Bowel Cancer - An operation - Then 5 years of alternating diarrhoea/constipation - Then a complete cure - Thanks to homeopathy!

When treating illness with homeopathy you sometimes hear of cases of cure that are really quite amazing. I got to know about this case when a colleague posted a serious illness on the ARH (Alliance of Registered Homeopaths) members' discussion group. It concerned her husband, who had bowel cancer over 5 years ago, and who subsequently suffered from alternate periods of diarrhoea and constipation that changed their lives.

I asked whether I could post her experience on this blog and she and her husband agreed to do so. More than that, she provided me with this short synopsis of the case history, which is given here in bold italics. My comments are interspersed.

I am a qualified homoeopath. I graduated in 2003, after a 4 year part-time course at the College of Homoeopathy (Midlands). 

In late July 2013 my husband was diagnosed with bowel cancer and surgery was performed in late August 2013. The cancer was located in the sigmoid colon and during surgery 18 inches of colon was removed. Doctors decided that neither chemotherapy or radiotherapy was needed. The surgery was considered a success in that all the cancer had been removed. For the next 5 years he was monitored by the surgeon’s team and the cancer did not return.

Post SurgeryWhilst still in hospital symptoms of painful, alternate diarrhoea and constipation began. He was in extreme distress (especially with the diarrhoea). The day after surgery, and unable to reach the bathroom in time, he pulled a red cord for assistance from the nursing staff but none came. 

He was discharged on about 2nd September. I cannot remember whether it was that first evening back home or the next that he experienced severe diarrhoea. He spent the evening having diarrhoea. The washing machine was in use all that evening since he had to change his pyjama trousers several times! The experience was very distressing for him. We had not been warned by the surgeon to expect such extreme post surgery symptoms so we thought them to be something that had to be expected.

However, this was to be forerunner of the next five years!
The distress that was caused by this alternating diarrhoea and constipation was considerable, and the hospital were quite aware of the condition, and the stress that it was causing.

At all consultations over the next 5 years the surgical team expressed surprise when he told them about his symptoms. He was told the symptoms were ... unusual!  It was suggested he try 'Loperamide', a conventional medication for diarrhoea, which, whilst relieving him of the symptoms, temporarily, did nothing permanently to relieve the problem. At one such consultation it was even said by a registrar that “mistakes do happen ...”  We were stunned!

So for 5 years, following successful surgery for bowel cancer, he was left with these alternating bouts of diarrhoea and constipation, and which conventional medicine could do nothing.

He has, since surgery, needed always to wear protection, in the home and outside in the wider world - very uncomfortable.  A physical cancer had been removed only to be replaced by over 5 years of a physical and mental misery. It was life changing - for both of us. 

I was, before retirement, a member of a professional association, the Alliance of Registered Homoeopaths (ARH), which has an email forum composed of homeopaths. It is used to give and share advice, especially on difficult and ‘stuck’ cases. I have contacted the forum, a wonderful group of homeopaths, several times over the 5 years, and advice was readily forthcoming. I acted upon it, searching for a remedy that might help relieve the symptoms.

During the past 5 years my husband has taken a variety of remedies, and also consulted another homoeopath.

It is worth pointing out at this stage that homeopathy is not about 'placebo'. This case is proof of this, remedies were given over this time, and none made a significant difference to the condition.

Homeopathy means treating 'like' with 'like', that is, a remedy with a symptom picture has to be found which matches the symptoms of the patient. They do NOT act if there is not a sufficient match. In other words, none of the remedies used during this time were 'homeopathic', in the true sense, that is, they were not remedies which treated 'like' with 'like'.

In January of this year (2019) the symptoms were particularly severe. He experienced a Tsunami of diarrhoea! The condition was getting worse, so I suggested that perhaps it was time for a colonoscopy bag. It would, at least, enable him to have some sort of a life, the freedom to go out without any concern about embarrassing himself. 

I decided I would ask, one final time, for help from the ARH forum. On this occasion a homeopath gave a description of what had happened to one of her patients. The symptoms she described matched those of my husband. She had prescribed the homoeopathic remedy Sulphur. Since I had nothing to lose, and more in hope than expectation, I prescribed Sulphur for my husband... 

