Berberis Aquifolium Ø = 1X (Potency Query)

Thankyou for the prompt advice. :)

On average how long should I continue the remedy? Also, will it pose a problem if I'm unable to take it before meals?

I apologize for speaking of 'complexion' in isolation when that is clearly not how homeopathy works. I just wasn't sure how to go about questioning on a forum and came across as rather naive.

I do have prior experience with a homeopathic doctor who treated me for severe allergies and sinusitis + hereditary migraines (he said I bordered on asthma?). His way of medication was giving self-prepared powdered medicine and diluted solutions. This is when I was around 10 or 11. While my sinuses and allergy greatly improved while on medication, all my issues started coming back with full force after a couple of years, and I also suddenly gained weight around my lower body/hips/thighs soon after (I am otherwise slim but have very sagging body skin even though my weight didn't yo-yo for that to be the case) etc which hasn't gone away despite dietary changes and exercises (aerobics,yoga,walk, you name it).

One doctor suggested that the homeopath practitioner may have been using steroids in his medication. Regardless, I was put off local homeo doctors after this experience.

My thyroid is functioning normally and I don't have PCOD. I do have emotional and psychological worries. Over the years I have had extreme phases of depression, self-esteem issues, lack of confidence and just about every negative emotion and mental weakness I could name here.

Back to my complexion, I have a dull, pale and uneven complexion which my mom describes as that of someone who has been sick for days and is anaemic (but I'm not).

I'm not sure if this helps or not but I just thought I would give a little background into my problem. Thankyou and sorry for showing ignorance. Your help is much appreciated.
[message edited by realm on Sun, 02 Mar 2014 08:25:01 GMT]

-GENDER AND AGE-. FEMALE/20 YEARS OLD
-OCCUPATION- STUDENT APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY
-USING BIRTH CONTROL PILLS IF SO, FOR HOW LONG? Never had birthcontrol pills, unmarried and never been sexually active.

What is your chief complaint? Stubborn weight/fat around lower body including hips/buttocks/thighs. Also dull, pale and lifeless complexion with uneven skin tone.

When did this complaint start? Around 13 or 14 years of age.

What was going on at this time? ( examples: emotional upsets, disappointments, illness of others, accidents, injuries, travel, new foods or
exercises) I have always had a rigid and suffocating family environment which stunted my emotional growth in terms of confidence buildup and decision making ability. I was a very intelligent student, popular in school as the 'smart' and 'confident' one but suddenly for reasons unknown to me, my grades starting falling and I started crawling into a shell, withdrawing from all school activities.
What is your opinion of the cause of the complaint? I was too young at the time to understand WHY but now I 'think' (not sure to be honest) that it may have been due to the homeopathic course I mentioned in the earlier post.

List other main complaints after this and give the same information.

HISTORY OF MEDICATIONS

Please list what medications you have taken for your complaints, Allopathic or homeopathic. I often took anti-allergies and antibiotics for seasonal flus and colds when I was young (do not remember the names now, sincere apologies), but have stopped with allopathic medicine for sinuses and colds etc for a long time now. As for the homeopathic medicine, like I said he gave self-prepared medication which did not mention the origin, name or dose of what he used.
symptoms for the choice you made?
If you have or are under the care of an MD or other homeopath, please list the tests you have had if any, and what advice you have been given. -IF YOU ARE TAKING TREATMENT FROM ANY ONE ELSE IN THE FORUM,THEN PLEASE LINK WITH THREAD.


write yes or no in capitals in front of the u/m symptoms.will review the case.

Sudden, intense ailments from fright. YES
Anxiety and restlessness with complaints. YES
Fears that do not subside. YES
Faintness or dizziness upon waking up. YES
Sudden fever with one cheek red, the other pale NO
Intolerance of pain.
Painful urination with anxiety NO
Pains followed by numbness and tingling. YES
Eye pain and injuries ONLY EYE PAIN
Throbbing headache. YES (including migraines and otherwise)
Unquenchable thirst. Dry mouth and 'feeling' of thirst but not actually thirsty.


