Ferrum metallicum
Remedy for anaemia with false plethora — flushing easily despite underlying pallor. Face flushes from the least emotion, exertion, or pain. Weakness and breathlessness on slight exertion. Haemorrhages of bright red blood. Better from gentle motion.
Source
Prepared from reduced metallic iron (Fe), triturated and potentised.
Available Potencies
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Keynote Symptoms
False plethora — pallid face that flushes easily on slightest emotion, exertion, or pain. Anaemia. Haemorrhage of bright red blood. Weakness and breathlessness on slight exertion. Better from walking slowly, gentle motion. Worse at midnight, while sitting still. Intolerance of eggs.
Mind & Emotional Symptoms
Irritable, easily excited. Least opposition angers. Anxiety, melancholy. Fear of going out. Noise intolerable.
General Symptoms
Anaemia with pallor and easy flushing. Haemorrhages. Worse at night (after midnight), while sitting still, from exertion, cold, eggs, tea, fatty food. Better from walking slowly, gentle motion, summer, warmth. Pulsating all through the body.
Physical Symptoms
Head
Hammering, pulsating headache lasting 2-3 days. Must lie down. Scalp sore. Head cool while body is warm.
Face
Fiery red from least emotion, pain, exertion. Alternating pallor and redness. Anaemic but flushing.
Ears
Ringing, humming. Deafness before menses.
Mouth
Pain in teeth from warm drinks. Earthy, pasty taste.
Stomach
Voracious appetite alternating with complete loss. Aversion to eggs, meat, sour things. Vomiting immediately after eating, even midnight. Food lies like a weight. Intolerance of eggs.
Abdomen
Distended, tense. Pain in liver region.
Rectum
Diarrhea painless, undigested, worse while eating. Prolapse of rectum.
Female Genitalia
Menses too early, too profuse, too long, pale, watery with fiery red face. Vaginal discharge acrid.
Respiratory
Breathlessness from the slightest exertion, going upstairs. Chest oppressed. Haemoptysis.
Chest
Palpitation, worse at night. Heart feels constricted. Pulse soft, yielding.
Extremities
Weakness, must walk slowly. Rheumatism of left shoulder especially.
Skin
Pale, waxy. Oedema.
Modalities
Better From
Walking slowly, gentle motion, summer, warmth, being alone
Worse From
Night (midnight), sitting still, exertion, eggs, cold, tea, loss of vital fluids
Constitutional Type
Anaemic, pale individuals who flush easily. Young women with chlorosis. Pseudo-plethoric appearance. Sensitive, easily angered.
Clinical Indications
Anaemia, haemorrhage, palpitations, headache, menorrhagia, breathlessness, false plethora, shoulder pain
Comparative Materia Medica
China officinalis shares anaemia from fluid loss but without the easy flushing. Phosphorus has haemorrhage but is more sociable and craves cold drinks. Pulsatilla has changeable symptoms in anaemic women but is more weepy and yielding.
Safety Information
Arsenicum album, China, Hepar sulph, Ipecac, Pulsatilla, Veratrum album.
Metallic iron is poorly absorbed and has low oral toxicity. Iron salts in excess cause GI irritation and systemic toxicity. Potentised forms are safe.
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