The symptoms, which he had been experiencing for over 5 years, immediately stopped! I was flabbergasted! It had been a ‘last chance saloon’ attempt.

The homeopathic remedy Sulphur has, probably, the widest symptom picture of any remedy which we use. Yet for this reason alone we homeopaths are regularly guilty of not using it! I have been guilty of this myself, recently, for an itch that I developed a year or so ago. Nothing I tried worked. Yet Sulphur was the 'obvious' remedy. When I started taking it, within a couple a months ago, the itch had gone!

On prescribing Sulphur, even though I had not repertorised (this is the matching process) his symptoms, the remedy matched his physical symptoms. Indeed, on reading the remedy picture again (in a materia medica of homeopathy) it was obvious that it also matched his other physical symptoms, plus, importantly, his ‘whole’ symptom picture. It was what homeopathy describes as his 'constitutional' remedy! 

It is said - often - by those who do not understand the curative action of homeopathy that, “homeopathy doesn’t work...” It quite clearly does. What this case synopsis shows clearly is that the homeopathic remedy is only truly 'homeopathic' when it matches the symptoms of the patient. Otherwise it is simply a pill. It will do no harm (as can pharmaceutical drugs), but neither will it act curatively upon the presenting symptoms.

I am more than delighted to say that after over 5 years of misery, during which time he received both homeopathic and allopathic treatment, my husband is now one month into a new freedom!

No more diarrhoea, constipation or pain

Incredible! We live again!

There are many lessons that can be learnt about homeopathy from this amazing case. The main one is that homeopathy does work, and works really well. 

However, the second is that homeopathy only works when the remedy used is truly 'homeopathic', that is, the remedy description matches the patients symptoms.

Diarrhoea. Best treated with Homeopathy?

Diarrhoea is passing loose or looser, or more frequent stools, than normal. It is not normally a serious condition, but can be an annoying and embarrassing one. Acute periods of diarrhoea usually last no more than a few days, and can be accompanied by fever, vomiting and stomach cramps. Longer-term, chronic diarrhoea can be more serious, and more difficult to treat.

Note that diarrhoea, like most ailments, can be brought on my a variety of conventional medical drugs.

CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL TREATMENT

NHS Choices states, quite rightly, that “diarrhoea will usually clear up without treatment after a few days because the immune system fights off the infection”. The advantage of Homeopathy over conventional medicine, however, is that waiting for the body to recover on its own is not necessary, and remedies can be used immediately, and have been proven to shorten the period of recovery.

NHS Choices then goes on to give sensible advice about drinking fluids, including oral rehydration solutions, to avoid dehydration. It also gives some advice about what to eat.

NHS Choices then goes on to describe Antidiarrhoeal medicines, like Loperamide and Racecadotril, 

which “may help reduce your diarrhoea and shorten how long it lasts by around 24 hours”. It says that these should not be given to children, or if there is blood or mucous in the stool. This is presumably because of the side-effects of these drugs. These side-effects, some of them serious, can be found on this link.

Painkillers are the next suggestion. As NHS Choices says, these do not cure your diarrhoea, but can relieve any accompanying fever or headache. However, as is now well known, these ‘benefits’ come at a considerable potential cost, and the dangers of painkillers are now becoming so serious that doctors are increasingly reluctant to prescribe them. To read about the dangers of painkilling drugs, see this link.

NHS Choices then introduces Antibiotic drugs as a possible treatment. However, it says that “treatment with antibiotics is not recommended for diarrhoea if the cause is unknown”. The reasons given is that they will not work if the diarrhoea is caused by a virus, and antibiotics “can cause unpleasant side effects”. And, of course, there is the whole issue of antibiotic resistance too! Apparently, however, they will be prescribed if there is severe diarrhoea.

Finally, NHS Choices talks about hospital treatment “if you or your child is seriously dehydrated due to diarrhoea”. Treatment will involve administering fluids and nutrients directly into a vein (intravenously).

