I saw a homeopath for the first time about 4 months ago. I was put on a low dose of a remedy which was then gradually increased. It didn't make me better, quite the reverse...it brought out all the original symptoms that I was first diagnosed with, particularly the low-grade fevers and also very very itchy sores on my arms. I have now rightly or wrongly stopped this remedy - it was making me so ill and the timing was totally wrong (whenever is it right?). On the other hand, I've read that homeopathy often works that way before making you better....
Any thoughts anyone who's into homeopathy?
I agree with many other posters here that it's both normal to experience the "beginning" of the illness again as a remedy goes to work on the layers of an illness and that it's not optimal to have more than a quickly-passing 'aggravation.' That usually means that something needs to be tweaked. One thing I was told by a constitutional homeopath was that, although there's a belief that a remedy will have no effect if it's not 'your' remedy, that is not true for sensitive people. So, it's not to say it's dangerous by any means, just that people with complex issues and who are sensitive to meds and foods and such, are usually also sensitive to dosage and remedy. In a perfect situation, you either get it right from the start or can find the exact frequency to meet your symptoms so that they essentially cancel each other's effects out and just bring relief. A newer idea I've been learning about is that it's important to let the body complete its illness process and not try to mitigate the symptoms. I think this is an easier thing for people who are essentially healthy as we already have so many systems struggling that we need to consider how taxed we are overall, but it's an interesting concept.
Also, I'm not sure of what type of remedies you're using but I did consult with a naturopath who, like many others now, uses a system created by a company in Belgium, UNDA,
http://whatishealing.com/UndaNumbers.htm which uses combination remedies in a complex system. I hear some people get very good results from them. I chose to stick with the more traditional type of homeopathics but, had I the money to try it out for several months or a year, I might have done so.
I believe, though I might be mistaken, that homeopathic remedies are the first line of treatment with even most allopathic physicians in several European countries. Germany is often in the forefront of this field and dentistry materials. I doubt the credibility of homeopathy is even an issue at this point. I see the most "normal" people in the country with grocery carts full of foods an ME/CFSer would never dare touch swearing by Zicam (a homeopathic combo cold remedy). I think it's an interesting thing because they don't really advertise as an alternative thing, just as a treatment to speed up healing from or preventing a cold and it's right there next to every other cold remedy in the drugstore or grocery store.
Personally, I have times when meds don't work and I eventually remember a remedy that I've used (you usually get to know a few that are very helpful for you that can be used in a lower potency or prescribed by your homeopath) and bam, the problem starts to clear right up. And often, as awful as symptoms can become, less is more when it comes to treating them (if fewer side effects and being "alternative" is considered less). Good luck!
