Hi All,

Have deferred allowing my 11 yo son to have the BCG vaccination at school as am basically very unsure about proceeding, esp after my experiences with homeopathy over the past couple of years - moving me towards a major rethink on maintaining the health of my family.

On the day the injections were being given he was actually ill anyway and, having consulted with my husband, we agreed to leave it at least until he felt better. I've now argued that, since he's also been going through a rather early puberty and suffered from headaches, stomach upsets quite a lot recently, it might be better to defer it for a while longer. The DoH leaflet provided by the school does indicate that the age range for having this vaccination is 10 -14 years & I'm thinking that 14 may well be soon enough, if we proceed at all.

The truth is I feel as though I'm in a quandary here as my husband is rather concerned about the risks of contracting TB (which I suspect in a small country town are actually rather low) and the arguments I've put forwards are, I admit, the ones which I know will be "acceptable" (he's run down just now, best to wait etc etc) rather than ones which my husband will easily reject (oh, you're not going to tell me about that homeopathy business again are you?).

Naturally, parenting being a joint venture, and most healthcare professionals we're in contact with thinking along the same lines as my husband, I feel I need a bit more that my current understanding of the situation (that vaccinations, in essence, are grafting another layer of disease onto a person's energy body, thereby laying down the ground for future complications rather than benefits).

I know this has probably been asked before, but can anyone recommend any good sources of information on the BCG vaccination that I can pass on to my husband (a science teacher who is likely to be quite thorough)?

I'd like to be in more of a position to convince him myself but so far my own improvements achieved through homeopathy have been largely spiritual/emotional (actually quite a feat!), rather than physical, and, of course, it is all too easy for those to be attributed to other causes (placebo effect, my own gullible nature and willingness to clutch at straws).


Many thanks

That is absolutely great that you have had emotional and spiritual shifts. The rest will come with time and perhaps the other remedies.

In the chronic cases of adults, at times quite some unravelling needs to be done and this may mean prescribing several remedies when the indicated remedy picture emerges. Eventually, you will get to a stage where you will feel physically better too, but mental/emotional and spiritual shifts for now are great. As you know, homeopathy is not a 'quick fix' treatment at all and it takes time. Be patient and you will reap the benefits, having said that, you are already starting to anyway.

It really sounds as if your son should see a homeopath as well and a good constitutional remedy can go a long way to helping him. A constitutional remedy could also help if you did eventually decide to have the BCG vaccination.

Starburn, forgive my vagueness. I probably didn't make it clear enough - I am a patient, not a homeopath and my understanding of this is based entirely on what I've read here and in a variety of books written largely for the layperson (I also do a lot of yoga and chi kung, and, regardless of whether they actually exist or not, meditations on the chakras and meridians do seem to have a beneficial effect - this is where my rather loose term "energy body" probably comes from, although I believe I have seen echoes of this type of thought on this discussion board). Not written with the intention of debating with professionals (I do not have the knowledge), but seeking further clarification and information. If I've misunderstood the process, and the rationale behind the whole anti vaccination argument from the classical POV then I'm sure there are others here who can provide full information.

Natural Health, thank you for your advice. It sgood to have some +tive feedback. I realise that the best option by far would be to take my son to see a homeopath and hope to be able to do that in the near future (or before he hits 14 anyway).

Unfortunately I think my husband (and probably also the rest of my friends and family) would regard this as an irrational and unnecessary move unless and until they've seen any evidence (this means physical changes) in my own health.

I have been very persistent in trying to find a solution to my health problems and this has involved, over the past 9 years, trying a variety of alternative approaches which simply haven't worked. Even though my mental health has definitely improved over around 2 1/2 years of homeopathic treatment, they're not convinced that this wouldn't have happened anyway ("She's finally come to terms and moved on etc etc"). Also there's always the suspician that homeopathy is just the latest in my fruitless search for a cure.

Now if I were in a position to show them some before and after scans (with and without cysts) that would make a huge difference. To my family (who would not just accept but embrace the opportunity to try homeopathy for themselves), to my colleagues (who might do the same and, for bonus points, wouldn't have to regard me as an "ill" person) and, of course, most of all for all the other members of my PKD patient support group.

I can but wish....

Well, it is a start anyway. I worked in the renal field for a long time in conventional medicine.

Just out of interest, what other therapies have you tried that you have not had success with?

Just interested, as I might be able to recommend some other that may very well help you.