THE HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF DIARRHOEA

Please click here to see the evidence basis for Homeopathy

Important Note

Homeopathy does not treat illness or diseases. It treats the individual who has been diagnosed with a particular illness or disease. The distinction is important, and if you wish to read more about this, click on the chapter “Illness Diagnosis” above.

These remedy descriptions come from the Hpathy website. They are likely to help if the patients’ symptoms match with these general remedy symptoms.

Aesculus hip

Chronic diarrhoea, stool first hard and black, later becomes yellow, thin, watery associated with severe lumber and sacral pains, weakness, weariness, and sleepiness.

Aconite

Diarrhoea from checked perspiration, during heat of summer, from fight or anger, in cold nights, corrosive slimy stools, frequent and involuntary.

Aethusa cynapium 

Green, thin, bilious discharges, with violent tenesmus, stools of partly digested food, just after meal or at night. Stool loose with cutting in abdomen.

Agaricus 

Excellent remedy for diarrhea in wet weather.

Aloes 

Remarkable remedy for diarrhoea, profuse watery diarrhoea; wants of confidence in sphincter ani, early morning diarrhoea, driving out of bed in the morning;  urging of stool continuously worse immediately after eating; feeling of fullness and weight in the pelvis, with passage of urine, only hot flatus passes, giving relief but burning in anus afterwards; stool difficult to retain; even a well formed stool passes unnoticed; aggravation hot damp weather, overheating, after cold in a damp room, after chagrin; urging with intense gripping, pinching pain across the lower part of abdomen.

Nux Vomica 

Diarrhoea due to over eating and diet errors and indigestible foods; pain in abdomen before stools; stools contain undigested particles of food; diarrhoea after debauch.

Podophyllum 

Diarrhoea green watery, fetid, profuse, and gushing; Worse during teething and in the morning, while bathing or washing and in hot weather; Camp diarrhoea; Diarrhoea alternating with constipation; Prolapse of rectum, before or with stool.

Pulsatilla 

Diarrhoea after measles; stool contains undigested food particles; diarrhoea due to food poisoning.

Natrum Sulph 

Stools involuntary while passing flatus; early morning diarrhoea; great size of fecal masses.

Veratrum album 

Painful diarrhoea; watery, copious, and forcefully evacuated followed by great weakness.

Arsenic album 

Useful in cases where there is marked restlessness; anguish and intolerance of pain; quantity of stool passed is small and prostration and weakness is out of all proportion to the quantity passed; great thirst for small quantities of water at short intervals.

Croton Tig 

Stool yellow, watery, expelled suddenly, gunshot diarrhoea; aggravated by drink or food; diarrhoea associated with nausea and vomiting; every movement causes discharge.

Graphites 

Stool of brown fluid mixed with undigested substances and an intolerable fetid odour.

Sulphur 

Morning diarrhoea ordinarily at the time when the patient begins to think about rising; between midnight and morning

Antim crud 

Alternate diarrhoea and constipation in old people; diarrhoea after overheating; after nursing, after cold bathing, at night and early morning; diarrhoea with nausea and vomiting, colic and loss of appetite; diarrhoea from acid, vinegar; stool profuse, watery, with little hard lumps. Diarrhoea on alternate days, rectum inactive, even a soft, thin stool requires great straining, patient cannot pass until there is large accumulation; diarrhea when she urinates.

Argentum Nitricum 

Remarkable remedy for nervous diarrhoea, diarrhea from anticipation or apprehension; when ready to go to church, opera, theatre, etc. diarrhoea from taking sweets, from drinking; diarrhoea during dentition; stool green, flaky, like spinach, mucus, with much flatulence.

Bryonia Alba 

Diarrhoea due to suddenly checked perspiration in hot weather, from getting overheated in summers; from drinking milk; desire from cold drinks and acids, for large quantities at long intervals; bilious diarrhoea with lancinating pain.

Calcaria phos 

Diarrhoea with much flatulency, caused by juicy fruits; after vexations, in school going girls with headaches; diarrhoea during dentition.

Camphora 

Diarrhoea with great prostration and collapse; Dark brown r black stool with cutting pain in abdomen; rice watery stools

Cuprum met 

Violent diarrhoea, with cramps in the stomach and chest; frequent watery diarrhoea, with flakes; cold sweat; weak and small pulse; excellent remedy for cholera.

