case study Parkinson's

[Guest guest]

I have a patient whose wife is quite worried about the swings in his

condition. I told her I would check with some professionals on his

case.

 

After his last acupuncture treatment he got much worse. However, I

tend to atribute that to his decision to stop taking Requim, the

medication his team prescribed. Requim is a dopamine agonist, and he

had been taking 7.5 mg/day for several weeks to see if it improved

his condition. Although he shows signs of Parkinson's, it has not

been

conclusively proven. The medication should have showed if he was

sufferring from a lack of dopamine, or if he had a variant disease

such as Shy-Dragers. He stopped his meds because I directed him to

the PDR when he complained of weakness and asked me if it might be

the Requim. Requim can cause drowsiness, syncope etc. But enough

about that-I have asked him and his wife several times to please talk

to their doctor about his decision. In meantime, as promised, I

wanted to post the TCM treatment of his disease to this group of

experienced practioners, in case there is something I'm overlooking

or not addressing.

 

The patient is a middle aged man, presenting with left sided weakness

and tremor in the little finger of the left side. His gait seems to

improve a bit after acupuncture. He has balance problems and lists to

the right. His affect is blunted. His movements are slowed but he

shows no signs of wasting of muscles.

 

He has a history of alcohol abuse although he stopped drinking years

ago.He has worked with toxic chemicals, such as underground storage

facilities, in the past.

 

The first time I saw him he had water and food retention in addition

to his other problems. (I will write about the deficiency aspect in a

minute)His tonge was dark reddish-purple,with pale sides and it had a

deep central crack with a greasy coat. There was foam on his tongue.

His pulse was full and surging. He was only having a BM every 48

hours. He had lost 25 pounds recently, but is still heavy set with

color on his face (a tan?) The veins on his left leg were purplish,

and his left leg was slightly swollen. Based on those set of

symptoms, I included Liver wind with phlem in my diagnosis and gave

him Bao He Wan pills in addition to his powder to relieve the six

stagnations.

 

The next time I saw him his tongue color had improved, although the

tc was still greasy and thick, with cracks. His pulse had improved in

the surging quality, but was fluctuating in nature. (Diffeernet beats

had different qualities). He was having bowel movements once a day

and felt his food was digesting well.

 

The deficiency root was considered to be Kidney on the basis of the

following symptoms: lower back pain, getting cold easily with cold

hands and feet, impotence, frequent urination with urination twice a

night, and slight difficulty in holding the urine.

 

He also has a hx of low blood pressure witrh dizziness, but did not

currently have that.

 

I gave him Gou Teng Yin for a week with 1 gr Wu Gong added, and when

he came back the second time he also stated that he had more energy,

the urination was reduced in frequency, and his back no longer hurt.

I was encouraged by this and made him up one bag of raw herbs to try,

which he has not tried yet.

 

Gou Qi Zi 10 (Du channel)

Tian Ma 6

Gou Teng 15

Shi jue ming 10

Zhi shi 10

Yaun zhi 10

Yin Yang Huo 10

Sheng di 15

Du Zhong 10

Lian Qiao 15

Hunag Qin 10

Gan Cao 6

and 1 gr Wu Gong

 

The day after his treatment his wife called in a near panic asking if

his treatment with me could make him worse, because he was suddenly

very weak.

 

I open the Du meridian. Last time I did DU16,GB 20/21/34 and ashi

(His shoulders were tense from doing internet research). I put moxa

on Du 4.

 

In the front I did Sp 6, SJ 5, Liv 2/3, Kid 3 and St 40.

 

Does anyone have an opinion about the Du channel being opened? Or

might I have used more points then advisable? I know it may just be

his medication discontinuence, but I just want to make sure.