above sea level, very near to the equator, so the sun radiation is tremendous), extreme cold. Even hot food or drinks aggravate. Worse from alcoholic drinks (wine). Worse from physical exertion, from emotions.
Abdominal symptoms worse from fat food, which she does not like. She likes sweets, chocolate, meat. After the thyroid operation, she has gained weight.
She easily catches a cold (which has improved tremendously through Gels 12 as a prophylactic).
Very sensitive to smells and noise.
She is easily impressed by bad news, scenes of suffering on TV, etc.
She likes bright colors and elegant, tight fitting clothing.
Particulars: Acne rosacea, butterfly shaped on cheeks, with pimples on cheeks and nose. Rosacea on forehead (which she also had before) has disappeared. Aggravation expresses itself in form of an intense red coloration and swelling of cheeks, especially and foremost of the left cheek. Gastritis with burning, after eating fat food. Chronic colitis with flatus. Varices on her legs. Painful corns on the soles of her feet (starting right, which was removed, now on her left foot). Retention of liquids, with swelling of her feet, ankles, and hands. On both feet, hallux valgus (? "juanete" in Spanish)
Treatment:
1. Allopathic treatment of rosacea: Antibiotics (Oxytetracycline, with no effect; Metronidazole, with slight improvement); anti-allergic sun blocker which caused a severe allergic reaction.
2. Homeopathic treatment: She has received so far a series of remedies, with no positive results:
Sulphur: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Rhus toxicodendron: Caused aggravation with a slight, temporal improvement
Arsenicum Iodatum: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Lycopodium: Caused aggravation with no improvement
Her present homeopath considered this to be a clear case of Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla caused initial aggravation with no improvement in none of the applied potencies (30, 200, m, xm, 50m). Presently, after waiting for several months, her doctor has prescribed a single dose of Silicea 30 (Pulsatilla's chronic), with slight aggravation so far.
Any input would be highly appreciated.
Many thanks,
Hans Radax
Cuenca - Ecuador
_____________________________________
Este mensaje ha sido analizado por el
Servicio Gratuito de Protección contra Virus de E-mail de EtapaOnLine.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]