Anyone with experience with Staphisagria

I know this remedy very well, as I have prescribed it often over the years and have seen many cures with it.

What sort of feedback were you looking for about the remedy?

Unfortunately, Philip Bailey's book isn't very reliable. I wouldn't trust the pictures he presents there as being true images of the remedies. Some of it is good, some is not, some is actually terrible and quite misleading. When I was teaching, I asked my students not to refer to it in their assignments.

Development of a new disturbing symptom after taking a remedy, especially a mental or psychological one, is not usually a good sign. I would have to consider that Staph is only a partial similar rather than a true simillimum, OR that you have been overdosed somewhat (too many doses, too high a potency) which has grafted a new symptom on to you. If there is general improvement I would probably not think it is suppression (which causes new symptoms to appear as normal outlets are blocked rather than cure of the source of your problem occurring).

If the symptom is minor, it isn't an issue. If the symptom is more significant, then we may be looking at a problem (remedy, potency, dosage etc).

A remedy is capable of curing symptoms not found in the proving or known to have been cured before, IF it is suitable to the highest part of the case, the most central part of the case. Many smaller symptoms, even peculiar ones, will often fall away if the remedy strikes at the core of the person's case (their central state). A Staphysagria person might present with a number of minor symptoms never seen before (or at least recorded) in patients previously cured with the remedy. It is all about deciding what is vital to understanding the case, and what is not. We do have a whole set of guidelines around this, although it takes a lot of experience with patients and symptoms and the nature of 'peculiarity' to do this consistently and well.

OK, that is my lecture done :)

In terms of the symptoms you have asked about:

'Compulsion to stare at genitals of my fellows' - this is not specifically known in Staphysagria, and I know this symptom from the remedies Hyoscamus and Baryta-sulph. However, as a broad characteristic, Staph has 'Thoughts, sexual, tormenting or intruding'.

I would explore such a new symptom to see how it fits into the general problem the patient has. It might just be a different way of expressing that same problem (patient uses the same words as before) even if it seems different on the surface. On the other hand, it might reveal something not previously understood about the patient, a new aspect of their internal 'disease', and lead you to a better remedy.

Cases can often work like this - try one remedy, watch the response, adapt the treatment and try another potency/remedy. Remedies can help us to understand the patient better, EVEN when they are not the best remedy for the patient. Being able to perceive, analyse and respond appropriately is the MAIN skill a homoeopath must develop to a high degree (what we call Second prescription).

(Sorry I keep lapsing into lecturing...old habit)

'I still feel my body flare up when discussing my thesis with my supervisor'

This isn't enough explanation as to what exactly the symptom is - what does the flare up feel like, what is the emotion coming with it, what thoughts are happening? this could be any remedy.

'Also, if there are people sitting right across the table, I cannot study at all. Not even if they are next to me. They have to be out of my sight'

This is interesting - the possible rubrics for this would be:

COMPANY AGGRAVATES
COMPANY, AVERSION, AVOIDS THE SIGHT OF PEOPLE
COMPANY, AVERSION, TO THE PRESENCE OF STRANGERS
WATCHED, BEING, AGGRAVATES
FEAR OF CONDITION BEING OBSERVED
LOOKED AT, CANNOT BEAR TO BE

Staph is only found in ONE of those rubrics, along with another 40 or so other remedies.

There might be other ways of interpreting that symptom based on the exact emotion, sensation, or thought accompanying it.

'-Depending on the situations, sometimes I feel by left cheek burning with headache on left side. Sometimes headache is on right.'

HEAD, COMPLAINTS, ACCOMPANIED, RED DISCOLOURATION OF CHEEKS - alum, bov, cann-xyz, ign, zinc

-(JUST) ONE CHEEK - CHAM

HEAD, PAIN, SIDES, ALTERNATING

Staph is in none of these rubrics. This may not matter too much as it is a local physical symptom, but it is quite peculiar. I would probably be keeping it in mind.

'-I want to be around people but I feel so uneasy. '

The reason or experience of 'uneasy' would be important here, otherwise you could just use some of the rubrics I suggested for the study issue above.

You could look at it this way:

COMPANY, DESIRE FOR, BUT AGGRAVATE IN COMPANY - pseuts-m

COMPANY, DESIRE FOR, ALTERNATING WITH AVERSION TO COMPANY - acon, aids, falco-pe, kali-s

No Staph there either.

'Anger' - too broad and general, common human feeling, every remedy has this just as every human being has it.

' minding simple jokes'

JESTING, CANNOT TAKE A JOKE
- Acon, ang, aur-m-n, caps, sina, IOD, lyc, merc, nat-m, nux-v, puls, Ran-b, Spig, sulph

OFFENDED EASILY (Staph is a prominent remedy in this rubric, a well known characteristic)

'trying to find hidden meaning behind what people say'

SUSPICICIOUS, PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT HER
-aids, aur-m-n, Bar-c, hyos, ign, pall, stann, *staph*, streptoc, Tritic-vg

DELUSION, BEING DECEIVED
- bamb-a, crot-c, dros, Ign, lyss, naja, Nat-ar, nicc, nicc-met, ozone, ruta, spong, *Staph*, stront-c


'If I don't feel satisfied with 10 M, does it mean that I would have to go to 100 M or 1000M.'

10M is extremely high. I rarely even use that potency. I would be concerned that anyone apparently needs to go so high to resolve symptoms. Going lower may be better, as would changing dosage or the remedy.
[message edited by Evocationer on Thu, 20 Nov 2014 01:45:00 GMT]