Case History Fibromyalgia

8/8/2019 Case History Fibromyalgia

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Case History

Fibromyalgia

FALLS toFlowers

lthough Bach Flower Essences are

thought to affect only emotional

imbalances, this can sometimes be the

key to the cure for a physical illness.

Conventional medicine considers

fibromyalgia incurable, and whenJuliana Perez first came to see me, shehad endured years of allopathictreatment with little relief from thealmost constant pain of this chronicdisease. As a Bach Flower Essence

Practitioner, I told her that we gentlydeal with emotional imbalances, notphysical ailments, but that I would tryto help her use this complementaryhealing modality to bring emotional


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relief during her physical distress.

By Alicia Sirkin

Imagine our mutual delight, then, whenafter using the essences for only acouple of weeks, her physicalsymptoms began to disappear. OnMarch 19, 1999, Juliana heard mespeak about the benefits of BachFlower Essences with biochemist JayFoster on his talk radio show, "HealthConnections," in Miami, Florida. Shecontacted me the same day. Herdiscomfort was more than she couldhandle, she told me, and she waswilling to try anything that might help.

Juliana was a 37-year-old slim,attractive mother of five-year-old twins.But she had trouble enjoying family lifebecause of constant pain and

exhaustion. When she arrived at myoffice, she seemed pleasant and soft-spoken, yet somewhat anxious as shetold me that she had had headaches all


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her life. Juliana was also strugglingwith sleeplessness, depression,nervousness, panic attacks andconstant exhaustion, all while trying toraise her family and tend to herparents, who were also living in herhousehold. Pain would wake her two tothree times a night. She was taking St.John's Wort for depression.

Along with her health, her personalfreedom and family life weredeteriorating. "I was really irritablewith my mom and dad for anything,and with the kids. I would get really

upset over anything." Ordinary dailyactivities like driving caused greatdistress and pain.

"The tension from the headachespulled my muscles so much that it waspainful to stretch my arms or to turnmy head. I would do an aerobics classand get a strong headache. EventuallyI stopped exercising completelybecause I didn't even have the energy


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to go." Juliana didn't know what waswrong with her. One doctor told hershe had tension headaches; another,muscle spasms. Subjecting herself tomany tests and treatments, Juliana stilldidn't get a clear answer, or a cure.

Juliana described a visit to her primarycare physician: "He put me in a dark

room and gave me a shot in the arm.We waited for ten minutes to see if myheadache would go away, but I stillhad it. The doctor told me I'm notsuffering from migraines. Then theyput iodine in the vein to find out if I had

some kind of brain tumor. A CAT scanwas negative."

Her doctor prescribed a type of aspirinwith codeine and then Valium. Thepain returned. After three days on ahigher dose, still in pain, she decidedto stop taking the drug because itdidn't seem to help. He referred her toan orthopedic physician, who reporteda narrowing of the spaces in the


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Introducing Bach Flower Essences

I explained to Juliana that when

positive states of mind are restored,the physical body responds-- andsometimes quite dramatically.Troublesome feelings such as fear,frustration, loss, anger, anxiety,sadness, depression and

hopelessness often chronicallysurround a physical illness andhamper healing--undermining theability to feel in control of theoutcome.

Bach Flower Essences (See QuickDefinition) are homeopathicallyprepared liquids. They work on anenergetic level to gently releasenegative mental and emotional states,thereby strengthening our ability tocope. Additionally, it is not uncommonfor clients to report unexpected relieffrom physical symptoms such aschronic pain, overweight and nervousor addictive habits. As a Bach Flower


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Essence Practitioner, my first step wasto help Juliana identify the states ofmind contributing to her difficulties inlife. Following the approach of Dr.Edward Bach, a British physician whoestablished his new therapy in the1930s, Bach Flower Essence therapystarts with a client/practitionerdialogue about the client's immediate

interests and difficulties. Theconsultation dialogue process isessential to the correct choice offlowers, since each essence is specificto a particular mental or emotionalstate of imbalance. Gentle to the

psyche, the process has an inherentsimplicity. It looks only at what isconsciously experienced in themoment. Initial sessions often last anhour, with subsequent visitscommonly shorter.

Peeling the layers of the onion

Ongoing use of the Bach FlowerEssences commonly results in


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"peeling the layers of the onion." Layerby layer, as a client's state of mindbecomes comfortable, hiddenemotional traumas or unresolvedissues from the past are gentlyrevealed. Peace of mind is thenrestored with the appropriate floweressences. In this natural process,longstanding wounds can be healed at

the client's pace. One of Dr. Bach'sbasic premises was to treat the wholeperson, not the disease.

In the course of one session Julianaconfided, "If something really bothers

me from the past, I keep it inside. If Idon't talk about it, I get the headachesand stress. I feel like it's reflected inmy physical body."

Quite often an individual cannotdistinguish, or is not in touch with,specific out-of-balance emotionscreating their distress. When thishappens, I help clients clearly identifywhich unwanted emotions, attitudes,


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thoughts and personality traits arehampering their happiness, success,inner peace and joy of life.

