No one at the door; a case of Neon

A woman, age unknown, was diagnosed as HIV positive in 2004 and has been on ARVs since 2008. Since taking ARVs, her CD4 count has risen from 112 to 189, which was her last count a week ago, March 2009.

She is very worried about how to raise her children. None of her kids is HIV positive.

She has itching of the skin, scars on her legs, and the beginnings of Kaposi’s sarcoma.

She experiences headaches, with pulsing pain in her temples, worse when she thinks about being unemployed and worries where she will find money to feed the family.

She is worried about getting pregnant and wants to have her tubes tied.

She has severe pain in the chest when breathing.

Before taking ARVs, she had a dream that her mother passed away and woke up crying. She also had a dream that someone was knocking on the door, but when she went to open it, no one was there.

She likes being with people and cracking jokes, making people laugh.

She has a very poor appetite and is losing weight. She also suffers from nausea. Generally, she feels weak and it is difficult for her to walk or work.

She is thirsty.

When she was diagnosed, she took the news positively. Her husband rejected her after the test and told her to leave. She was very hurt.  Now, she has to survive alone and she worries about the children.

As with many cases in Tanzania, there are very few symptoms, no modalities, and often no mental symptoms. We have learnt to prescribe on the very few symptoms that one can get out of a case, and often rely on the dreams, which are very significant in Africa. In this case, the characteristic symptoms of Neon are dreams of someone knocking at the door but on one being there, together with a bubbly, positive disposition, telling jokes, and the itchy eruptions.[1]

Prescription: Neon 30c, double dose 

Follow up

One month later: Headache and chest pains are gone. No more nausea. Appetite better. Itching is mostly gone. She has no more weakness. She says she is doing fantastically on the remedy and feels strong and happy.

Prescription: none

Five months later: “‘I just came to say how well I feel! The nausea and all my other symptoms are gone. I’m feeling strong and I have a very good appetite! I can work, so money problems are not as bad.”

Prescription: Neon 12c, daily 

Six months later:  “I haven’t been to see you since October because I have been feeling so well. Everything has been ok and my symptoms are gone. The remedy finished three months ago.  But in the last few weeks I’ve had a cough.”
The cough is worse from motion.

Prescription: Bryonia alba 30c, three times daily

Two days later: the cough is gone and she is feeling better.

Prescription: resume Neon 12c daily

Adapted with permission from the introduction of Jeremy Sherr’s forthcoming series on the noble gases. The first volume “Helium” will be published in late 2012 by Saltire Books. “Neon” and “Argon” will be published in 2013. Copyright Saltire Books Limited.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Zanzibar door; Missy

 [1] For additional information on the subject, please read the article “Letter from Africa” from Jeremy Sherr, in the May 2011 issue.