How to Take

Homeopathic Remedies

For good results taking homeopathic remedies, please follow these guidelines.

ON THIS PAGE:

All Homeopathic Remedies

Self Treatment and Over the Counter Remedies

Remedies Prescribed by Helen Swan

Homeopathy with Treatment from your Doctor or Dentist

Out of Hours Help

Cancellations

All homeopathic remedies

What to Avoid.

mint and homeopathic remedies

These may interfere with your remedies. Please avoid them throughout your treatment.

Anything containing very strong smells, such as menthol, camphor, eucalyptus or strong mint. E.g. cough/throat sweets, cold sore cream, Olbas Oil, certain strong toothpastes and sweets. Check the ingredient list – and sniff the product! Mild mint toothpaste is acceptable, or change to fennel or another flavour.
All coffee including decaffeinated.
Strong fumes e.g. paint, creosote.

Remedy Storage

Please store all remedies carefully, in a cool dark place, out of direct sunlight, and away from strong smells. Keep out of reach of children, although accidental doses are not harmful to children.

How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

All remedies are absorbed in the mouth. Avoid anything by mouth for at least 15 minutes before and after each dose (unless urgent). This includes toothpaste or tobacco, food, and drinks except water.

TABLETS

Take one at a time. Children can safely take the same dose. If in doubt consult a qualified homeopath.
Avoid handling pills; use a clean teaspoon, or tip one into the lid.
Suck or chew until dissolved. The taste is pleasant. For children or animals, you can crush the pill or dissolve in a little water.
If you drop a pill do not use it.
Take one only, unless directed differently
Most over-the counter remedies are lactose based. If you are lactose-intolerant, or vegan, please contact me.

Self Treatment and Over the Counter Remedies

What is Safe to Treat Yourself?

Homeopathy is a safe and effective treatment to use at home. You can treat acute problems, that is, problems that have a natural limit, such as colds, cuts and bruises, and mild coughs, children’s illnesses or fevers.

You can find remedies to relieve recurring problems, such as migraines or period pains. In the long term, however, these are really chronic problems, and require the advice of a qualified homeopath.

Chronic illnesses do not have a natural limit, in fact they may get gradually worse without help. They include allergies, depression, rheumatism, chronic fatigue, skin problems, hormone imbalance, and any recurring problem. For these it is best to consult a qualified homeopath, as it requires experience to assess the changes that occur with homeopathic remedies.

Frequency of Dose
The basic rules are:

More serious or intense – more frequent
Less serious or milder – less frequent.
Stop if improving.
Don’t continue if it does not help.

These guidelines assume you are using over-the counter potencies of 6x, 6C or 30C.

Less serious acute complaints such as slowly developing flu, mild fevers: 1 dose every 4-8 hours. Assess after 24 hours.
Serious acute complaints such as painful cough, flu, high fever: 1 dose every 1-2 hours. Assess after a few hours according to severity.
Long-term constant problems, such as skin conditions or arthritis; 1 dose a day for a maximum of 1 month. Assess after 2-4 weeks. Do not continue without advice from a qualified practitioner.
Recurring or intermittent problems such as migraines, heartburn, period pains. Treat as acute, see above, according to severity: 1 dose, from hourly to every 8 hours; assess after 24 hours. As these are really aggravations of a chronic condition, do not treat long-term without advice from a qualified practitioner.
For more advice contact me.

What Will Happen?

For acute or recurring conditions, do not exceed 10 doses without assessing progress and/or consulting a qualified homeopath.
For long-term, constant conditions, do not self-treat for more than 1 month.
As symptoms improve, reduce frequency of dose, stop if clear improvement has begun. Wait and see if improvement continues.
If you improve, then the same symptoms return, repeat the same treatment.
If you improve, but different symptoms return, you may need a different remedy.
If you do not improve, change remedy or consult a qualified homeopath or doctor.
There is no set course for homeopathic treatment, unlike pharmacy or prescription drugs. Your progress, and individual response, determine the next step. If you are unsure, please contact me or another qualified homeopath.

Remedies Prescribed

by Helen Swan

Please avoid any other homeopathic remedies not prescribed by Helen Swan.

Some remedies interact unfavourably with others.

TABLETS

Take one at a time. In constitutional treatment, you may only need one tablet for many weeks.
Avoid handling pills; use a clean teaspoon, or tip one into the lid. Suck or chew until dissolved. The taste is pleasant. For children or animals, you can crush the pill or dissolve in a little water.
If you drop a pill do not use it.
Take one only, unless directed differently.

LIQUID REMEDIES: TWO METHODS.

1. Plussing: tablets into liquid

This method extends the use of a tablet.

It is useful if you haven’t many left, and also ensures a gentler and more even response to the remedy.

Stirring raises the potency, hence ‘plussing’.

Dissolve one tablet in a half glass of water. It does not matter if some of it does not dissolve.
Give one teaspoonful per dose. Cover the glass, and keep cool.
Stir vigorously before each dose. Repeat as directed.
Renew glass every 1-2 days, or add a little alcohol (spirits) to preserve it.

2. Liquid LM Potencies
liquid homeopathic

These are special homeopathic remedies made as liquids. They are designed to be repeated frequently, and have a cumulative action. They are especially useful in sensitive conditions.