As I guide our conversation, I carefullynote clients' exact words and phrases,always looking for keywords that willsecure indications for specificbeneficial flower essences. Some

clients feel that they need support for15 to 20 different emotional states(with varying degrees of intensity) atthe same time. When this happens, webegin a prioritization process, leavingout less urgent negative emotional

states, arriving at a combinationformula of up to six or sevenessences. It is a joint effort; I never"prescribe."

Each one of us acts and reacts to ourailments in a different way. We maywithdraw, or become fearful, angry orresentful. Or perhaps we may feel likea victim, or that we deserve oursickness. The way we react toward


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illness or difficult life challengesdetermines the flower essences wechoose. For this reason, no twocombination formulas are alike for thesame illness. We consider the client'spersonality, rather than their disease.By listening closely, I have learned thateach client, on some level, holds thekey to his or her emotional

imbalances.

Personalized combination formulassuch as these are extremely valuable.Psychotherapists and psychologistswho understand the use of essences

as an adjunct healing modality referclients to me for integrative therapy. Inthis way, the essences affordassistance for advancing the cognitivepsychotherapeutic process.

In casting light into the shadows oflong-held traumas, a client comes intoan area of clarity sometimes for thefirst time. When taking the BachFlowers, my clients often report feeling


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lighter, happier and more at peace thanthey have in months and sometimesyears. And yet, the flowers are sosubtle in their effects that some peoplereport after many weeks that they can'tfeel the essences working at all--until Iremind them of how they felt whenthey first came to see me. Then theyrealize the difference. In fact, quite

often family and friends will notice thechanges first.

Selecting Juliana's remedies

I asked Juliana to describe the greatestchallenges she was experiencing. Asshe discussed unwanted emotionalstates such as anxiety and depression,I asked, "Do you know why you arefeeling like this?" The dialogue led tothe following remedy selection.

Juliana explained anxiously that shewas planning a vacation trip to visitrelatives in South America. At thispoint, she was already very fragile and


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dreading the trip. This clearly pointedto the essence "Olive," the indicationfor which is great physical, mental oremotional exhaustion.

Juliana wasn't able to say "no" to herfamily regarding the trip. Sheperceived her parents as very strong-willed. Weak-willed in their presence,

she had been unable to set boundariesand confront them when necessary tobe true to herself and her own needs.After more questioning, I saw that shefit into the caregiver, nurturerpersonality type--gentle and

overanxious to please others. Torestore strength to this personalitytype and help empower her identity,the essence "Centaury" was stronglyindicated.

Juliana said she is usually verynervous about the safety and well-being of her family members. It hadbeen a persistent problem. Here, theessence "Red Chestnut" was


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indicated, chosen to release the fearthat something terrible could happento loved ones when one imagines theworst-case scenario.

QUICK

DEFINITION

ach Flower Essences

are

homeopathically prepared

liquids, sold over the

counter in 10 ml "stock"concentrate bottles, that

have the ability to gently

and safely shift negative

states of mind to positive

ones.

As there was a whole constellation offears, we reviewed the other fearessences. Juliana told me she haspanic attacks when she travels. She


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always thinks she's in danger withoutbeing able to identify the cause."Aspen" can be used for sudden panicattacks of unknown origin. To calm herfeelings of terror and panic, "RockRose" was indicated to help restorecourage and a balanced state of mind."Mimulus" for restoring courage whenthere are known fears was also

considered.

In addition, there was a pattern ofchronic over-striving for perfection,which contributed greatly to hernervousness. If she planned a trip, it

had to be "perfect." I could see shewas putting a lot of pressure on herselfto perform. After my inquiry, sheagreed that she is also very strict withherself in her daily routines. "RockWater" was chosen for her

perfectionism, strict self-discipline andthe tension this can create. "Pine" wasalso considered because she blamedherself when she didn't achieve her


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goals.

Juliana said she recently felt

depressed due to a setback in herhealth ("Gentian"). She is impatient("Impatiens" restores patience) and isoccasionally afraid she'll lose controlof her mind ("Cherry Plum" re-establishes sanity and control of the

mind).

One major complaint was having toomany thoughts racing around in herhead, which often resulted insleeplessness ("White Chestnut"quiets the mind). When asked whatkinds of persistent thoughts she had,she said, "I always think about thepast." ("Honeysuckle" puts the past inperspective, releasing emotionaltriggers and bringing one's focus backto the present). To help Juliana changethe pattern of her recurrent symptoms,"Chestnut Bud" was considered tohelp her learn from her experiences


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and not repeat mistakes.

Additionally, since childhood, Juliana

has been plagued by indecision,vacillating between choices, resultingin confusion ("Scleranthus" to helpmake quick decisions with clarity). Thecombination formula Rescue Remedywas also indicated due to Juliana's

major stresses.

