Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi Isobel, What is her prescription and how long has she been taking it? Mandy isobel wrote: Dear all, I have a 79 year old patient with severe generalized pruritus - no rash, just excoriation... She gets very little sleep because of it and her doctor has said it's eczema and given her the usual steroid creams etc. She is on a cocktail of drugs - levothyroxine, tranulcypromine, trifluoperazine (depression), alendronate sodium (osteoporosis), Simvastatin, Aspirin (a couple of mini strokes a few years ago), docusate (constipation - life-long), Azathioprine (for the itching)! Her bloods have come back with nothing significant...very slight iron deficiency so have got her on floradix now. I expected something like biliary cirrhosis to come up but there's nothing identifiable other than the medication. I'm not sure if one of the drugs in particular is responsible, or whether it's psychogenic - she has a long history of depression and a couple of suicide attempts. She's also been told she may have ME and is very fatigued. I've been treating her with lots of liver support, gentle adaptogens, nervines and depuratives, but with only a minor improvement. She's also not responded to any sleep mixes I've come up with.... I'm feeling a bit stuck - can anyone help!? All input appreciated. Thanks, Isobel Isobel Ravden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 Hi Mandy, I've been treating her since September, with Carduus, Tarax rad, Avena as the mainstay - Scutellaria lat. has become and Withania replaced by Astragalus, due to the level of her fatigue. Rehmannia has also been added into the Rx since about 3 weeks ago as an adrenal tonic and anti-inflammatory and its TCM association with constipation, internal heat and skin eruptions. thanks, I. Isobel Ravden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Dear Isobel, Rehmannia is not advised when there is bad elimination. Unless a person has very good bowel movements it should not be included in the prescription. Withania, also is a " heating herb " and I don't believe it is a good herb in this case. Herbs like centella asiatica, lavender, chamomile, borago etc. for cleansing: arctium lappa, (Neem & Sarsaparilla is a good combination). You could visita Pukka herbs website, they have really good formulas for all sorts of chronic conditions. Hope this helps Iria Schiller > Hi Mandy, > I've been treating her since September, with Carduus, Tarax rad, Avena as > the mainstay - Scutellaria lat. has become and Withania replaced > by Astragalus, due to the level of her fatigue. Rehmannia has also been > added into the Rx since about 3 weeks ago as an adrenal tonic and > anti-inflammatory and its TCM association with constipation, internal heat > and skin eruptions. > thanks, I. > > Isobel Ravden > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 9, 2006 Report Share Posted November 9, 2006 That's useful, thanks Iria - I've taken the Withania out already. I didn't know that about Rehmannia and poor elimination - why is it a no-no? Is it drying/astringent? Althea has also been recommended internally as a cooling addition to the RX... Isobel Ravden Dear Isobel, Rehmannia is not advised when there is bad elimination. Unless a person has very good bowel movements it should not be included in the prescription. Withania, also is a " heating herb " and I don't believe it is a good herb in this case. Herbs like centella asiatica, lavender, chamomile, borago etc. for cleansing: arctium lappa, (Neem & Sarsaparilla is a good combination). You could visita Pukka herbs website, they have really good formulas for all sorts of chronic conditions. Hope this helps Iria Schiller > Hi Mandy, > I've been treating her since September, with Carduus, Tarax rad, Avena as > the mainstay - Scutellaria lat. has become and Withania replaced > by Astragalus, due to the level of her fatigue. Rehmannia has also been > added into the Rx since about 3 weeks ago as an adrenal tonic and > anti-inflammatory and its TCM association with constipation, internal heat > and skin eruptions. > thanks, I. > > Isobel Ravden > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 12, 2006 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 Isobel, Simvastatin often causes eczema and itch, but in her case it probably is the whole coctail. Could be too much thyroxine as well - especially if she cannot sleep. I would probably try something topical - hemp oil or calendula oil in a bath perhaps? Plus liver support. Hope it helps --- > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2006 Report Share Posted November 14, 2006 you are very welcome. We were told that it is a " heavy " herb and should not be given unless there is good elimination. Otherwise it would " feed " the pathology, rather than helping. It is a tonic and is more appropriate for conditions of " deficiency " . In your case there seems to be a lot of " excess " according to the symptoms you described. Rehmannia should not be give until the tongue is clear. It is a nourishing herb for yin deficient people. good luck Iria > That's useful, thanks Iria - I've taken the Withania out already. I > didn't know that about Rehmannia and poor elimination - why is it a no-no? > Is it drying/astringent? Althea has also been recommended internally as a > cooling addition to the RX... > > Isobel Ravden > > > Dear Isobel, > > Rehmannia is not advised when there is bad elimination. Unless a person > has very good bowel movements it should not be included in the > prescription. Withania, also is a " heating herb " and I don't believe it > is > a good herb in this case. Herbs like centella asiatica, lavender, > chamomile, borago etc. for cleansing: arctium lappa, (Neem & > Sarsaparilla > is a good combination). You could visita Pukka herbs website, they have > really good formulas for all sorts of chronic conditions. > > Hope this helps > > Iria Schiller > > > Hi Mandy, > > I've been treating her since September, with Carduus, Tarax rad, Avena > as > > the mainstay - Scutellaria lat. has become and Withania > replaced > > by Astragalus, due to the level of her fatigue. Rehmannia has also > been > > added into the Rx since about 3 weeks ago as an adrenal tonic and > > anti-inflammatory and its TCM association with constipation, internal > heat > > and skin eruptions. > > thanks, I. > > > > Isobel Ravden > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.