Follow-up holistic medicine post- saw an ND & a homeopath ...

[bliss_eternal]

...yesterday, they work together in the same office. The ND seems to also be attempting to learn homeopathy from him...

The ND is a Bastyr graduate. I had to drive about 45 mins. out of my area to see her. She was nice, personable, etc.

She is working with a homeopath which I wasn't clear on prior to my appointment. He conducted most of the intake interview. They decided on some homeopathic remedies they would like me to take. They said then they would see me in a month to evaluate me and take it from there...

A few from this forum responded to my holistic/alternative treatment thread previously--so I'd love to hear from you in regards to this.

How do homeopathic practitioners generally work/practice? Is this typical of their treatment? I know no one can evaluate this for me, I'm just so used to our western medical model I'm not sure how to evaluate the practitioners, etc.

Look forward to feedback from others!

Thanks! :hi: bliss_e

[DemExpat]

1. Hi, bliss_e!

My Homeopath has intake interviews with each new client which last about an hour - very detailed.

Your session sounds about like mine - although I now have a very good "therapeutic relationship" with mine after several years. When I have a consulation about a problem or problems he usually gives me at least one remedy to take - usually a LM or C dilution of a pellet in a little bottle of water, which I am instructed to forcefully hit on my palm a designated amount of times before opening it and sniffing at it a couple of times once or twice a day. This method of taking remedies seems to work best for me - I have tried several others as well.

If I am treating something acute or very uncomfortable he asks me to call him after a few days to let him know how I feel.

Then after 3-4 weeks I call and either say I am fine and need nothing more, or make an appointment for followup and further diagnosis and treatment.

With some symptoms I have had dramatic, immediate relief, for others like long term depression and anxiety it took about 2 months to feel better, and almost a year before I could feel free of depression after many years.

Did you make the appointment to see the ND, or the Homeopath, as you said you had not expected the two to be there for your appointment?

Keep us posted, I am curious if you have as positive experiences with Homeopathy as I have had.

:hi:

DemEx

edit: I might want to know the Homeopath's education/credentials as well in this case, and would be sensitive to a professional attitude, perhaps a professional association backing up these practitioners, and, of course, seeing if the relationship clicks!

[bliss_eternal]

2. Hi DemEx!

I was just about to pm you, as you were one of the people that responded to my last thread, and I was intrigued by your experiences with homeopathy. :hi:

In my telephone conversation with the ND, she had mentioned she works with a Homeopath. I just wasn't expecting the initial consultation to be more with him than with her. My primary complaint and concerns are my headaches, which I've assumed is because of hormonal issues--and was more concerned with that than anything. I also have allergies, asthma and insomnia--which he/she may see as part of the issue with my headaches. In thinking about it, I guess an ND and homeopath would be more concerned with ALL of me and underlying issues as well.

Did they ask you personal questions, too--like about your emotional well-being, etc.? That aspect took me off guard and was kind of uncomfortable for me to talk about. :cry:

He said the herbs he was prescribing were small pellet like tabs like you've described. Some have names like calcarea carb and kali carb. I haven't actually picked those up yet...

The ND told me I would probably feel worse (the first week of taking the herbs) before I felt better. Then she said I should progressively feel better and better. Was this your experience, too?

I'm so glad you saw this and responded--thank YOU! :hug:

[Sanity Claws]

3. Questions about emotional well-being

Naturopaths look at the whole person, so that includes your emotional and spiritual well-being. Unlike an MD, they do not see you as a serious of discrete separate symptoms or conditions to be treated. They try to treat you as a whole.
Sorry it was upsetting to you but it is definitely part of what a naturopath usually does.
BTW, I also responded to you via PM.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Hi you--

I just returned your pm. Thanks for responding!

It makes sense that they would be concerned with the whole package. I appreciate what you said! :hi:

[DemExpat]

5. Did you see my edit on my post? - just added that part....

as for the intake questions being very personal - about emotional well-being and even elimination patterns, experiencing sexuality, food loves and versions etc., yeah, that gets very detailed. I went to my practitioner FOR mental health problems, mainly, so I had no problem talking to him about it all.
Homeopathy takes all of these symptoms and patterns into consideration for treatment.

I call the Homeopathic medicines "remedies", most are not made from herbs, they are made from a variety of plant and mineral (and other) substances.

Yes, it is common to experience a worsening of symptoms, although my Homeopath told me to stop taking it if it was an acute worsening. Never happened with me, though. I generally either felt immediate relief after one or 2 days, or a slight worsening until a gradual improvement set in.
Depending on the experience and skill of the Homeopath in matching a remedy or series of remedies with symptoms, it should not take too long to find a beneficial remedy.

I have only had one or two remedies prescribed that did nothing for me.

Pick up a book at the library on Homeopathy for a quick basis introduction to it.
My favorite book of all times is a book out of print by Dr. Andew Lockie, maybe this is a newer version of it:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0671767712/ref=cm_cr_dp_pt/002-1413599-9089657?%5Fencoding=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

I learned much from his book, and often had success with family treatments when my kids were growing up.

Good luck, I hope you find relief from this wonderful and gentle medicine which does what medicine ideally does - helps you to heal! :hug:

DemEx

[bliss_eternal]

6. Regarding your edit...

I just looked at it. :)

The literature I obtained from the office doesn't speak of any backing or endorsement by any organizations. The Homeopath trained in India. He has some backing credentials and such from schools in India. One place on the brochure he refers to himself as a consulting Homeopath, yet also an MD of Homeopathy.

Now I'm really confused. LOL! :shrug:

[DemExpat]

8. This is diffucult to evaluate,

I do know that Homeopathy is a well-established medicine in India, used as complementary alongside western medicine.
Maybe you could Google a little around his schools....but OTOH, see how you respond to the remedies prescribed, and after another consulation or two you should have a better idea/feel for them both.

Here in The Netherlands I am careful to use alternative practitioners who are registered with a recognized professional association. This gives some idea of standards and education/training, as well as backup if things don't go as wished. This is especially important of course when dealing with possibly dangerous conditions. I am not sure if in the US these professional, regulatory bodies are so developed yet, or in your part of the country.....

If you have strong intuition, use that as well as careful scrutiny of how it all progresses.

Keep us posted if you like! :hi:

DemEx

[bliss_eternal]

7. Oh--and thank you for the book recommendation...

I'd like to look at that, it sounds interesting! :hi: I couldn't edit anymore so sorry for splitting up the post.