From the sixteen single floweressences that were considered, weprioritized seven. We agreed that themost important problems for her toaddress at the moment would behelped by Centaury, Honeysuckle,White Chestnut, Red Chestnut,Scleranthus, Chestnut Bud andRescue Remedy, which is a specialcombination formula of five essencesindicated for any kind of trauma,available as a single remedy. RescueRemedy counts as one essence whencombining as many as six or sevenessences in a one-ounce treatment


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bottle for a personal formula.

A success story

Juliana was faithful to the dosagerequirements and her response wasquick. In two and a half weeks, whenwe next spoke, she had almostfinished this formula. Little by little theheadaches were going away, she feltcalm and relaxed, and although shehad a little bit of discomfort in theneck, she slept better. This was majorprogress. She said she hadn't felt theneed to return to her physician.

Many sessions later, when recountingher experience, she said, "When I firstsaw you I wasn't going to the gym atall, but I really wanted to work out. I

wasn't sure if the drops were working.The first time I started working outagain, I got such a strong headachethat I was afraid that I might faint and


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crash while driving home. I called myhusband for help, but I did make ithome. Upon arriving home I put fourdrops of the formula under my tongueand the headache started to go away inabout 15 seconds. By the time myhusband arrived 20 minutes later, theheadache was gone. That was the firsttime I realized that the drops worked

on me. It was amazing! I felt sowonderful. I held that bottle like ababy. Then I started to take the dropsfour times a day every day. Myhusband, who had been skeptical,said, 'If it's really working, don't

stop.'"

Juliana followed a fairly typicalprocess when in a later session shedescribed, "It gave me hope.Something inside told me that it would

work for me. From the first day, I feltdifferent, but I wasn't sure. As the dayspassed I felt better. But then when thatday came at the gym, I knew they were


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working."

Juliana did take the trip to South

America. She said, "I used to takeValium because I was scared to go onthe plane. So I took the RescueRemedy and I felt really relaxed. Iwasn't afraid."

After three months of treatment,Juliana's life had radically changed.She reported feeling 80% better andbegan taking a yoga class. She saidher headaches and the stiff neck weregone. She was no longer taking anypainkillers or anti-depressants. Shewas thrilled to be gaining freedomfrom her pain. In the past, Juliana usedtranquilizers to help her sleep. Now,without medication, she reportedsleeping better and feeling energeticupon awakening.

"Once in a while I feel some kind ofdiscomfort, like a stiff neck. But now Idon't have a bad temper, I don't have


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headaches, I'm calm, I can drive. I canbe out all day with energy. I don't gettired. I feel great. Before, some days Iwould be in bed all day with a heatingpad. I would try to sleep more in theday because I couldn't sleep at night."

While Juliana was taking the essences,she did not institute any new form of

therapy or medication. After threemonths, she said, "I started to takevitamins and do yoga. I prayed everyday. I watch what I eat. I try to avoidthings that can give me discomfort ortension and avoid arguments. Or if I

feel like I'm going to be in a situationthat will turn into an argument, I'll takemy drops."

After four months on Bach FlowerEssence therapy, Juliana reporteddoing shoulder stands in yoga class,walking with intermittent jogging threetimes a week and sleeping through thewhole night without pain. She stoppedtaking St. John's Wort. Her tiredness,


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dizziness, impatience and depressionare gone.

During our fifth consultation session,Juliana said she recognized the needto improve her ability to relate in aharmonious way to her family. Due toher excellent progress, three of theoriginal essences were no longer

needed, which made room to add threenew ones--a classic example of the"peeling" effect.

Now Juliana reports new confidence. "Idon't have any problem with myparents. I care about them, but I don'tworry. I feel more harmony, morecloseness."

Juliana continues to makeimprovement. Her fearful state isgreatly minimized. Panic attacks are a

thing of the past. She now has energyto do the things she enjoys. "Now Itake my life more easily. I think moreabout it. I don't worry too much. I don't


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know how to explain it but I'm happier.A lot more joy. And I'm not afraid--and Iwas afraid of everything. Now I feelthat life is life. No matter what comes,we have to take things easy and notworry about it, to just enjoy life. I'mhappier."

I said to her, "It sounds like your whole

attitude about your life and how to livelife has changed for the better. Wouldyou say that is true?" She answered,"Oh, yes. 100%."

Resources:

The Dr. Edward Bach Centre inEngland provides information andreferrals to registered practitioners.Mailing address: Mount Vernon,Bakers Lane, Sotwell, Oxon, OX10 0PZ,UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1491 834678; fax: +44(0) 1491 825022. E-Mail:[email protected]; Website:www/bachcentre.com. Bach Flower


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Essences are trademarks of BachFlower Remedies Ltd., Oxfordshire,England.

Alicia Sirkin is one of only 40 Bach

Foundation Registered Practitioners

(B.F.R.P.) in the United States. She assists

people in identifying and healing the

emotional and mental factors thatsurround or underlie illness through the

use of Bach Flower Essences. Mailing

address: P.O. Box 33-0841, Miami, FL

33233-0841; Tel: 888-875-6753; E-mail

[email protected]; Website:

www.flowerhealing.com.

Documents

Case History Fibromyalgia