Hepar [Hep]
It is indicated in the purely atonic form of Dyspepsia, by the following symptoms : The plainest food disagrees. Any kind of food, no matter, how wholesome- provokes indigestion [Lachesis]. Sour taste in the mouth usually and a longing for strong-tasting substances, for alcoholic drinks, for wines, for acids and particularly for condiments of various kinds- these seem to relieve the symptoms. There is hunger and a gnawing empty feeling in the stomach in the forenoon, with a longing for something to eat, which is relieved by eating, but eating produces a fulsomeness about the stomach, so that he can bear no pressure about the epigastrium. Sometimes there is burning in the stomach. The bowels move very sluggishly, even when the stools are soft. There is usually constipation, and the urging to stool is often ineffectual, although the faeces are not abnormally hard.
There are usually cases of Indigestion, resulted from a long course of mercurial treatment by the physicians of the dominant school, which are sometimes cured by it.
In Dyspepsia, Hepar seems to be complementary to Lachesis. It is to be compared with Bryonia, Lachesis and Nux Vomica.
Hydrastis [Hydr]
It relieves, when there is sinking sensation in the epigastrium, with palpitation of the heart and `mucus’ coated stools.
Hydrocyanic Acid [Hydr-ac]
It certainly aids digestion. There are some persons, who have been cured by Dyspepsia, by eating peach-kernels which contain this Acid.
Ignatia [Ign]
It is useful, when the patient complains of : Bitter of sour tasting mucus in the mouth and copious salivation. Fanciful aversion to certain kinds of food; she asks for a certain food, but after tasting refuses it. Regurgitation of food. Gastralgia. Hiccough, agg. by eating and smoking, and esp. in children, by emotions. An empty, gone feeling at the epigastrium, with qualmishness, and is attended by sighing. In some cases, an empty retching, relieved by eating; the patient vomits at night, the food taken in the morning. The bowels are disordered.
Ipecacuanha [Ip]
It is useful in Indigestion caused as effect of indulgence in mixed diet, pastry, pork, candy, ice-cream, fruits, fatty food, etc. The symptoms indicating it are : Nausea. Vomiting : of bile; of mucus; just after eating [Arsenicum]; after eating rich or indigestible food; morning-sickness. The tongue is clean or only slightly coated. Distress in stomach; it feels relaxed, as if hanging down [Lobelia, Staphysagria, Tabac., Theine].
Kali Bich [Kali-bi]
In the milder forms of Dyspepsia, we will find it indicated, when there is headache, the pain being usually supra-orbital and is neuralgic in its character; this may be periodical in its return, but is particularly excited by gastric irritation. Another form of headache is associated with these gastric symptoms, which is preceded by blindness more or less marked, objects become obscured and less distinct, then the headache begins; it is violent, and is attended by aversion to light and to noise, and the slight returns as the headache grows worse-I have met with that symptom in my practice, four or five times. With this headache, the face is apt to be blotched and bloated and covered with pimples and acne- it is also sallow and yellowish; the whites of the eyes are yellow and little puffed; the tongue is thick and broad and scalloped on its edges, as though it had taken the imprint of teeth. The stomach seems to swell up after a full meal [Argentum Nit., Borax, Carbo V., Cinchona, Colchicum, Lycopodium, Nat. Sul., and Nux M.]. The bowels are constipated or else there is morning Diarrhoea, the stools of which are watery [Aloes, Bryonia, Nat. Sul. Psorinum, Rumex and Sul.] and are followed by tenesmus, which distinguishes this drug from the above-mentioned remedies. These symptoms are particularly apt to occur after excessive beer-drinking.
Kali Carb [Kali-c]
It is called for in Indigestion, particularly in old persons, in those who have lost a great deal of vital fluids, when there is an empty weak feeling in the stomach before eating, out of proportion to the feeling of vacuity caused by hunger, with undue bloating after eating, esp. after soup or coffee in small quantity. There are also sour eructations, heartburn, and an uneasy, nervous feeling when hungry.
Kreosotum [Kreos]
It is an excellent remedy when food cannot be digested, for irritable weakness of the stomach. If it had no other symptom than the following, it would still be invaluable and could not be replaced : The stomach is so weak, that it cannot retain or digest food, so that the food is vomited either immediately or hours after eating.
Lachesis [Lach]
It is useful for weakness of digestion in patients, who, from some vicious habits, as from abuse of Mercury or of Quinine or of Alcohol have so exhausted their stomachs that any kind of food, no matter how wholesome even the plainest food, provokes indigestion [Hepar].