Hello there,

I just thought that i would share my personal experience with you all. I am 22, and have had all my childhood vaccinations including the BCG. Ever since my vaccinations, i suffered with many, many symptoms! By the time i was 16 years old, i had the following: IBS, I HAD A CONSTANT STOMACH ACHE, DIARRHOEA MOST DAYS, AND EVERY FOOD AND DRINK IRRITATED MY SYMPTOMS AND CAUSED PAIN, I HAD BIG LUMPS BEHIND MY NIPPLES WHICH WERE EXTREMELY PAINFUL AND EXCRETED LOTS OF BLACK FLUID, REGULAR HEADACHES, BACK PAIN, KNEE PAIN, CHEST PAIN, BRUISED RIBS (why?), FEET PROBLEMS, EAR ACHES, REGULAR SORE THROATS, SHOULDER PAIN, COULDNT GO OUT IN THE SUN, EXTREMELY WEAK, MOLES OUT BREAK, and i could tell you more. At 16, this was too much for me, i was told that i would need to wear a bag!! I contacted a Homeopath in Dorset who treated me over the phone, i never met her all through the treatment! This wonderful homeopath cured my lumps, bumps, IBS etc in 8 months!

The only thing that bothers me now is my weight. I am eating very well now, (i couldnt eat before), but cant put weight on. Those who know about the BCG proving, this is a characterisic: CHRONIC APPETITE, WITH WEIGHT LOSS.

Everyone has the right to do what they think is right by their child and family, but i can assure you, my children will NOT be given ANY conventional vaccinations. From my experience, Homeopathy is just as effective.

LONG LIVE SAMUEL HAHNEMANN AND HOMEOPATHY.

LEE B (p.s. I am studying Homeopathy now)

OK. Have tried nutritional therapy (various forms, incl, vitamins/supplements as recommended by the Soc. for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy and the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, an alkaline ash forming diet (mainly vege - see Dr Ted Morter's book "An apple a day"), a diet to boost the chinese herbs (dairy free, small amount of meat) and various bits and pieces which, by my own reading, should have helped (fish oils, antioxidents, soya diet based on the theory that, since my liver cysts are hormonally driven it was a good idea to avoid dairy as per Dr Bob Arnott, Dr Lee - the "replace strong oestrogens with weaker plant oestrogens theory"- and Prof Jane Plant ("Your Life in your Hands"). Have also tried Western, Ayurvedic and Chinese herbalism, Edgar Cayce castor oil packs (and, as I remember watermelon tea which was supposedly good for the kidneys). All these things took a significant amount of time as I really felt I needed to give them at least 6 months to 1 year to know whether they were beneficial (PKD being a slowly progressing chronic disease).

Have also investigated various other therapies which, upon further questionning, the relevant therapist wasn't able to convince me about...Various members of my online support group have also tried radionics, acupuncture, crystal therapy and a variety of other stuff I can't actually recall now.

The good things I've discovered and which I'm sticking with - homeopathy, chi kung, meditation and visualisation and yoga. It seem to be the therapies based on an understanding of the human body as an "energetic entity" (forgive the expression) that are working best. But it's very hard to sort the wheat from the chaff and to avoid being "sold" something based on general principles which turn out not to hold in the case of PKD patients. I rapidly learnt to mistrust anyone using the term "holistic", only to find that it became truly meaningful in the case of homeopathy.

But, before I took up another approach, I think I'd need some evidence. Just one PKD patient who could tell me of even a slight reduction in cysts size would be enough.

But then, as I've said before, I'm hoping I could be that patient. We'll see.

Gosh Lee. Astounding. I wish I'd had such a definite response to my treatment! I'd also be studying homeopathy by now! I work as an accountant in the Health Service and so, if homeopathy really did come up trumps, it would change everything for me.

I seem to get stuck in circular arguments though. If homeopathy cures me, I'll study it in earnest. But what if it only half cures me? And, more to the point what if the job I'm currently in is a "maintaining cause"? I need to get out before a cure can be completed but I hesitate to move until I'm cured.

Homeopathy sometimes seems to ask so very much of me. And a leap of faith of this magnitude is a lot to ask. Give up your job and your charity work, then you MIGHT be cured. AAARRRGGGG!

Still maybe this time next year...

Dear Lee
You mentioned a proving of the BCG vaccine - do you know how I can get a copy of it, or find out the keynote symptoms? (I also experienced poor health after having that vaccine at age 11, and like you I am now training to be a homoeopath)
Regards, Jo

Now unless I am very much mistaken there has been a lot of work done to prove that BCG vaccination doesn't even work and I believe they have stopped giving it altogether in the States because of this.

My daughter was never given the BCG vaccination because every time she had the test that they do before hand she came up in a bad eczema rash on in arm!!