Cold and heat in a depleted patient.

[Guest guest]

I have a patient, extremely depleted, very cold all over, hypothyroid,

and very thin, with skin that looks pale and papery. She is always

extremely cold- wears coats in the summer and three layers of socks and

must be treated in an 85 degree room. But her tongue is quite red on

the body and sides with no coat. The shape is narrow, long and pointed,

with a deep central crack and high ridges flanking it. Her pulse if

fine, weak, veins are narrow and feel insufficiently filled, but with a

somewhat rapid rate, weak in both kidney positions and in the lung

position and stronger in the stomach.

 

Western diagnoses: GERD, Spastic colon (responds to serotonin), Candida

at the (most severe) blood level, Allergy to molds and fungii,

Hypothyroid (takes Cytomel), Osteoporosis, Chronic sinusitus,

Malnutrition/malabsorbtion, Cervical disc very inflamed and extremely

herniated (for which she was taking colchicine in her IV, but became

concerned about toxicity.) Has gotten trigger point injections for her

chronic back pain. Recent history of pneumonia, treated by antibiotics.

 

Her presenting complaint was asthmatic like respiratory problems with

sinus, but she feels that the root of her issues is her stomach, and I

agree. She has been tested twice, five years apart, by endoscopy and a

swallowed pellet, with a too-alkaline pH of 7 both times. She has a

significant stomach erosion that has not responded to allopathic

treatment. As a result she cannot eat acid foods, and she seems to have

trouble with alkaline foods as well, even lettuce or most other

vegetables. (I personally think it has more to do with mechanical pain

from the erosion than pH.) The food causes cramping and bouts of

diarrhea. She has complicated this with a belief system that nothing

acid should be taken, so fatty acids and amino acids frighten her.

Since she has absorbtion problems she takes IV and intramuscular vitamin

and mineral coctails weekly and was recently tested and found to be

deficient in Omega 3s and 6s. She is on a strict candida diet as well

as prescription antifungals. She describes herself as allergic to

anything fungal. Most likely has leaky gut. She is fatigued,

depressed, frustrated, isolated (homeschools an adopted LD child but

will be putting him in college soon) and knows that emotion and stress

are complicating factors. Overthinks. Many herbs cannot be tolerated,

although she likes licorice. She responds to very low dosages of

medicinals. Blood sugar is not an issue. Her blood pressure is low.

She has a sedentary indoor existence (although she lives in a 4th floor

walkup) and suffers from back problems.

 

She has elements of stomach and kidney yin and kidney yang deficiency,

with low mingmen fire. Given the presence of inflammation and a red

tongue in an extremely cold person, would be a condition of false cold?

 

My treatment plan is to start with the stomach erosion since she is

unable to absorb food or most herbs. I am using powdered licorice three

times a day taken in hot water . The licorice is also good from a

position of helping the lungs, hormonally balancing and addressing weak

adrenals,

 

I have started her a teaspoon 1:1 calendula-infused walnut oil for the

erosion, cod liver oil and probiotics. I am also asking her to

topically apply sunflower oil all over her body and she added Vicco

turmeric cream topically to warm her.

 

At the moment she prefers herbal singles so she can monitor the impact

of each item, but I suspect that she will eventually consider formulas.

When she can take it, I was thinking of adding rou gui to bring back

the mingmen fire and add mucilaginous substances. I had been thinking

of You gui yin, possibly without the poria, for the yin and yang

deficiency, but the tongue has me wondering if I considering her

condition appropriately. She is receiving acupuncture with an emphasis

on rebuilding her Spleen and Stomach function (only receives front

treatments because she is too cold to be treated in the office.)

 

Any suggestions would be useful.

 

--

Karen Vaughan, Licensed Acupuncturist, and Herbalist

253 Garfield Place

Brooklyn, NY 11215

 

(718) 622-6755

 

Co-Conspirator to Make the World A Better Place: Visit

http://www.heroicstories.com/ and join the conspiracy

See my Acupuncture and Herbs website at: http://ksvaughan2.byregion.net/

And my website at Avon Walk for Breast Cancer 2005

 

--

Karen Vaughan, MSTOM

Licensed Acupuncturist, and Herbalist

253 Garfield Place

Brooklyn, NY 11215

 

(718) 622-6755

 

Co-Conspirator to Make the World A Better Place: Visit

http://www.heroicstories.com/ and join the conspiracy

See my Acupuncture and Herbs website at: http://ksvaughan2.byregion.net/

And my website at Avon Walk for Breast Cancer 2005