The symptoms indicating it are : Throbbing headache. The tongue is smooth, red and shining [Kali bichromicum]. Sensation as of a lump, in throat. Craving for milk, which disagrees. Acids esp, disagree, aggravating the stomach symptoms causing diarrhoea. Empty eructations, which intensify the pains. Feeling, as if a lump was forming in the stomach and also in the bowels. Flatulent distension of abdomen, relieved by belching [Carbo Veg.]. Burning in stomach, with hard abdominal distension, and a feeling, as if, a stone was descending;he must stand still and step cautiously. Gnawing pain, relieved by eating or improves immediately after a meal, but soon fulness and heavy pressure in stomach as from a load. Abdomen is bloated, very sensitive to touch about the waist; even light touch is distressing, clothing annoys [Cinchona]. Constant tormenting urging in the rectum, but not for stool. The rectum protrudes and is held by the constricted sphincter; after stool there is often a sensation in the rectum as from the beating of little hammers. Unsuccessful urging, the anus feels closed; the patient attempts to strain at stool, but must desist on account of pain in the sphincter. Constipation or Diarrhoea. Constipation with stools hard, like sheep’s dung and excessively offensive; may be associated with large protruding Piles. Diarrhoea, with watery, horribly offensive stools.
It is to be compared with Arsenicum, Cad. Sul., Carbo Veg., Cinchona, Hepar and Mercurius Hepar seems to be complementary to Lachesis, in dyspeptic symptoms. It frequently follows Mercurius
Lycopodium [Lyc]
A prominent remedy in flatulent Dyspepsia. The symptoms indicating it are : Coated tongue. Sour or exceptionally putrid taste in the mouth in the morning. Sour taste with belching. Sour or burning eructations. Violent hunger, almost amounting to canine hunger; yet a few mouthfuls of food seem to produce fulsomeness and fill the patient up, quickly followed by hunger again. Distress in the stomach immediately after a meal [Nux-some little time after]. After eating cannot bear the pressure of clothing about the waist [Lachesis-all the time ]. Irresistible drowsiness after eating. Flatulence of the stomach [Carbo Veg.-of the bowels]. Marked collection of flatus. Tympanites; abdomen enormously distended. The flatulence tends upwards rather than downwards. Rumbling of wind in splenic flexure of the colon. Great fermentation in the intestines, this being followed by the discharge of flatus and even by diarrhoea. The bowels are usually constipated, with ineffectual urging to stool [Nux] and constriction of the anus. After stool there is a feeling as if a great quantity remained unpassed.
It is to be compared with Carbo Veg., Lachesis, Raph., Sepia and Sul.
Magnesia Mur [Mag-m]
This remedy is particularly suited to the Indigestion in hysterical women, which is associated with their hysterical paroxysms. See the symptoms of this remedy in Hysteria.
Mercurius [Merc]
It is indicated when the following symptoms are present : Coated tongue. Loss of appetite. Nausea, with oppression and epigastric tenderness. A deadly faintness from pressure in the pit of stomach. The stomach hangs heavily, even after a light meal of food of ordinary digestibility. Tenderness over both hypochondria, with fulness and upward pressure from the abdomen, and sensitiveness to the clothing. The patient cannot lie on the right side. Chronic constipation with much straining and tenacious or crumbling stools; chilliness, during defaecation. The patient is hypochondriacal; he is suspicious, anxious and restless at night, with vascular erethism and sweat.
Natrum Carb [Nat-c]
It is a prominent remedy for Dyspepsia and is indicated when the Indigestion is accompanied by : Sour eructations. Water-brash. Retching in the morning [Nux-but more strong], with spasmodic contraction of both oesophagus and stomach, with little or nothing coming to the mouth and perhaps copious salivation. The distension of the abdomen with hardness and fulness. esp. so after eating; at 10 or 11 o’clock in the morning the patient feels weak and anxious [Iodium], but eating relieves it and produces distension. Accumulation of flatus in the abdomen, which when passed is foetid. Griping colic, just after a meal. Usually there is constipation, with stool difficult to expel, although not esp. hard [Hepar; Sepia-still more marked]. The patient is depressed and exceedingly irritable, esp. after a meal, particularly after dinner this hypochondriacal mood keeps step, i.e., diminishes, with the progress of digestion, when the food passes out of the stomach to duodenum, and continues to do so, as the food gets further down into the bowels [Nat. Mur.-also with constipation]; he is decidedly averse to society, even to his own family [Sepia]. The indigestion is more marked after a vegetable diet, particularly after starchy foods.
