Sepia for Caregiver Exhaustion
Feeling drained? Emotionally flat? Struggling with PMS issues? Hot flashes?
Read on, Sepia may be of use to you!
Sepia is an amazing and deep acting homeopathic remedy made from the ink of the cuttle fish. Historically, it’s understood to be in the top 10 most commonly prescribed remedies and, in women, it could easily be in the top 3. I concur. If I was putting together a women’s care kit, I would definitely include Sepia - especially if the care kit was for women that are PANS/PANDAS caregivers, as the demands can leave caregivers emotionally drained and physically depleted.
In addition to exhaustion from care giving, Sepia’s sphere of action is broad and includes circulation, female reproductive system, digestive organs, and vasomotor nerves. I can’t overstate how important the remedy of Sepia is for exhaustion, overwhelm, overwork, irritability with family, and a corresponding desire to be alone and get a break. I would be remiss if I didn’t also talk about the important picture of physical issues supported by Sepia. Here are a few highlights of how someone needing Sepia can show up in my practice:
“Ever since menopause, I get hot flashes that wake me up at night with flashes of anxiety!”
“I get terrible PMS cramps and I can be really irritable before my period.”
“My period is so heavy, it feels like my uterus is going to fall out.”
“I get these headaches before my period with nausea.”
“Ever since menopause, my perspiration suddenly smells so bad!”
“I’m exhausted. I just want to shut the door and leave my husband and the kids to themselves and be alone!”
Sepia to the rescue
As a homeopath that specializes in caring for kids with complex and chronic conditions like PANS/PANDAS and their caregivers, I see a lot of people that could benefit from Sepia. In fact, I estimate 25% of caregivers in my practice have been prescribed Sepia at one time or another for acute and/or on going support. Here are a few case studies from my practice:
Mel* is a 50 year old woman that home-schools her two high school girls with PANS/PANDAS. She works part time for her church. She came to me for hot flashes that were waking her up multiple times over night with great perspiration followed by chills.
Mel was prescribed one dose of Sepia 200c. At her first follow up, she reported her hot flashes decreased by 90% within one week and had remained improved and she was sleeping better with fewer night time wakings. She continues to take one dose as needed.
Melissa* is a 53 year old woman with a chief complaint of irritability with her family, with deep resentment of the work required to care for the household. She finds herself yelling at her kids daily. She reports feeling better with dancing and running and she needs outside time every day.
Melissa was prescribed Sepia LM1 daily. At her first follow up she reported feeling much more patience and ease at home, she was yelling at her kids much less, and she’d noticed an increase in libido - which we hadn’t even talked about.
Sara* is a 37 year old woman that is mom to 2 PANS/PANDAS kids. She came to me for issues with constipation that is worse before her period and also expressed feeling stuck, missing the freedom of her life before kids, overwhelmed, and exhausted.
Sara was prescribed Sepia LM1 daily. At her first follow up she reported that her constipation had improved 50% and that she was feeling more loving and present with her kids. She’d felt less burdened by the daily chores associated with taking care of her kids.
Interested in reading about some other remedies for caregivers? Here’s a link to last month’s article.