Emotional upset YES
Fear YES
Anxiety YES
Extended period of unusual or continued mental exertion YES
Dizziness YES
Diarrhea YES
Craving for sweets and salt. Craving for strong flavors. CRAVING FOR SPICY FOOD
Enthusiastic and suggestible, with a tendency toward peculiar thoughts and impulses.YES


Anxious YES
Anxiety associated with later stages of head cold, with sneezing
Asthma worse after midnight, fears suffocation while lying down YES
Fearful YES
Irritable YES
Restless YES
Sleepiness but insomnia YES
Thirsty for frequent small drinks YES
Weak and exhausted YES
Desires air but sensitive to cold NO
Vomiting with or without diarrhea after eating and drinking NO


Increased perspiration YES
Night sweats OCCASIONALLY
Cold hands and feet ONLY DURING THESE WINTERS, OTHERWISE I ALWAYS HAVE WARM HANDS AND FEET
Dizziness YES
Nausea NO
Ravenous hunger NO
Aversion to fats YES
Craving for eggs NO
Eyes sensitive to light YES
Pale face YES
Large appetite with slow digestion SLOW DIGESTION AND SMALL APPETITE


Nervousness YES
Apprehension YES
Anxiety prior to an examination or public performance YES, IT IS ALMOST LIKE MY HEART WILL JUMP OUT OF MY CHEST
Fatigue and aching of whole body YES
Limbs, head, eyelids heavy YES
Headache YES
Scalp sore to touch YES
Sore throat NO
Lack of thirst YES
Dizziness, trembling, fatigue, dullness YES


Vomiting NO
Sensation of a lump in the throat YES
Chills with fever NO
Thirst during chills NO
Chills relieved by warmth NO
Cramping pains in the abdomen or back YES
Headaches that feel like a nail driven into the side of the head YES
Skin very sensitive to drafts
Introspective YES
Sad YES
Brooding YES
Tearful YES
Rejects company YES
Disappointed YES
Grieving YES
Insomnia from emotional distress YES
Nausea relieved by eating YES
Eating intensifies hunger NO


Exhaustion YES
Deep anxiety and inability to cope YES
Headaches YES
Jumpy and oversensitive YES
Startled by ordinary sounds NO
Backaches YES
Nervous digestive upsets YES

Shakes head without any apparent cause YES
Facial contortions SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M NERVOUS
Gassy, constipation or diarrhea YES
Sour belching YES
Claustrophobia YES (RECENT DEVELOPMENT)
Irritability YES
Digestive upsets with gas and bloating YES
Craves sweets, warm food and drink NO
Night cough NO
Wants to be alone YES
Cranky on waking YES
Bullying tendency NO
Fear of failure YES
Breaking down under stress YES

Tongue feels dry YES
Mucous membranes dry YES
Nausea NO
Insomnia YES (I FIGHT SLEEP BECAUSE OF OVERTHINKING)
Claustrophobia DEVELOPED RECENTLY
Migraine headache YES
Vomiting NO
Pains around eyes YES
Craves salt and dry foods YES
Weepy but won't let others see it. (Wants to be alone to cry.) YES
Consolation aggravates them YES
Angry from isolation YES
Fright, grief, anger YES
Nervous, discouraged, broken down YES
Depressed YES

Anxious YES
Fearful YES
Weak YES
Associated with hoarseness YES
Tight heavy chest YES
Dry rasping cough NO
Burning pains in stomach, abdomen, between shoulder blades YES
Thirst for cold drinks that are vomited NO
Nausea SOMETIMES
Night sweats SOMETIMES

Sensitive YES
Weepy YES
Wants attention and sympathy YES
Changeable symptoms and moods YES
Craves open air YES
Sensitive to heat YES
Dry mouth with lack of thirst YES
Rich food upsets stomach OCCASSIONALLY
Insomnia from recurring thought YES
Head colds NO
Loose cough, worse at night NO
Delayed menstrual period with scanty flow NO


