15 y.o. girl with multiple problems

January 31, 2008

I am treating a 15 y.o. female with main c/o lowered immune

function...had spinal meningitis one year ago, just recently

recovered from pneumonia and just a few days ago had another sore

throat with mild fever. She also has temporal and occipital headache

brought on by stress. History of migraines. She has suffered from

eczema and psoriasis since she was a toddler.

Currently she has problems with reflux, nausea, poor appetite. She

has history of IBS. She has PMS - breast distention and cramps that

arrive after her period starts and it is relieved by warmth. Her BM

are normal, urine dark. She has a lot of difficulty falling asleep

and wakes up most nights at 3 am but goes right back to sleep. She

has many bad dreams. She gets dizzy whenever she stands up or gets

up from lying down. The dizziness is accompanied with an empty

feeling in her head but in the past she has had a more damp style

dizziness (felt like something wrapped around her head).

Her hands sweat easily. Her complexion is pale with slight flush in

cheeks. Her tongue is pink/purple with red tip and sides and purple

line down center. Also thick, white coating in kidney area. She is

easily irritated, especially when H/A is present.

I would love it if anyone could recommend a formula(s) that might

help her. I was thinking of starting her on Xiao Chai Hu Tang plus

Jia Wei Xiao Yao San or maybe Long Dan Xie Gan Tang? Any comments or

better recommendations? Feel free to tell me if I am off base on

these formulas. I am also open to more modern formulations and not

just the classics. Thanks in advance.

Kimberly Marin AP, RD

February 1, 2008

Hi Kimberly,

I look forward to when we can easily share tongue images via these email

lists. Kimberly, you wouldn't happen to have access to a digital camera,

would you? I've worked with written descriptions of tongue appearances for

years, but not one of them comes close to the insight provided by a single

half-decent image. (Which, as a member, you can upload to the

site.)

The only comment that I can make regarding your ideas is to ask why you

think Jia Wei Xiao Yao is preferred over Xiao Yao. Is it the red color

around the edge of the tongue and the dark urine? That red color in the tip

is so common that I don't personally give it too much weight unless I see

excessive passion (heat in Heart) or burning urination (Heart fire pouring

downward) or other Heart/Heart channel indications. I guess that the dark

urine might fit into that category. Perhaps you can quantify that too, I'm

assuming that this is being reported by the patient. Might not be as " dark "

as it is yellow from vitamins?

Because the tongue is red around its entire edge, you might be dealing with

an exterior condition that hasn't yet manifest into symptoms, or perhaps

that's part of her general immune system deficiency. Other than that, I'd

favor the Xiao Yao San to regulate the Liver/Spleen. With the Spleen working

better, the source of wei qi (and hence, immunity functions) is supported

leading to less frequent infections and exterior illnesses.

I also favor the Xiao Yao (or Jia Wei Xiao Yao) because it can nourish the

blood and her dizziness is sounding like a blood deficiency. Might be a

Spleen Qi not Rising issue too, the Bai Zhu and Chai Hu in Xiao Yao San

might cover that issue, though.

-al.

On Jan 31, 2008 8:41 PM, kimmymarin <kimmymarin wrote:

> I am treating a 15 y.o. female with main c/o lowered immune

> function...had spinal meningitis one year ago, just recently

> recovered from pneumonia and just a few days ago had another sore

> throat with mild fever. She also has temporal and occipital headache

> brought on by stress. History of migraines. She has suffered from

> eczema and psoriasis since she was a toddler.

>

> Currently she has problems with reflux, nausea, poor appetite. She

> has history of IBS. She has PMS - breast distention and cramps that

> arrive after her period starts and it is relieved by warmth. Her BM

> are normal, urine dark. She has a lot of difficulty falling asleep

> and wakes up most nights at 3 am but goes right back to sleep. She

> has many bad dreams. She gets dizzy whenever she stands up or gets

> up from lying down. The dizziness is accompanied with an empty

> feeling in her head but in the past she has had a more damp style

> dizziness (felt like something wrapped around her head).

>

> Her hands sweat easily. Her complexion is pale with slight flush in

> cheeks. Her tongue is pink/purple with red tip and sides and purple

> line down center. Also thick, white coating in kidney area. She is

> easily irritated, especially when H/A is present.

>

> I would love it if anyone could recommend a formula(s) that might

> help her. I was thinking of starting her on Xiao Chai Hu Tang plus

> Jia Wei Xiao Yao San or maybe Long Dan Xie Gan Tang? Any comments or

> better recommendations? Feel free to tell me if I am off base on

> these formulas. I am also open to more modern formulations and not

> just the classics. Thanks in advance.

>

> Kimberly Marin AP, RD

>

--

, DAOM

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

February 4, 2008

hi kimberly

as an arm practitioner the more information equals better diagnosis....

re: the spinal meningitis....what were the S/S and the treatments

re: the pneumonia....what were the S/S and the treatments

re: the migraines....what were the S/S and the treatments

re: the eczema and psoriasis...what were the S/S and the treatments....any

testing for food

allergies/sensitivities

re: the IBS ....what were the S/S and the treatments

re: the dizziness....what is her blood pressure

also pyscho social emotional dietary environment info is also very helpful

so i guess my point is thorough and complete western and chinese medical history

(with and both

past and current western and alternative treatments)..... are essential for the

possibility of

help from afar....and it is also essential to arrive at the chinese pattern

diagnosis....treatment

principle....and subsequent formula possibilities and lifestyle suggestions

jahan

--- kimmymarin <kimmymarin wrote: