Persons needing Gelsemium may have received some bad news or be excitable from other events. Afterwards this may bring on a kind of depression or it can make them ill.
If an influenza or fever develops it will always come on slowly (compare Bryonia). They will have waves of heat then cold and be exhausted. They will feel heaviness and lethargy and aching (compare Eupatorium).
If they have a headache, their head will feel heavy and their pain will be experienced as a tight painful band around the head. Often they have difficulty even opening their eyelids as they feel so heavy.
Symptoms caused by excitement or shock
Sluggishness in fever/influenza
Heaviness
Band sensation, constriction, around head
Thirstless
Influenza
Fever
Headache