LM remedies are potentized in the laboratory in a different way from tablet (centesimal or decimal) remedies. The dilution is much higher, so that the action of these remedies is even gentler. For more information, read How Does Homeopathy Work.

Your remedy will arrive as one or more little vials of concentrated liquid. If they are numbered, use lowest number first. You will dilute the vial into a larger bottle.

When your bottle is almost finished, please contact me. If you have several vials, you may make the next one up and continue, as directed. You may re-use a bottle for different batches of the same remedy (e.g. Pulsatilla 0/1, 0/2, 0/3). Clean the bottle with hot or boiling water but not detergent. For a different remedy (e.g. Sulphur 0/1), it is important to use a new bottle.

You will need…

One clean new bottle, brown glass, 100ml. size. Available from pharmacies.
Still bottled water.
A clean glass and teaspoon. A small tumbler or a wineglass is ideal. Rinse well and keep these solely for your medicine.
Brandy or other spirit as preservative. If you prefer not to use alcohol, please contact me.

What to do…

Three-quarters fill the bottle with water.
Add the vial of your remedy. Tap the base of the vial to get the remedy out.
Top up with alcohol; do not over-fill.
Replace cap and shake bottle.

How to take your LM remedy…

Before each dose, bang the bottle firmly 10 times on a yielding surface, such as a book or a folded cloth. This ‘activates’ your remedy by slightly raising the potency of each dose.
Put about 4 tablespoons water into your glass. You will soon be able to estimate this.
Add 1 teaspoon of your remedy and stir.
One dose is 1 teaspoon from this glass. Repeat once daily or as directed.
If you take more than one dose a day, keep the glass and use it later. If you take one dose a day, rinse out the glass. Make fresh the next day.

What Will Happen?
Homeopathic treatment is individual, there is no set course as there is with prescription drugs. Please keep in touch - I will discuss the exact dosage with you, and we will adjust it if necessary, depending on your progress.

In the following cases, stop your remedy and contact me:

Acute illness, e.g. colds, tummy upset.
If your existing problem gets worse, or if you experience old problems returning. These may be positive signs of a cleansing reaction, or I may need to change your treatment.
If you develop new symptoms and these persist, you may need a new remedy.
If nothing happens in 3 weeks, or previous improvement stops or levels off.

YOUR RIGHTS

Please read Terms and Conditions.

It is your right to know the name and dose of any remedy you or your children are offered. This is especially useful if you change to another homeopath.

Sometimes, I may negotiate with you to give you this information at a later date. This is for these reasons:

You may be well informed about homeopathy, and have books of your own, or use the internet. You may read about your remedy and gain the wrong idea about why I prescribed it. It is better to talk to me directly.

Some homeopathic remedies are made from substances you may find disagreeable, although we only use tiny amounts in potency, and there is never any danger of poisoning or contamination. For example, we make several effective remedies from snake venom, but if you have a phobia of snakes, it might be more helpful to know this was your remedy, at a later date.

If you are vegan, please discuss this and I will respect your preferences before I prescribe.

Please note, other homeopaths may give slightly different advice.

Questions.

I am happy to answer any questions, please phone weekdays before 8.00 or contact me.

Treatment from your Doctor or Dentist.

Prescription Medicines.
Homeopathic remedies do not interfere with conventional medicines. Your treatment is confidential, but please maintain contact with your doctor, and DO NOT stop taking medication suddenly.

Please tell me about all medication you use, including: prescription drugs; painkillers; cough or cold cures; skin treatments; treatments for thrush, cold sores or warts; laxatives; herbal creams; supplements. This helps me monitor your treatment. You need not do without any medicine that is keeping you comfortable, but we will discuss the effect on your homeopathic treatment.

It is possible that homeopathic treatment may reduce your need for conventional medicine. In this case I will make sure it can be safely reduced, ideally in co-operation with your doctor.

Dental Treatment.
Dental treatment sometimes interrupts homeopathic treatment. Please let me know. Natural therapies e.g. osteopathy, acupuncture, may also sometimes affect your treatment.

Please see also Homeopathic Treatment with Prescription Medication.

Out of Hours Help

I will help acutely ill children over weekends if I can, but prefer adults to call me on weekdays, before 8.00pm. If you need urgent treatment and I am not available, please contact your doctor, or call:

"The Homeopathic Helpline"
09065 343404. UK only.
Open 9am to midnight.
Billed per minute, to your own phone number.

It helps to have a list ready with a concise description of your immediate problem, and a note of your last constitutional remedy from me. You may be advised to see a doctor or accident/emergency department, if homeopathy is not appropriate.

If I am on holiday I will try to arrange cover by another homeopath, if this applies, these details will be on my answerphone.

Appointments and Cancellations

24 hours notice is normally needed for any cancellations, or the full fee may be payable.

Disclaimer

All remedies are taken at your own risk. Always read instructions on any product. Information on this site is not intended in any way as prescription or diagnosis, and is not a substitute for the advice of a doctor or other suitably qualified health professional. If you have a medical condition, or take prescription medication, please seek medical advice. Please read Terms and Conditions before using this website.

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