Worry YES
Overwork NO
Headaches YES
Difficulty concentrating YES
Exhaustion, YES
Over sensitivity YES
Overreact and devote attention to tiny details YES
Low stamina YES

do you have a mind which you feel is perverted? YES, but I'm a little repulsive to sex and sexually explicit content.
are you arrogant? I do have inner battles with arrogance but have NEVER been actually arrogant with anyone because I have strong guilt issues.
do you over estimate yourself? I'm too conflicted, sometimes I feel like I'm all that and spiritually, intellectually and otherwise special but soon after I degrade myself in my head and tell myself I'm below everyone and a loser at everything, far below average.
do you feel that you are from A SUPERIOR FAMILY AND YOUR FRIENDS FROM LOW FAMILY AND YOU LOOK DOWN UPON THEM? Like the above case, inner conflicted battle between YES and NO.
DO YOU IMAGINE YOUR BODY IS LARGE AND THOSE OF OTHERS SMALLER? YES, I have body image issues. I can't get my head off the fact that my 'hips and buttocks are too large and people are looking at me and making fun of me behind me)
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT NON SERIOUS MATTERS? YES
palpitation AND TREMBLING ABOUT THE LIMBS DURING EXCITEMENTS? YES
DO YOU IMAGINE THAT YOU DO NOT BELONG TO THIS RACE? YES (this is a very strong feeling that I have always thought to be unique to me and one noone really understands)
NUMBNESS IN WHICH PART OF THE BODY? Sometimes legs and feet but hands and fingers are often numb. This numbness is aggravated when I 'half-life' in bed or recline on a sofa or lie with an elevated head posture. Also when I write, type, squeeze, bend, or pick something heavy with my hands. There is intense pain AND numbness + tingling because of this in my arm, hands, shoulders and collarbone with discomfort and twitching in neck.
MUCH FLATULENCE AND FERMENTATION IN THE STOMACH? YES, in both upper and lower part of stomach.
SENSATION AS IF THE WHOLE ABDOMEN WAS TIGHTLY CONSTRICTED? YES
HALF DIGESTED STOOL,ADHERES TO THE ANUS AS IF CLAY? YES, I never feel like I've emptied my bowels completely and spend a long time in the toilet.
UNBEARABLE SEXUAL EXCITEMENT AND VOLUPTUOUS CRAWLING IN THE GENITALS? NO
PERIODS EVERY 14 DAYS? NO, periods are regular

feeling of being controlled by another YES
out of sorts with your rhythms YES
feeling of living out someone else's expectations YES
feeling as if you are being fed off emotionally or psychologically YES (I feel drained and exhausted emotionally and psychologically around people, some more than others)
feeling of losing your will YES
over estimatimation of energy reserves YES
full of self-denial YES
you become a rescuer, addicted to rescuing people YES
drained YES
feeling of becoming a doormat YES
you have forgotten who you are YES
let me know the color of your .TONGUE : It often has a white film despite brushing it off and trying oil-pulling. It is also dry but slimy.

CUT PASTE THE SYMPTOM APPLICABLE TO YOU

1.Cracked appearance of the tongue without pain.


2. Pimples on it,white ,furred,.



3.Flabby,resembling a layer of dried clay.Yellow coating at the base/clay colored coating.



4.



5.grayish white,dryish,/slimy.



6.White/slimy/.Seems as if it would cleave to the roof of the mouth due to dryness



7Yellow and slimy coating.Witish edges(sometimes),Insipid taste or taste lost.Lips , tongue and gums white

.

8.

9.Coating slimy/clear/watery,with small bubbles of frothy saliva covering the sides.Vesicles on the tip.Sensation of hair/dryness of mouth and tongue.



10. Yellow creamy coating at the back part of the roof of the mouth./ Moist, creamy or Golden yellow coating at the back part of the tongue.Blisters and sensation of hairs at the tip.

.

11.

12.sensation of hair on the tongue

13 visid mucus in mouth. Bitter taste.