Dulcamara 

Diarrhoea alternating with rheumatism; stool slimy, alternately yellow or greenish, whitish, watery; frequent; scanty; corrosive, with floculli, aggravation at night and in wet weather.

Iodum 

Diarrhoea from pancreatic affections; chronic diarrhoea of an exhausting character

Ipecaucuanha 

Autumnal diarrhoea; chronic diarrhoea, continuous nausea, stool as green as grass, putrid; frequent vomiting of jelly like green mucus.

Lycopodium 

Diarrhoea after suppression of skin eruptions; stool thin brown or pale; excessive accumulation of flatulence.

Mag carb 

Stool like scum of frog pound; green or frothy white masses, floating on the green, watery stool; aggravate in hot weather, during dentition, from artificial food.

Phosphorous 

Watery diarrhoea; with lumps of white mucus; morning diarrhoea , exhausting stools; chronic diarrhoea with gradual loss of strength.

Children’s symptoms. Another good source of remedy symptoms are on the Dana Ullman website, particularly highlighting the symptoms of children.

This blog was first published on the "Why Homeopathy? website.

Homeopathy Healthy Medicine

This article first appeared at 

http://arh.blogspot.com/2012/01/healthy-medicine-8-more-evidence-for.html

In my last blog in this series, there were a couple of responses indicating that homeopathy had not been able to prove itself over the last 200 years. This is utter nonsense! Homeopathy is a form of medicine that has never been subsidised, as conventional medicine is now subsidised by the NHS. People use it because it is safe, and effective. And as patients have had to pay for it, another advantage is that it is inexpensive too.

See, for example, this article that covers a brief history of homeopathy in the treatment, and prevention, of acute diseases like Scarlet Fever, Cholera, Diphtheria, and Malaria.

For those of you who are new to homeopathy, here is an excellent description of homeopathy, and how it differs from conventional medicine. For anyone who worries about the drug-based medicine that dominates the NHS, this is well worth reading.
Indeed, as this article suggests, homeopathy is the natural way to treat both body and spirit.

And so, in order to demonstrate the kind of conditions it can treat, here is a small collection of articles that can be found on the internet. Have a look at them - and decide if homeopathy is for you.

The treatment of Influenza with homeopathy. Or alternatively, look at this article. Or this one for the prevention of colds and flu.

Homeopathy and Croup.

Homeopathy and Diarrhea.

The treatment of Carbuncles with homeopathy.

The treatment of Impotence with homeopathy.

Homeopathy and infertility.

Homeopathy and menstrual cramps.

Homeopathy and the treatment of ulcers.

In treating illness, homeopathy is always safer than conventional alternatives; and this is for many a big advantage, and why people use it initially. These articles show how homeopathy can be used rather than popular, but largely ineffective and dangerous conventional drugs.

This is an excellent article on why homeopathy should be used to treat depression, not least because the dangers and ineffectiveness of antidepressant are gradually becoming more widely known.

And with the growing awareness of the dangers of antibiotics, and increased resistance to them, this article explains why homeopathy is a better alternative.

Can piglets tell lies?

Millions of homeopathic patients know how effective homeopathy is because it worked for them. I am one of them. But denialists deny this evidence before their eyes. It is just placebo. It is anecdotal. It is unscientific. They can't explain how homeopathy works (their problem), so it does not work.

So what happens when 500 piglets benefit from homeopathy? Are they telling porkies? Have they been subject to the power of the placebo effect? The issue under research was e-coli diarrhoea, apparently a major problem for pig farmers. This randomised, double-blind trial (beloved of denialists) showed quite clear results. The farmer, on whose farm the research was conducted, was skeptical at first, but after the trial, he (like a growing band of farmers) is now embracing homeopathy for all his animals. So homeopathy marches on! There is a rather a long URL for this research - but you can find it by clicking here.

The study showed a significant reduction in E Coli diarrhoea, with the control group having over 6 times more diarrhoea that the homeopathy group. So not only homeopathy provide effective treatment of a major problem, the treatment is safe, and less expensive than conventional treatment.