Cerium phosphoricum in Crohn's disease

Cerium Phosphoricum case of Crohn’s disease


A 45 year old man came with M. Crohn as well as slightly raised blood pressure.
Because of his work as an airline pilot he needed to be in excellent health, but he did not want to resort to the traditional allopathic medication for relieving either complaint. “I’ve always sought methods that encourage me to heal myself, such as homeopathy, relaxation techniques, and diet. I like to work things out for myself rather than being told what is right or wrong for me. I am spiritually inclined, and have made a conscious choice to have my kids at the Steiner School, as it coincides with my beliefs.”


He is of slight build, medium height, and has sandy red hair and freckles. His expression is one of almost boy-like eagerness, yet reticent at the same time. He tells of himself: “I used to be so terribly shy, it was painful. My parents were shy, too, they were not comfortable in contact with others, and kept pretty much to themselves. They were afraid of many things, and did not encourage us kids to mix with other children. If there was a party at school, for instance, we were only allowed to go for an hour or so, and then we would be picked up. They did not want us playing rambunctious games, anything where we could get hurt, and I never developed a good “body” sense. I would stay inside and watch the other kids playing soccer and such, and wish I could be with them. I felt shut off from friends. At school I was teased a lot, as I was bright and wore glasses, and not at all sporty. They called me “little professor”. I had one good friend, but at a certain point even he betrayed me, and went along with the teasing of the others. I was too shy to ask girls out, even though I felt very attracted. I married the second woman ever I dated, we are a very good match.”
“My illness started when I was training to fly large airplanes, a step-up from the smaller ones that I had been flying. I was nervous about the huge responsibility. These days I fly domestic flights (in New Zealand) rather than international ones, as I don’t like to be away from home so much, and I don’t like the atmosphere of the flight staff, with all the wild partying.”
“I know that my illness is playing up when I get blood in my stools, or a very uncomfortable belly. I can usually bring it back to some stressful event or period in my life. It is not really food-related. I can become nervous about small things, and suffer terribly from a lack of confidence. I just can’t seem to make decisions when it comes down to personal matters. I can go about six times around the same round-about on my way back from work, wondering if I should first go to the dry-cleaners or pick up my wife. I am hesitant to make contacts, even to phone the electrician for instance, and I avoid confrontations at all costs. My illness flared up badly when I knew that I should be asking for a pay rise – I never got up the nerve to do it.”


Analysis:
The auto-immune disease M. Crohn points in the direction of a lanthanide, as does his desire to heal himself from within, and his spiritual beliefs. His build, hair colour and his eager expression point to a Phosphorus remedy, as do his issues around friends and making contact, and his tendency to bleed. His lack of confidence places him on the left side of the periodic table, where one is still building up confidence rather than exuding it. Due to his history of being teased at school, and his extreme lack of confidence in making decisions I first gave him Lanthanum Phosphoricum 200C. On returning he reported feeling physically much better, no more belly problems despite a lot of pressure at his work. But he was still concerned about his blood pressure, which had not changed, and still mentioned feeling quite shy and reserved. The next remedy was Cerium Phosphoricum 200C, another lanthanide, one to the right of Lanthanum. It was given once per month for three months, then once in a 1M potency. Of this remedy is written that it is like being under a glass dome, unable to make contact with the outside world. All the capacities are there, but they are not put to use, as one is retreating into oneself rather than daring to move outward. After this remedy he improved markedly, both physically and emotionally. There have been no further complaints of M. Crohn’s now for over two years, and his blood pressure has normalized. He is finding a sense of ease within himself that is new to him, a confidence and assertiveness he had longed for but never achieved. “I no longer feel so plagued by the little things that would bother me, it seems strange to me now that I could have let myself get so wound up over things.”


Deborah Collins
forphilo@clear.net.nz