I have stopped treatment with my homeopath and we both agreed that he could no longer help me. He was very concerned about what I was gonna do next and still wanted to help me but wanted to talk and get notes from the other people that have treated me in the past. He feels he gave his all and he does not want to make my situation worse. After going down a list of homeopaths with him that I had spoke to he agreed on only one that he considered to be a good classical homeopath. He said he had experience knowing and working with several homeopaths in NYC and felt there were very few good ones he would recommend. This made me a little sad and confused for I guess it is his opinion only and by no means fact.

Well I called a few homeopaths and they all stated that 6 months was not a long time and I should stick with my current homeopath for he sound like he is trying real hard to get to the bottom of my case and yesterday he told me he is stumped and does not want to string me along any more for he has tried everything he thought would have worked.

Some of the remedies he has given me have made me feel almost better and others have made my condition worse. When ever I feel worse I just stop taking the remedy and call him but I ended up with a new symptom I did not have before after taking a remedy he had prescribed.

I am in a bit of a mess right now and a little afraid of homeopathy. It seems like once I take a remedy and get an aggravation.... I never know if I am going to feel better after the aggravation or left in a worse state. This is what I don't understand about homeopathy.

My homeopath said he was very careful about giving me remedies because he knew how sensitive I was but I was feeling a little better before the last two remedies he gave me and I knew back then it was time for me to end treatment with him.

I think at a certain point he lost focus on me and I should have stopped treatment then.He said, this is not homeopathy to be just giving remedys and he no longer felt he had a handle on what to do.

I am confused about what to do next... he agreed on one homeopath that I should go see but felt if a homeopath was also practicing other things he was not a homeopath. He siad I should see someone who is very active in homeopathy, and only practices homeopathy.

But sice my last conversation with him I got a call from a man who incorporates acpuncture, homeopathy and crania sacral therapy in his practice and said he has had good success in treating people this way. He said in the last 10 years he has developed a technique of incorporating all three modalities and it has been very helpful. I thought you could not do acpuncture and homeopathy at the same time but he said you could do both for they are different types of energy and don't counteract each other.

So many people have different view points on homeopathy that it has left my head spinning and now that I am really no better just not crying all the time I don't know what to do next.

I am now left with ear pressure/pain and my vision is a little strained... I find myself having a hard time to focus.

I am short of money right now and the little I do have I want to make the right next step. Being that I am a little worse from taking remedies no doctor would understand or be able to help me and probably call me crazy for seeing a homeopath in the first place. I know in order to get better I need to see someone who deals in energy but I am wondering if someone who practices in three types of modalities goes against everything that homeopathy teaches.

Secondly my homeopath only recomended one person that he felt was able to handle my case.. I did talk to her on the phone but she practices from the 5th edition and that is similar to how my current homeopath practices. I still do trust his opinion but am really just confused and afraid to get worse from homeopathy.

From the beginning taking the wrong remedy cause the ear pain to shift into my left ear so I feel the only way to get better is to find someone who understands my whole situation.

Danielle

[ 05. December 2002, 19:24: Message edited by: Danielle ]

What are your major chronic complaints - irrespective of what problems the remedy your currently taking is causing?

Danielle,

I understand your concners. Myself and 40 people I know wnet to various homeopaths anywhere from 3 to 20 years and only 2 people were fully cured.

However I did major research and discovered who I beleive is the best homeopath inthe world. His name ids Paul Herscu and he practices in Enfield CT. If you were to see him in person one time he could treat the rest of the case by fax.

In the last 2 yearsmost of these people who others fialed to cure have been cured or have major sustained improvement. Some had cancer and serious illnesses like MS.

I feel very confident in recommending him.

What you described is a situation where you had some remedies that were close and others that you may have proved some of the symptoms.

If you can make a trip to see Herscu his # is 860-763-1225.

If you do go keep me posted as to the results as I track everyone I send to him just to make sure what I beleive is true and so far there are no indications that I am wrong.

In fact I have isnce studied his 2 year course and in my opnion his method is superior and I am equally convicned so are his results.

My e-mail for updates is johno@kiva.net

Regards,

John Oljace
Perennila Medicines

Please send me your current symptoms and I will try and give you a remedy ...

Dear John,

it is a very sad state of affairs that of the 40 people you knew, only 2 were fully cured. Unfortunately I agree that many people come away unhappy with their homoeopathic treatment, but this is an truly appalling statistic. Of course, it depends on whose practice is being visited, and there are many great homoeopaths too - it is just hard to determine that as a patient, until after you have tried them. Not all of those homoeopaths write books, so their efforts can go unnoticed by the world at large.

The good homoeopaths tend to discover their own methods - or I should say their own style of practice. Herscu has discovered one, Scholten another, Sankaran another, Smits, Sherr, Vithoulkas, Zaren - these may or may not translate easily across for other practitioners. But ulitmately, each homoeopath must find for themselves the best way to use the Art.

__________________
David Kempson.<br />Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine.<br />Lecturer Australian College of Natural Therapies (Brisbane Campus)<br />Member AHA, AROH, HMA<br />Member Australian Homoeopathic Association. Member#0442.

