Mrs. JVP, a sixty-one years old lady from Dubai (Patient Identification Number: 22157 LF) visited Life Force on 27th November 2013 for her Lichen Planus. She had scattered spots of Lichen Planus on her right lower leg since the past three to four months. The spots of Lichen Planus had been spreading in the last few months and looked active. There was a lot of itching too. She had not applied any steroids and was applying a moisturizing cream and would take an anti-histamine medicine (Dimethindene maleate) to relieve the itching.

She also had a bout of urticarial rash after consuming shrimps in May 2013 which had lasted for one to two months. She had suffered from a similar problem ten years ago. She also had other issues like joint pains in her fingers since four years, recurrent sore throats every three months and cervical spondylitis since the last four to five months. She had been tested for rheumatoid arthritis (RA Factor) and gout (Uric Acid) which were negative. Her ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies) were positive. Further testing had not shown a conclusive positive result for any other disease.

Mrs. JVP was a stout lady who had an average appetite and was a nonvegetarian. She preferred salt on the higher side and had a strong dislike for sweets. She tended to have profuse perspiration all over her body and was very sensitive to heat, which would make her very uncomfortable. She did not have sound sleep and her sleep would frequently get disrupted.

She had a travel and tourism business in Dubai. She had more than two hundred staff members from twenty-three different nationalities. Her husband was working with a courier company in Saudi Arabia. Her father was a Chartered Accountant. She also had a sister who lived in Mumbai.

Her father had suffered from high blood pressure and her mother had eczema, diabetes and heart problems (Ischemic heart disease). 

She described herself as a perfectionist who pushed herself to do things ‘the correct way’. She felt that she must keep working, or else she would feel very guilty. She worked because she felt it was better to keep herself busy rather than go into depression. She always pushed herself to be on the top and had a very strong drive to excel. She was quite calm at home but tended to get very ‘hyper’ at work and this would cause her a lot of stress too.

Dr Shah studied her case in detail and prescribed Sepia 30c in addition to his research based molecules for Lichen Planus, frequent allergies, improving the immunity and controlling pain. 

Mrs. JVP visited Dr Shah when she came to India, on 3rd April 2014. Overall, her Lichen Planus was much better. She had developed three to four new small spots on her lower legs, but the previous spot on her right ankle was significantly better. Her pains were same, but she did not have to rely on painkillers for her pains. 

In the meanwhile, she continued to keep in touch with Life Force about the progress of her Lichen Planus spots. Accordingly, changes were made in the medications. 

When Mrs. JVP visited Dr Shah three months later on 24th July 2014, the Lichen Planus on both her legs was fifty percent better. The patches had flattened considerably too. She would get new spots on her hands or elbows, but these would be much lesser in number and very small in their size. Her neck pain was much better. The frequency of her allergic colds had gone down considerably too. 

Five months later, she reported on 18th December 2014 that gradually, the new lesions had stopped coming. The old lesions of her Lichen Planus were also drying up. 

Four months later, when Mrs. JVP visited Dr Shah, the Lichen Planus on her right leg had completely gone. The other lesions were better. 

Mrs. JVP continues to take homeopathic treatment from Life Force for other new complaints that have come up. She has not noticed any recurrence in her Lichen Planus so far. 

This case shows how progress can be expected with homeopathic medicines. Sometimes, new lesions may come up in the due course of treatment, which can be very disheartening for patients of Lichen Planus. Waxing and waning is expected long-term term diseases like Lichen Planus. However, the newer lesions are shorter lasting and are not as severe as earlier. Slowly but steadily, the recurrence of these new spots reduces and gives the patient long-lasting relief. 

(Case study prepared by Dr Amrita S)