By Joy Lucas RSHom.

Female, d.o.b 23/9/49 presenting complaint = depression (diagnosed as manic depressive).

It was a very cold day and she arrived with a thin jacket, wearing a skirt and no tights on her legs or socks.

Started 14 years ago with 'flu' like symptoms which didn't develop properly neuraligic type pains began "like a weight on top of head" electric shock like pains - go from back of head to top and sometimes down arms feel as if been kicked sometimes gets dizzy face gets burning hot, cheeks go red gets extremely restless with the pain and paces around, sometimes screams with the pain.

After 3 or 4 years she became pregnant with first child, after the bay was born she couldn't cope - became suicidal, she was in hospital for 3 months and had electric shock treatment, then after 2 months it all went away for 2 years, when it came back the treatment was repeated but she discharged herself because it wasn't doing her any good.

She is having cognitive psychotherapy medication = imipramine 400mg; lithium; atenolol 50mg, hrt.

She has pins and needles in the head constantly, << morning very often she is lethargic and indifferent to everything there is deadness in the head always <<< on waking she is depressed and sometimes suicidal she is in constant despair.

Swimming all symptoms >.

Fear of being in the house "because the illness is there" she doesn't like children and never wanted any feels claustrophobic.

When this all started she had a busy and stressful job - mail order firm her mother was moody and domineering, her mother would make her cry and banged her head against the wall, she would beg her to say why she picked on her, her mother frightened her with these erratic moods.

Her mother did everything for her when young and wouldn't let her grow up.

Used to be extremely shy with people, blush easily, no confidence, couldn't bear to be watched wanted to be a ballet dancer but mother wouldn't let her - still disappointed about this she feels strong inside but the illness keeps her down.

"Everything is bad", everything looks bad, nothing looks nice.

She cares about others wants to give to people, she is friendly feels no contact with husband, doesn't want to be with him, admitted to having an affair she has no interests, used to love gardening, giving everything up now, used to love dancing and dressing up memory quite bad now she cannot tolerate people making a noise when she is eating she is not afraid of death - sometimes she desires it.

Would love to travel, loves the sea, would like a cruise.

Desires a mixed diet and has no aversions prefers cold drinks, smokes needs a lot of sleep, likes windows open dreams of death and funerals.

Menses regular - started when 15, always felt terrible, bad cramps, heavy flow.

Has night sweats, gets soaking is a very warm person, has to be cool.

Has a fear of the snow.

Medical history = pneumonia and bronchitis as a baby - nearly died, h/o throat infections, usual childhood illness, some hay fever.

Family history = mother died heart attack, father a very nervous man died kidney failure, mgm heart attack, mgf brain haemorrhage, pgm heart attack, pgf stroke.

Observations = vary talkative and friendly, begs me to make her well, restless - sat on every chair in the room, asked for water and sipped it continuously.

Comments = I was concerned about her medication and we set about a very long term withdrawal procedure and she would take the remedy throughout this time.

Remedy = Agaricus 12 tds.

After 2 weeks she phones to tell me that she has stopped taking all her medications, I nearly panicked but kept telling myself this is the remedy working and this was her decision (but I was still nervous about this).
Her therapist and doctor tried to get her to stop coming to see me but she showed great clarity of mind and was determined to continue.

After another 3 weeks she phones to tell me she has left her family and gone to live with the person she was having an affair with and I ask her to come and see me.

She comes 2 weeks later, this time with a thick coat on - still restless, colour better, she cries because she feels guilty, feels lost, there seems to be no problem with the swift withdrawal of tablets (I still felt concerned about this) remedy = Agaricus 1m.

No contact until 2 months later - has been on a cruise with her new partner, now has a job, decided to go back to therapy to work out her feelings about her mother but then gave it up again.
She was given the remedy to keep in reserve.
Not seen her since.