14.




ANY OTHER CONDITION OF THE TONGUE.

BODY ODOR? YES, armpits and feet.

SWEATING FROM FEET AND ODOR? YES

feeling of suffocation when wearing a tie. Not a tie but highnecks make me uncomfortable

any funny sensation in the body,delusions etc: Feeling of something crawling on my body

YOUR PAST TURMOILS?

sleeping habits,and any other peculiarity under the sun your body and mind is experiencing which is not normal. I change sides ALOT when sleeping, hug a pillow to rest arm on it as I cannot sleep if my arms are hanging low (not for emotional comfort). I drool and have been told I grind my teeth and make sounds like I'm eating something in my sleep. Also, I am often awoken by realizing I'm biting hard on my tongue, and it feels like my tongue doesn't rest comfortably between my teeth, as if there's not enough room for it.

CUT PASTE THE U/M SYMPTOM APPLICABLE TO YOU

SENSATIONS
-Sensation of coldness in the back between the shoulders.

-Part of the body being separated from the rest of the limbs.

-Diarrhoea and constipation are also cured with this symptom. Sensation of sand in the eyes.

-Feels as if two noses.

-As if insects crawling on face.

-As if bone in throat.

-Downward dragging from shoulder. As if tied up in knots.

-As if something passing out of rectum.

-As if flies and spider crawling all over body.

-Head remedy for burning sensation in any part. Sensation of tight band round the head. Lump of hair in throat. Lump of ice in chest. Mouse running up arms and chest.

-Sensation of cobwebs, bugs or insects crawling on face.

-Sensation as if cold air is blowing on him. Sensation of dust in the air passages causing cough.

-Sensation of sinking.

-Sensation of emptiness.

-Sensation as if walking on the ends of the bones of the legs and did not have any feet.

-Sensation of cobweb on face; tries hard to brush it off.

-Sensation of a rat running up the legs. Sensation of passing electric current from head to limbs.

-Sensation as if something alive were walking about in head in circles.

-Sensation of a cap on head. Sensation as if her head was on the pillow but knows not where the rest of the body is.

-Sensation of face growing large.


-Sensation of weak, hollow and gone feeling in head.

-Sensation as if head and nose would burst; as if loose bones rubbed against each other in the nose; as if a hair high up in the nostril; a hair on back of tongue. Sensation of a drop of urine remaining in urethra.

=Sensation as if gentle shocks of electricity were passing through h the body.

=Sensation as if foot is perspiring.

=Sensation of heaviness of lower limbs and feet. Numbness and jerking of limbs.

=Sensation of closely fitted cap on head.

=In the morning sensation of not having slept enough.

=Sensation of sand in the eyes.

=Sensation as if the hair were pulled. Soreness of the hair follicles. Better by wrapping the head tightly.

=Sensation of quivering all over the body and in the limbs without visible trembling.


(Note: - These are merely illustrations, a few which have occurred to other person, and are given that you may understand what is meant by sensations. Always give the locations as well of the sensations.)

BETTER OR WORSE
(Note 1 :- This section refers to each disease, each sickness and to every symptom. No matter what the trouble may be it is necessary to be refer to this section. Be sure that the aggravation or amelioration you notice is from the course given.)
(Note 2 :- The time of an aggravation or amelioration refers to the year, the month, the week, the day, the night, or the hour.)
State at what time your troubles or any single symptoms, is made better or worse.
- State what season of the year, what time in the month, whether the phases of the moon cause either, what part of the week, what hour of the day or night the trouble or single symptom comes on or is made better or worse.
- Is there any position which you may assume that causes a particular trouble or any single symptom to be better or worse? It may be when you first lie down; or after lying down awhile or rising after sitting or on sitting after standing, walking; walking much; walking in the house or in the open air, or in the cold air ; or at night; running, running rapidly or slowly; when stooping over, after
stopping, or on rising from stooping; leaning the head backwards, forwards; to one side or leaning the head on the table or the hand; lying with head high or low; lying in some particular position ; crawling on the hand + knees or some other or many possible positions.

- Does anything cause the trouble or a single symptom to be better or worse ? It may be reading ,writing , music ascending or descending the stirs or a hill, biting the teeth together ,blowing the nose , before or after one of the meals, breathing, breathing deeply, when chewing food, when eating or drinking, closing or opening the eyes , looking up, down or sideways, from heat, cold, from warm or cold air heat of stove or sun, dry or moist air going into the air or going into the warm, sunlight or lamplight from excitement, fight, grief, grief, sorrow fasting, some kind of food or drink
motion or quiet, when nose is discharging or is dry, from gratification of passions , scratching, rubbing, beginning of sleep, during a storm, thunder storm, snow storm, swallowing food, drinking of saliva, talking, singing, hearing other talk or sing, music touch, turning over in bed, covering up or uncovering, wet dry, windy or cloudy weather.
(Note 3:- The above is given to impress on the mind the great importance of noticing what may seem to be little things.)
PERIODS.
At what age did you have your first menses? 12 or 13
- Had you any trouble before or during the first period? NO

- Have you, at any time, had you menses stopped or decreased by getting feet wet, from a general wetting, from cold, fright weakness, sickness or any other cause? NO

- Have menses been irregular or painful at /since a particular time? Painful since 4 months but not irregular
- Are your menses too frequent, too seldom, delayed, regular, early, and late? If so how often do they come? Regular, every month.

- Do you have the whites or nose bleed during menses? NO

- How long do menses last? 7 to 8 days on average

- Do excitement of exertion bring menses on? NO

- When does the flow increase, decrease or cease? Afternoon, day only, evening, lying down, morning, motion, at night only, walking? Mention only things that affect the flow? Exertion of any sort increases the flow, otherwise it is the same throughout the day.

- Character of the flow, describe the flow very carefully acrid, black, bright red, brown, changeable, clotted, lumpy, conspicuous, dark excoriating ( making parts sore) , fetid or foul ,greenish , gushing hot ( unduly so),membranous (shreds), milky, mucus? On the first 3 days, it is thick and mucus like and sometimes a few blobs and bright red/maroonish, after the 3rd day, it gets liquify and colour turns a little brownish.

- What is the odour? Like that of usual blood, only a little stronger.

Before the menses
- Various troubles of the abdomen. Troubles of the back. Difficulty in breathing. Troubles of the chest. Chill, chilliness, eruptions

-head troubles, headache, pain in arms or legs, itching of the breasts, mental changes Nausea or vomiting, bleeding of nose, ovarian troubles, pain restlessness, sexual excitement, urinary trouble, great weakness or weakness, Describe all such troubles, and others as directed in various sections.

During Menses; - Pain in abdomen and back that is not relieved much with allopathic med 'Buscopan Plus'. Hot packs do provide considerable relief. Emotionally vulnerable, snappy and easily overwhelmed and depressed and hopeless. NO leuccorrhea during menses. Very weak and lethargic but easily sexually excited. Pimples, especially on the chin and forehead.

After The Menses: - Many of the troubles referred to above may occur after the menses. Give all the complaints carefully as above: No trouble after menses.
.
Leucorrhoea (the whites ) :- Aluminous (like white of an egg ), cold, cream like, dark, like jelly, greenish, in gushes, lumpy, mucous, opaque, starchy, sticky, suddenly coming & going, tenacious, thick, white, yellow

Additional Problems:

Excessive leuccorrhea problem. Incontinence issues as well, though incontinence is experienced in constant small droplets and the feeling of 'being loose' down there, don't know how else to describe the feeling. I have never wet my bed, even during childhood but had a short phase soon after puberty where I would have to change trousers quite a few times a day because of failure to control myself.

I also have very frequent all over body aches, muscular and joints since very young. My nose aches alot, along with my eyes and temples and cheek bones. I have very bad knees, to the point where they ache almost all the time, and are ofcourse made worse with motions like standing up from a sitting position, climbing or going down stairs or any sort of incline, jumping or bending etc. Even being in the same sitting position will end in extreme pain when I try to move them.

