Eclampsia

Dr Abhay Talwalkar

• A 28 year old 2nd gravida 6months pregnant comes for the treatment of eclamsia.

• Patient is accompanied by the mother in law

Details

• The problem started 3-4 months back with headache and edema on the feet.

• She is taking allopathic treatment for the same.

• Her hypertension is now under control but the headache is persistent

Describe more about this headache?

• The head ache is intense throbbing in nature, and I feel very restless.

• I just want to lie down and do nothing.

• A friend of mine who is a homoeopath gave me belladonna but it has not helped.

• The hypertension is under control with the allopathic medication.

Tell me more about the headache?

• The headache is here( points to the temporal region).

• It is intense throbbing and I have to hold it tight, which makes it feel better.

• I feel better if I vomit.

• The pain is worse in the morning and gets better as evening approches.

Tell me more about this pain

• The pain is as if it would burst, like I feel that the head is expanding and it will burst.

• First the intensity is less then it increases and then it becomes less, like from nothing it will reach a peak and then reduce again, and this goes on the whole day.

• I stops only in the evening

So you have head ache through out the day?

• Yes when I get these attacks they last for the whole day.

What do you do then?

• The head becomes heavy, I try to sleep but then when I lie down, head becomes more heavy so I just have to sit and hold the head tight, that gives some relief.

• I cannot tolerate light at all so I just pull the curtains and sit in the dark room.

Tell me more about the hypertension

• The hypertension started about 3 months back initially I felt it is just this headache but then I had edema on the feet and the doctor examined and told me it was due to hypertension, and I was put on allopathic drugs.

• I had a convulsion once due to hypertension.

• I was admitted in the hospital for few days when the hypertension was detected, to bring it under control and that time I had this problem.

Mother Narrates

• The face became very puffed up and red and there was frothing at the mouth.

• The doctors gave me some injections ,and I was kept under observation for 3-4 days after which I was discharged.

• I have not had this convulsion since then but the headache is persistent.

Anything else?

• Nothing more

How was your previous delivery?

• Previous delivery was normal full term, the boy is 2yrs old now.

• There was no problem like this at that time.

So you were healthy up to 3-4 months back & then suddenly the

problems started?• No before that once I had fainted and was

taken to the hospital for it.

• It was in the early days of pregnancy and we were traveling by car, my husband was driving and we were passing through a village and there were children playing on the street, our car was fast and suddenly a child came running

• I shouted to my husband, he applied brakes, but I was very scared that he will dash the boy.

• The next remember is that I was in the clinic of a local doctor.

• No body was harmed ,my husband told me that I had fainted and was brought to the doctor.

Understanding

Understanding

• A lady who has a normal previous pregnancy, comes down with the problems of hypertension and convulsions during this pregnancy.

• There is headache which is persistent and not yielding to allopathic treatment, though the hypertension is better .

• There has been a situation of intense fear which seems to have started the whole problem.

• During the headache she has to switch the lights off and sit in the dark

• Cannot tolerate light and head becomes heavy.

Following symptoms were taken for repertorization.

• Hypertension

• Convulsions during pregnancy

• Headache increases and decreases with the sun.

• Ailments from fear

The repertorization

• The repertorization gives us glonoine and belladonna coming very close

• But further comparison shows

• Glonine is more marked for the redness of face during convulsion.

• Belladona was already given to the patient in the past and it had not helped her.

Action – on 5-5 2005

Glonoine 1m 1 dose and sl for 8 days.

15/5/05

• Patient reports that she is comfortable the intensity of the head ache is less.

• Continue sl for 1 month

15/6/05

• Head ache much better

• Hypertension is under control ( the allopathic medication is still being continued)

• Edema on the feet is less

16/7/05

• No episode of head ache

• Feeling more comfortable and energetic

• Had been to her gynecologist who has now reduced the doses of the antihypertensive to half.

• She is now 8 months pregnant

Advice – to continue the S.l and the antihypertensive.

16/9/05 9.00am

• The patient Is admitted in the labor ward and in mild labor since morning and there is no progress.

• The patient says that the pains are not that strong and she cannot give enough pressure downward.

More enquiry revels

• Since 2 days the patient is having diarrhoea which is profuse and watery in nature.

Action – Carbo-veg 200 1 dose dissolved in water , one spoon to be taken every 10 mins.

After few doses

• The pains are more strong and at regular intervals.

• There is steady progress and she delivers a healthy baby boy at 10.10 am