Danielle,

I am very sorry that you have had this experience. But it is important to remember, that you could have this sort of experience with any sort of therapy - I cannot count the number of patients with real horror stories about orthodox medical practitioners. Yet if you have the right person looking after you, then even modern medicine can be helpful (well, up to a point).

As to not knowing who to turn to, or who to believe - that is not something that can be solved by anyone except yourself. We will all say how much good we can do you - who do you believe? I get most of my clients through word of mouth or referral from doctors who have seen my results - that I think is the best way to go.

Find people who have been to a homoeopath in NYC - get some feedback as to results they have had. Don't trust the word of the practitioner - there is no way for you to determine if they are being honest with you. Homoeopathy, like many therapies, is full of quacks and poorly trained wannabes.

Only go to a Classical Homoeopath - there is no other way to practice it. Being classical does not assure that the homoeopath is any good, but without that, the homoeopath will definitely fail.

Confirm that they are truly classical - ask them what are the four principles of homoeopathy, and do they stick to them?

Law of similars, Law of Single Remedy(this means single modality as well), Law of Minimum Dose, Law of Direction of Cure. If they cannot name these, then don't bother.

Ask them if they will mind being questioned on how they will be prescribing for you.

Ask them to describe the sort of cases they work with, the sort of successes they have had. Ask them what sort of failures they have had. Don't believe anyone who says they can cure 100% of their clients - that is impossible, and you must be suspicious of anyone telling you that.

People who need to mix modalities do not know how to use homoeopathy properly. Since they do not obviously have much faith in homoeopathy, you shouldn't have much faith in them. I have practiced nothing but homoeopathy for 8 yrs - it is not necessary to "combine" therapies.

There is only one energy in the body - one life force. Acupuncture and homoeopathy work on the same level, but in different ways. If they are used together, one will work against the other. Acupuncture is often used to suppress symptoms that arise during a homoeopathic aggravation - this interferes in the curative process, just as taking painkillers or steroids would. Acupuncture used on its own, or with Chinese Medicine, is a fine alternative to homoeopathic treatment, but they have very different philosophies and languages.

I only know personally one homoepath in NYC. You could try contacting him for information. His name is Ilan Yosub and you can email him at ilanyosub@earthlink.net. I don't know anything about his skill, but his knowledge seems sound.

__________________
David Kempson.<br />Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine.<br />Lecturer Australian College of Natural Therapies (Brisbane Campus)<br />Member AHA, AROH, HMA<br />Member Australian Homoeopathic Association. Member#0442.

The four principles I have stated really define a classical homoeopath. What is modern homoeopathy, a modern system? We have advanced in provings, in understanding of the psychological state, but the 4 principles remain solid and unchanged.

Homeopathy teaches us that there is only one state, one person, one energy, one life force. We treat totality by treating the whole person. That means the when a homoeopath treats, they are treating all levels - we are unable to pick and choose. If the acupunturist can, then whatever level they are working with, is included in our totality. Any changes they make there will affect what we are doing.

I also believe the acupuncturist is working with Chi, and not blood vessels and nerve endings.

__________________
David Kempson.<br />Dip.Homoeopathic Medicine.<br />Lecturer Australian College of Natural Therapies (Brisbane Campus)<br />Member AHA, AROH, HMA<br />Member Australian Homoeopathic Association. Member#0442.

Hi David,
I was taught that the four basic tenents of homoepathy are:
1. The Similimum (Law of similars)
2. Totality (Law of single remedy)
3. Potentizing (law of minimum dose)
4. Provings - if the substance is not prescribed based on the symptoms elicited during a proving, it is not homeopathy.

I was also taught that Hering's Law is actually not a law, but a general rule. It was actually incorrectly labeled a law by Kent. Andre Saine has an interesting discussion of it at
http://www.homeopathy.ca/articles/heriing_law.html

My purpose in bringing this up is to let Danielle know that the homeopath she asks may still be a classical homeopath even if he doesn't state the guiding principles exactly as David has stated them.

The similimum or law of similars and the totality or single remedy are 'must haves'. They should also understand the relationship of the rubrics to the provings and understand the direction of cure. There is a lot of controversy about the term 'minimum dose'. Some homeopaths think that means the lowest potency and others think it means the highest, most dilute potency. But regardless, they all use what they consider to be the minimum dose.

[ 22. December 2002, 15:17: Message edited by: sreischman ]

__________________
Shirley Reischman

Dear Danielle,

Well, you had to ask!

I would agree with John that you've spent so much money, and finding another "homeopath" in NY is such a ****-shoot, the smartest thing would be to go to Paul Herscu, even if it means having to wait for an opening, but, he is one of the most successful and accomplished in our field. He runs the New England School of Homeopathy, has written many books, teaches seminars all over the world; I should add that his wife Amy Rothenberg is another, equally good, choice, and Conn. isn't that far from NY.
At least you won't have to ask Paul Herscu, What are the 4 principles of classical homeopathy!?

Also, taking a recommendation from a practitioner who failed wouldn't be my first choice, definitely not.

Snoopy

As another person who saw several Homeopaths before she found one who truly practises Classical Homeopathy i would agree with others on this board
Paul Herchu comes highly recommended by his own kind ......you would be well served to see him