Homeopathy Acts As The Best Adjuvant In Managing Fanconi Anemia
Fanconi anemia is a rare genetic (inherited) disease passed down in families that mainly affect the bone marrow resulting in a decreased production of all types of blood cells. Those diagnosed with this condition may have many difficulties due to bone marrow failure, such as growth deficiency, & are at increased risk of certain cancers.
Bone marrow stem cell transplant is the only treatment option in this condition wherein the defective bone marrow is destroyed by chemotherapy & radiation & replaced by the bone marrow of a healthy donor. But, till a healthy donor is available, managing & maintaining blood count is extremely important. Homeopathy can help in managing the condition naturally. Let’s have a look at how a case of Fanconi anemia was treated at Life Force Homeopathy effectively.
An 8-year-old boy, Mast. S.F.A. (PIN: 47579) was diagnosed with Fanconi anemia in 2020 on the evaluation for his complaint of fever. His platelet count was found to be very low (44000). He had been suggested a bone marrow transplant but he did not match with any of the family members. So, he has to wait to find a suitable donor.
The patient’s parents approached Life Force Homeopathy on 10th March 2022 & the patient was screened by Dr. Rajesh Shah Sir’s efficient team of doctors & advised supportive treatment with homeopathy until the bone marrow transplant.
A detailed case history was taken wherein it was found that the patient was born out of consanguineous marriage (marriage between cousins) thus leading to a congenital genetic abnormality in the patient. He was extremely weak & easily would get tired. He would easily get bruised even on minor injuries. His recent investigations on 4th March 2022 showed that all his blood counts were low with WBC (3300), hemoglobin (10.5), & platelets (140000). He also had poor physical growth weighing 23kgs, short height, & many physical abnormalities such as Ectopic right kidney+ (kidney located at a wrong position than normal), thick ears, deformed thumb, abnormal shape of the palm, microcephaly (small head), & dental cavities.
A genetic study done on 30th November 2021 revealed a significant variant related to phenotype.
Bone marrow biopsy done on 2nd November 2021 detected less than 5% cellularity, showing the low capacity of growth & regeneration of the blood cells.
He was treated with anabolic steroids & antibiotics by a hematologist from January 2022.
Physical Generals:
The patient was following a mixed diet & craved chicken. Physically, he was short & stout. He was born by cesarean section at full term & weighed 2.5kgs. Milestones like crawling and walking were attended at a normal age but academically he was lagging. He was studying in 1st grade whereas kids of his age were studying in 3rd grade.
Mental & Family Make-Up:
Even though the patient’s blood count was low & he would get tired easily, he was hyperactive & couldn’t sit in one place. He did not like sharing his things & would hit others a lot. He was irritable.
The patient had one elder brother having thalassemia minor. His father was working overseas & was diabetic. The patient contracted pulmonary tuberculosis in 2020 & was treated with anti-tubercular drugs for 6 months.
At Life Force:
Considering all the details & pathology, Dr. Rajesh Shah sir prescribed him his research-based medicines & advised him to come for a follow-up after 8 weeks.
Follow-Ups:
The patient’s mother regularly updated the Life Force doctors about the health status of the patient, & her queries were timely attended to. On the first follow-up after the prescription, the patient’s mother reported that symptomatically her son was better with no episodes of fever, had improved energy levels, & no bruising. But, his blood reports showed no improvement rather the counts had slightly dropped. Based on this, Dr. Rajesh Shah sir prescribed further medicine.
On 22nd June 2022, the patient’s mother reported that the patient was improving further with a 70% improvement in energy levels & his dose of steroids was reduced from three times a day to once a day. Blood reports were not repeated at this time, so it was advised to repeat the complete blood count.
It was observed on 1st July 2022 that his hemoglobin had increased from 9 to 13 & WBC count improved as well, but his platelet count had dropped to (89000). So, the patient was advised to continue medicine & repeat the blood test after 20 days.
On 27th July 2022, the patient’s platelet count increased to (123000), hemoglobin increased to (11.9), & increased WBC was (4200).
On 19th August 2022, the patient’s mother reported that the patient was 80%-90% overall better with improved health & blood count.
Conclusion:
This case illustrates that managing genetic disorders is exceptionally challenging due to the non-availability of successful gene replacement therapy. Symptomatic management is required for relief in such cases. And, homeopathic medicines act as the best adjuvant in the management of genetic disorders like Fanconi Anemia.
- Written by Dr. Sonal Jagtap, Associate doctor to Dr. Rajesh Shah.