I have a friend who I wanted to give some Rhus Tox for rheumatism. I repertorised her symptoms and this came top and fits the picture. She is an elderly lady who takes a lot of meds so I thought 6c would be a suitable potency to start her on.

Many people seem to prescribe that level of potency for 3 times a day. But my question is for how long?? Can she keep taking it for a month. I just feel a bit hesitant about giving a months supply of tablets at 3 times a day.

Also what instuctions do I give her. As far as I understand if she suffers aggravation she should reduce frequency of the dose and if she feels improvement she should reduce frequency and then call me when improvement stops - is this right??

I am a student of homeopathy and really struggle with the potency issue. Guidance is much appreciated..

Lou

Dear Lou,

Low potency prescribing method:

1. Put one or 2 pellets into a small Evian bottle
(pour a little out) and shake before each dose.
2. A dose is a sip.
3. Take three times a day.
4. Store bottle in the refrigerator.
5. When bottle is almost empty,refill with water, don't add more pellets.

Adjustments:

1. If there is a Striking improvement, cut back to once a day and see if improvement continues.
2. If you cut back to a point where a relapse begins, increase the repetitions again.
3. If there is a small improvement, continue with the 3 times a day. Usually when people start to feel like themselves, they forget to take the remedy, and that's fine. If you don't need it, you don't need it.
4. If the remedy starts to "slow down", go up to the next potency--order a 9C. Discard the 6C bottle and start a new 9C bottle.
5. If the remedy causes her symptoms to get slightly worse, cut back to once or twice a day and see if that rectifies the discomfort. If not, go to once every other day.
6. If the remedy causes a bad aggravation, stop the remedy, wait, and see if an amelioration follows after the aggravation dies down. If there is no improvement, it's the wrong remedy.

If she suffers an acute during chronic treatment, stop the chronic remedy and give a 30C for the acute, clear that up, and then go back to chronic treatment if the chronic problem still persists.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Snoopy

Thanks Snoopy!

That's really helpful. The only worry I have got is that she will have difficulty dispensing this by herself. She struggles with her hands and co-ordination so I think a dry dose would be easier to manage.

I will certainly save these notes and try this prescribing method in the near future, but do you know the procedure for dry doses at low potency?

Regards
Lou

Dear Lou,

Do you mean she really can't unscrew a bottle cap and screw it back on?

Hahnemann really stressed in the Organon (Paragraph 247--please read it) not to repeat dry doses, but to put a remedy in water and "dynamize", to use his word, before each dose. But, if you're saying your grandmother can't do that, then repeated dry doses would simply be one pellet 3 times a day, and, again, the previous instructions apply for cutting back if there's a striking improvement, and so on.

But Lou, if she can open the remedy bottle and get the pellets out, it shouldn't be any less difficult to unscrew the cap of a small spring water bottle and take a sip, especially if the cap is screwed back on loosely instead of tight.

Snoopy

I have just had a lot of success with an 82 year old to whom I gave 1 pillule dissolved in 10ml spring water (with a little, approx 10% vodka in so it doesn't go off) and got her to take 5 drops a day. Before taking the remedy she succusses (bangs on her palm of her hand) the bottle 5 times.

So what I am saying is what Snoopy has suggested is fine but I think she forgot the succussion bit.

If you wish to give pilulles in a 6c potency 3x a day is fine for a month or 2 but with instructions to stop if there is an improvement or if anything else happens. The remedy can be started again if the problem returns. Now if you are giving this remedy for the stiffness in arthritis I instuct patients to just take one 6C pillule at night and 1 during the day if they need it. If you are giving this remedy as a constitutional rememdy because it fits the totality of the symotoms in the case then I would give a 1M dose and then prescribe 1 pillule of 6C to be taken daily because of the medication she is on. This is what I would do.

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Dear Ricky,

I did say shake the bottle before each use.
Granted, this is not succussion, per se, but, getting too technical with beginners can backfire; trying to explain "succussion" can make homeopathy seem strange; but people are familiar with the concept of "shake before each use" and so I tend to go with that.

I don't think the Rhus tox is the constitutional remedy but rather matches the R.A.

Snoopy

Repitition of any potency either low or high has one important ruling that is "no repitition should be done till patient is improving "'but in right direction Pleases refer to Kent's philosophy Dr Sinha

__________________
Dr.P.K.Sinha

Ricky
What did you dispense the remedy in - one of those dropper bottles like used for rescue remedy? Because I am just trying to think of a way my friend could manage this because she struggles with screw caps.

Also, what potency did you use? And what is the difference in this technique and using LMs. Which should be used under what circumstances? I would be really grateful if you could help me understand this because potency and liquid dose is an area I am very unsure.

Thanks
Lou

Dispense in a new dropper bottle - not an old RR one!! Re potency it really does depend on what you are using the remedy for - an acute or a chronic situation, if it is a constitutional remedy and the vitality of the patient!!! In your case I would go for a 6C if it is for the stiffness. Now this way of making a liquid remedy is called a Water Potency and it is not the same as an LM which is something I don't bother with but I believe Snoopy does.

Sorry Snoopy - I didn't see the word shake as I have a habit of scanning rather than reading properly as it's quicker!!

[ 18. January 2003, 21:06: Message edited by: Ricky ]

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Hello Lou,

Antidotes to Rhus Tox:
Bell, Bry, Camph, Coff, Sulph.

You need to study these remedies BEFORE you embark on this kind of dosing schedule.

Acon, Arn, Ars, Bell, Bry, Calc, Caust, Cham, Chin, Con, Graph, Hep, Ignat, Kali, Lyc, Merc, Nat mur, Nit ac, Nux vom, Phoph, Ph ac, Puls, Saba, Sep, Sil, Spig, Staph, Stram, Sulph, Verat.

These are related remedies which may help you recover the case.

Chris