The climacteric, or menopause, which usually occurs in most women between the ages of 45 and 50, but occasionally between the ages of 40 and 55, or, if post-operative, may occur any time after puberty in early life, usually calls for a certain line of treatment. Although remedies which are very useful in various types of conditions, such as the polychrests, are often the particular ones to be used, yet we are inclined to use a special group of remedies during this period of female life.
The leading symptoms encountered are delayed and irregular menstruation, profuse menstruation or haemorrhage, hot flashes, attacks of weakness, general nervous aches and pains, a vaginal discharge, hypertension and a general neurosis. To any or all of the above symptoms is usually added a general fear. Soreness and lumps in the breasts are also symptoms which are frequently noted at this period of life. These conditions are all largely treated by our contemporary Regular Physicians with use of barbiturates, estrogens and surgery. Our predecessors in Homoeopathy treated these conditions with a wonderful degree of efficiency and success.
The aborigines knew of certain plants to relieve the distress of women’s diseases. Through the centuries the results of their use have made their usefulness apparent in selected cases. Today’s needs include many methods and drugs.
The multiplicity of life of these modern times has added to these increased needs. Many women are of necessity placed in a position to bear the burdens of others; the added strain and shock have apparently made their own complaints very difficult to relieve. They often have hidden worries, which they seem unable to talk over with anyone. The past year I have seen a number of such cases.
The outstanding emotional and mental symptoms have been quite similar, inability to fix the attention, listlessness, confusion, constant desire to sit or lie, prostration on awaking, uneasiness of mind and body, discouragement and aversion to mental work, fear of their disease, sensation as if their thoughts vanished, always troubled, trying to remember something but cannot, anxiety on attempting to talk in company, anxiety on attempting to talk in a crowd, difficult in grasping ideas and coordinating thought, mute, despairing.
In the physical plane there is strained pain in the ovarian region; dark bloody discharge, uterine haemorrhage, with a sense of pressure in the uterus. All these patients should be thoroughly examined in order to assure them that you understand the case.
Mrs. W.T., age 45, taught school a number of years. She is rather obese, is the mother of one son 11 years old. Normally is very active. She is now depressed, worries about her family, worries about her work, hidden worries which can only be elicited with a great deal of effort and then only with a great deal of reluctance on her part. Has constant fear of disease. Exhausted, tired out, wants to lie down, and does so a great deal. She is always aggravated in a crowd. Latrodectus gave her such relief that she made a fifty-mile trip to have it repeated.
Mrs. G., an active, robust, congenial, sympathetic and ambitious farmer’s wife, the mother of 4 children, enjoyed her home life immensely for 25 years. But when she reached the age of her menopause, calamity struck her and she had hidden worried galore, though she had very little to say about any of her family even after careful questioning. Three members of her family were practically out of her life so far as her conversation was concerned, the home now consisting of herself, her husband and an infant grandson.
She became quite seclusive, prostrated, nervous and depressed. Her worries remained hidden as she would not speak of them. Several remedies were given her which gave her some relief but Latrodectus was the remedy which helped her immensely.
Miss S., age 50, always robust and active, quite obese, during an acute attack of apparent virus infection, developed an acute pain, tenderness and apparent firmness in the left lower quadrant of her abdomen. She had much flatulence, also pain in her arms. Latrodectus was given and 10 hours later a copious black stool was passed and relief was experienced.
Not all menopausal cases are given Latrodectus, but when it fits the symptomatology it should be exhibited.
Mrs. W.G., age 45, very active and alert and always very busy, is a telephone operator. Gave history of irregular menstruation with profuse metrorrhagia. She had an electrocauterization of cervix for an endocervicitis and was given estrogen and later vitamin K, all of which did her apparently no good. A careful physical examination revealed no abnormalities of her body, except her sensitive uterus and cervix, the cervix bleeding easily and readily after a careful bimanual examination.
Her bleeding was profuse and at times would continue several weeks at a time. She remained in bed one and / or two weeks at these times on account of the severity of the flow. After due study of her case she was given Silicea 200. which controlled her bleeding and in a few days was back at work. All this occurred over a year ago and since this time she returns occasionally for her remedy.
Some of these cases in menopause need a pessary for support and if so they are fitted and supplied with same. Should they have a fibroid or a tumor mass which I know that I cannot relieve with the indicated remedy, they are advised to have surgery for same and then are given their remedy to hasten their well-being. Any support which will add to the comfort and well-being of these of these patient in connection with their remedy should be granted. The remedy however is still selected according to the totality of their symptoms.
