Hello,

I saw a homeopath this past Tuesday. Unfortunately, he was arrogant, inattentive and had zero bedside manner. I won't give you the gory details.

He prescribed Causticum 7C. I did a bunch of reading on the remedy and it does seem to fit most of my symptoms. Since I will not be returning to him, I have a few questions that I hope someone might be able to answer.

If the symptoms diminish, I assume I should stop taking the remedy?

If they get better but stop progressing, do I take a higher potency?

If I don't feel like it is making much of a difference, do I take a higher potency?

About how long should it take to determine if this is the correct remedy?

Thanks for your help!
Gary

First you have to find a homeopath and the one you have is not that. There has to be a trust and openess between the homeopath and you. You mention bedside and this seems to point to a acute problem?

"bedside manner" is just an expression which reflects how the doctor treats his patients - whether he is reassuring, comforting, compassionate and attentive to both the physical and emotional needs of the patient.

Dear Gary
Not many homeopaths in LA How did youfind him may i ask? Your questions are all valid,did you not ask these when you were in the hom. office? Where you there for something acute or Chronic? Time Restraints are are probability when you are addressing acute casetaking this normally is booked for only 20-30 minutes. (chronic casetaking normally 2 hours). Causticum is a deep acting remedy,since you were not specific its hard to comment. In chronic ailments sometimes it takes months to years for a healing to happen,the potency starts low caust 3C,6C perhaps or the LM potencies for verry sensitive patients. But Caust. 7.......? Hmmmm......normally not given,its not a standard potency? Unless you did it manually via succussions............
For symptoms to diminish is not exactly a cure,could be a suppression.
for symptoms to be 'better',we stop the dosing,review the case with a follow up appt.
Nothing happening............its the wrong remedy..............
One must be 100% sure it is truly the well indicated remedy for you,caust. might not even be it?
Does yourpersonality fit caust.? (considered when taking chronic casetaking)
Please post more...........................
Gina Tyler

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Hi Gina,

Thank you for the response.

All of my symptoms are chronic - anxiety, headaches, constipation, allergies, depression, et al.

My personality definitely fits Causticum. Some of the quirky personality traits were even mentioned in the descriptions.

I cannot recall where I found this doctor. I've been receiving newsletters from him for a few years. He is a Chinese Medicine/Homeopathic doctor. He did not take the adequate time to diagnose me. He continually shouted instructions to his receptionist, would ask who was on the phone with each incoming call and attended to acupuncture patients. He would be in the room with me for five to ten minutes at a time.

As to Causticum 7C - he mentioned that it was a low dose and that the 7 was for esoteric reasons - 7 chakras. He said it, not me.

We really did not cover a long term plan. I returned the following week for an acupuncture treatment and to discuss the remedy. Long story short, he came in to remove the needles and was on a phone call. He told me to stop taking the remedy for a day or two to figure out if the symptoms were from the remedy or not and left. That is when I decided that I want to cease working with him.

I am trying to decide if I should continue taking this remedy for a while or if I need to find a homeopath. I worked with a homeopath a few years ago and did not feel like the results were all that outstanding. It's hard to know who to work with.

Thanks!
Gary

dear Gary

it would not be advisable to repeat any remedy without good reason, --
Remedies can do as mauch harm as they can do good in the wrong hands.

__________________
Hans Weitbrecht
Consultant Homeopath
homeopathy study guide: http://www.homeopathyworldcommunity....hy-study-guide

I would try taking causticum in a high dose to see if it does help you. That is a low dose you were given.

The reason for tyring it in a higher dose might be to help you see what homeopathy might do for you. You seem to think that this remedy fits you. Usually the first remedy is the constitutional remedy when you go to a homeopath. The first time I took my constitutional remedy I felt like my old self again. I think if this is your constitutional remedy you should feel something, but 7C dose might be a bit low to do anything much, at least sometime soon. (Some rememies can have a delayed reaction; that it, they are slow acting and can take some time before you feel anything. I am not sure about causticum though.)

