shp homeopathy as a treatment for hiv and aids session 1

Homeopathy as a treatment for HIV and Aids in Swaziland

Swaziland has been estimated to have the highest infection rate of HIV in the world.

The demographics from the Swaziland Homeopathy project database indicate the following: at April 2012 from a sample of 2 200 patients

18 % tested HIV positive40% tested HIV negative42% are untested

Out of 1 283 patients who have been tested 31% have tested HIV positive.


� What is HIV/AIDs ?

� The debate is ongoing…. What we see are people with compromised immunity and they are dying from familiar “diseases” and infections.

� The symptom pictures are varied and suited to a homeopathic approach and we can assist the HIV/AIDS patient both prior to standard Anti Retro Viral Treatment (ART) and alongside the ART once it is initiated.

� The majority of our HIV/AIDS patients are women as we work in conjunction with rural handcraft projects.

� The cases which follow have been chosen to illustrate some of the pathology we see in Swaziland.

� Orphans, patients struggling with their Anti Retroviral Treatment, people with multiple drug resistant tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases and other opportunistic infections.



� All our patients give us an overall health score (based on the Karnofsky score)

� This is out of 10 with 10 representing full health.

� Symptoms are also scored by practitioners. (VAS)

� (5 = worst case scenario 0 = symptom cleared )

� Weight loss is also monitored and treated.

� CD4 counts are recorded if available, but these can be unreliable as a measure of health, and many of our patients do not have regular tests.


The standard Anti Retroviral treatment for HIV/AIDS in Swaziland is generally initiated if the CD4 count is below 350.

The current lines of free ART are :

Zidovudine/Azidothymidine (AZT), Stavudine (D4T), Lamivudine (3TC), (Nevirapine) NVP, Efavirenz and Tenofovir disoproxil.

The ART is dispensed in various combinations and is also given to HIV+ pregnant women prior to delivery to prevent mother to child transmission.


A number of people are unable to tolerate the ART and despite changes in the drug regime these patients die from progressive liver and kidney damage and general organ failure.

Our experience is that if homeopathic remedies are given at the start of the ART regime patients are more able to deal with the side effects and to adhere more easily and stay for longer periods on the initial treatment combination.

Case 1 – ART(tested + 2006)ART since May 2010, fewsymptoms at start of ART, but CD4 was 250. By Jan 2012 it had dropped to 8.

Patient first seen Oct 2012Home visit Symptoms : Renal failure, Weakness, anaemia.Score 2/10

Remedies, Ph-Ac, Causticum, Kali – cMarch 2012 he passed away.

Date Weight CD4(kg)

5/2010 83 252

10/2010 81 189

10/2011 67 70

12/2011 2

3/2012 51 8


� From our database it appears that the predominant opportunistic infection of the HIV/AIDS patients that we treat is Tuberculosis. This concurs with the assessment made by Medicins sans Frontiere from their Tuberculosis program in Swaziland.

� Many patients here have acquired Multiple Drug Resistant Tuberculosis and have gone through many repeated regimes of debilitating antibiotic treatment with little success.


Case 2 Age 57MDR TB/ARTAt first consult in 2009 (TB meds only)CD4 205 (Oct 2008)ART Initiated Feb 2010

Symptoms: Chronic TB infection, chronic cough, candida, weakness, emaciation, skin rash, intermittent diarrhea.Remedies:Staphysagria, Phosphorus, TuberculinumKali carbonicum

Date Weight Score(kg)

2/2009 45.4 2/104/2009 5/107/2009 3/109/2009 50.5 5/102/2010 6/104/2010 7/109/2010 7/1011/2010 8/101/2011 9/106/2011 9/109/2011 65.4 9/1010/2011 9/101/2012 69.9 9/10


� Many people are untested in Swaziland and often unwilling to do so.

� As the ART is only usually initiated when the CD4 is below 350 many of the patients seen are not on ART and as a result they receive Homeopathy as the predominant treatment for their presenting symptoms.

� These are some of the most successful cases!


Date Weight Score(kg)

11/2008 38.1 2/102/2009 40.0 3/105/2009 44.2 5/106/2009 54 4/10(herpes)8/2009 60 5/109/2009 69 7/1012/2009 68.1 8/106/2010 63.1 7/1010/2010 66.6 8/1011/2010 64.6 6/10(tooth abscess)9/2011 67.5 8/102/2012 68.3 8/10

Case 3 Age 40 Homeopathy OnlyFirst consult patient very ill but not tested.Patient tested + in Feb 2010CD4 – about 300. No ART

Symptoms: Anxiety Diarrhoea, weight loss, appetite loss, herpes, skin rash.

Remedies:Arsenicum albumAurum metallicumRhus toxicodenron


� The other common infections include other sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea and syphilis.

� These are usually treated with multiple antibiotic regimes and in HIV/AIDS patients often with little long term success as the infections keep recurring.

� Homeopathic remedies can assist these patients.


Date Score 1/2011 - 5 /10

2/2011 – 6/10

3/2011 – 9/10

4/2011 – 9/10

2/2012 – 9/10

3/2012 – 9/10

Case 4 Age 56 STD(Antibiotics no ART)First Consult 1/2011CD 4 (unknown)

Symptoms: Multiple ST infections, penile chancres, extensive eruptions external genitalia, perineum, anus, skin rash, weight loss, appetite loss, “needle pains everywhere”

Remedies:Silicea, Nitric Acidicum,Syphilinum, Medorrhinum


Bryonia

Natrum muriaticum

Arsenicum Album

Thuja

Lachesis

Pulsatil la

Calcareum carb

Rhus toxicodendron

Sulphur

Sil icae

Sepia

Phosphorus

Tuberculinum

Liver drainage

Medhorrinum

Carcinosin

Causticum

This chart shows

the efficacy of the

Remedies used

in the treatment

of the HIV positive

sub group.

Liver drainageis a combinationof Cardus Marianus, Chelidonium and Hydrastis canadiensis


� To summarize :

� Treating HIV and Aids is still about treating the totality of symptoms that the individual presents.

shp homeopathy as a treatment for hiv and aids session 1

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