I sweat profusely in the armpits, feet and hands when nervous. Another unusual trigger is talking on the phone; it really makes me sweat and hot.

My last concern that I can think of right now is anxiety and lack of confidence. There is no other way to explain it's intensity other than that I start panicking at the SMALLEST of situations; being alone with just one person, talking to someone, being the centre of attention, at school, outside, everywhere.

There really is so much going on that honestly I'm not even sure if the list is exhaustive. Even posting this online makes me so nervous and uncomfortable.
[message edited by realm on Sun, 02 Mar 2014 14:12:38 GMT]

I do sweat on my head, but again this is a problem that was much worse when I was younger. Infact my mom often says only my head would be sweating profusely to the point that I would soak her shirt where my head lay in her lap. However it doesn't happen anymore to the point of wetting my pillow, only sometimes during afternoon naps.

I will purchase them today and report back after a week like you suggested. However I would like some guidance on what symptoms of improvement should I be keeping an eye out for during this week? (Considering I have so much going on, I don't want to miss any signs of improvement.)

Thankyou so much.

I have only found silicea 6x in tablet form, while the other two are in solution form (in 200). How should I go about taking them?

I just thought I'd check in and update on my progress. It's my 4th day on medication today, will start with Silicea tomorrow. So far so good, no change whatsoever though, for better or for worse, but I'll obviously write back by the end of the week and hopefully have better news! :)

Thankyou so much again.


P.S. Is it possible that I'm breaking out terribly (sore pimples/boils) due to some detox (?) or something after taking these? Also, I've been feeling EXTREMELY depressed and hopeless since the last couple of days.

Thankyou both for your advice and recommendation. I completed the course day before yesterday, and would like further guidance regarding next course of action.

I do not have any other progress to report other than one significant thing that happened. On the second day of taking Silicea 6x (the sixth day, that is), I passed stool without the feeling of 'unfinished' business after YEARS. I was slightly constipated but the feeling of having fully relieved myself was one I haven't experienced in a LONG time, so THAT was very encouraging. Other than that, I'm sorry to report no other changes that I could notice, whether physical, emotional or psychological.

Please advice regarding next course.

I'm thankful to both you and Sir/Ma'am Evocationer for your input, time and effort. I really appreciate your guidance.

Should I continue Silicea? Or the other ones? Sorry I do not quite understand.

I feel so bad posting here after sooo long, and I'm well aware this is no way to proceed with a treatment but I have been through a very stressful and unfortunate week. I have been having episodes (the first time in my life) that I can only explain as mild panic attacks, the changing weather and rain spells on top of that have made my depression worse. Physically there's been no positive change whatsoever. If anything, I feel drained and exhausted of all energy and life.

I have something I'd like to mention that struck me today. I was diagnosed with the presence of helicobacter pylori bacteria (through a stool test) 2/3 years ago, which I was told is very common. The only reason I was even treated for it was because I was having severe stomach aches that were unbearable and immune to even strong painkillers. I was prescribed two courses of Flagyl (with some other digestive medicines I suppose, memory fails me), both courses were two-week long each (the first failed, hence the next course).

Then last year, around September I had a bad vaginal infection that I never went to a doctor for. The area felt like it was sore, itchy, burning and unbearable with a foul smelling yellowish and greenish discharge. Along with it, my head smelled foul and greasy all the time with ALOT of flakes (I had never had dandruff before, ever), as well as acne on my face and flakes all over body (not necessarily dryness). It took over 6 months to get better, my head and face symptoms went away. This winter however they came back again (the head smelling bad and greasy with flakes and face acne) and this time my mouth smells very bad and slimy yet dry, even after brushing . I was suspecting that it MAY be a candida/yeast problem so I have incorporated home-made yogurt into my diet starting today, hoping to see some positive changes.

Again, I'm sorry for being so irregular and irresponsible with the replies.