I like to be honest with people about consulting a homeopath. You need to be patient because this process can take some time. I can find examples in the literature where they say things like "failed to act" about some rememdy which I think is really saying they did not get the constitution right on the first try. It is hard for someone to figure out your personality in the span of a 2-hour interveiw. So, homeopaths may get that first remedy, your constitution, wrong the first time. Some people may not really have the patience for that. Or, just conclude that homeopathy doesn't really work or doesn't work for them. Only you can decide if this is a process you want to try. But, if you find that a higer dose of causticum (200c perhaps) dose make you feel more energetic or better in some way, then you have gotten past that first hurdle, finding your constitutionaly remedy. The next step would be to find someone to work with who will pick up with the causticum as your constitution. Most homeopaths would rather start from scratch though, deciding for themselves what constitution you fit best.

hello again

7C....esoteric Chakra dose? Wow.......you know that's something he made up dont you?

Not a good idea to self medicate not even in homeopathy. A jump from a low potency to a verry high is not wise you can start 'proving' the remedy,specially if it is not caust. that you really need afterall.

Look up "Herings Law Of Cure" to see how homeopathy works,the progress of your illness................etc.

One month of homeopathic treatment for every year you have been sick is my estimate on average....................dealing with chronic ailments........

Gina Tyler

__________________
"Great ideas often recieve violent opposition from mediocre minds"...................Einstein

Thank you to all of you for your responses.

It sounds like the best path is to not self-medicate myself. I was under the impression that Causticum 7C would be the only remedy I would need.

How do you feel about working with a homeopath over the phone vs. in person? Has anyone worked with a great homeopath that they can recommend?

I'm trying to find the right path to heal myself. There seems to be a lot of information on taking the calming amino acids to raise seratonin and norepinephrine to deal with the migraines and the anxiety. Any thoughts?

Thanks again!
Gary

Yes, I have some thoughts about using amino acids for increasing neurotransmitters in your brain.

The best information, I think, on using nutrition for mental health problems is orthomolecular. Ortho is best known for treating schizophrenia with megadoses of nutritional supplements. I use ortho but don't have schizo.

Don't even consider using tryptophan. There is lots of misinformation out there about how tyrptophan (or 5htp) can increas serotonin levels. I have this explanation as to why this is not helpful and actually harmful.

Niacinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an active enzyme that is required for the proper function of vital areas of the brain. In schizophrenia, there appears to be a failure to deliver enough NAD to the brain. Vitamin b3 is required for the transformation of tryptophan, an amino acid, into NAD. If there is a niacin deficiency, this necessary transformation of trypotphan into NAD is inhibited, and there is not only a NAD deficiency established, but there is also an overload of tryptophan in the brain’s chemistry. Tryptophan is considered to be one of the most toxic of amino acids. An overload of it in the brain can be very harmful, especially if it is not properly converted into NAD, because it can cause undesirable perceptual and mood changes. If there is a b3 deficiency, for whatever reason, the consequent NAD deficiency will lead to ever-increasing tryptophan overload uninterruptedly unless and until the proper levels of b3 are given.

Pyridoxine, or vitamin b6, is used in the treatment of cerebral allergies by many Orthomolecular physicians. There is clinical evidence that pyridoxine is involved in the tryptophan-niacin metabolism previously explained. Morever, b6 is a precursor to over 60 enzyme reactions, is necessary for the proper metabolism of all amino acids, and is required for the maintenance of a stable immunologic system.

Source: Brain Allergies: The Psychonutrient Connection by William H. Philpott, MD and Dwight K. Kalita, Ph.D.

The right nutrition can help you. I know that severe nutritional deficiencies are real. I have two conditions treated by ortho that cause many many symptoms including anxiety, depression, irrational fears, apathy, etc.

But again I have to say that finding someone skilled in this stuff may be difficult. I thought there was someone like Bernard Rimland MD in the San Diego area. (I don't know of anyone in the LA area.) Rimland's is not alive but I think his center is still operating in that area. I might be able to find more info if you are interested.