When Should I Contact My Homeopath?

1. If you develop an acute illness that needs treatment. Call your homeopath before seeking other forms of treatment for acute illnesses. If you have a medical emergency such as a car accident, severe bleeding, heart attack, stroke, or poisoning, get emergency medical treatment immediately, then call your homeopath as soon as possible. If you have rapidly progressing acute symptoms such as an earache, pain when urinating, or an unusually bad cough, call your homeopath immediately. If you cannot reach your homeopath, seek conventional medical care for severe acute illnesses.
2. If you think that you have been exposed to one of the substances that interfere with homeopathic treatment. Your homeopath may wait one to two weeks before re-evaluating your case and deciding whether to repeat your remedy. This waiting period is sometimes necessary to evaluate whether your previous symptoms return and to give you a chance to recover without the need for repeating the remedy.
3. If you think nothing has happened from the remedy and you want to use another form of treatment to alleviate your symptoms. You may not have waited long enough to feel the full effect of the remedy you have been given, or the remedy may not be correct. In either case, using another treatment before the action of the remedy has been evaluated may confuse your case. Your practitioner may be able to recommend something that will alleviate your discomfort yet will not interfere with your homeopathic treatment.
4. If you experience a severe aggravation after you take a remedy. This is unusual, but it can happen and your practitioner should know about it immediately.
5. If you experience significant symptoms that you have never had before. These may come from the remedy you have taken or from another cause, but they need to be promptly evaluated by your homeopath.
6. If you experience a severe return of old symptoms lasting more than two weeks. A return of old symptoms is usually mild and short lasting, but occasionally the situation needs evaluation and treatment.
7. If you want to use prescription medications that you have not already discussed with your homeopath. This includes antibiotics, steroids, anti-inflammatories, hormones and other strong prescription drugs that may disturb your treatment.
8. If you need to have dental work or surgery. If it is an emergency and you can not reach your homeopath, have the work done. If the dental care can wait, your homeopath may have a preference as to when the dental work is least likely to interfere with your homeopathic treatment.
9. If you need extensive diagnostic procedures. CAT scans, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imagery), exploratory surgery or other procedures may affect your treatment. You should use these diagnostic techniques when necessary, but let your homeopath know.
10. If you do not know when to come in for your next follow-up appointment or you are unsure whether to continue homeopathic treatment. Your homeopath can guide you to the most appropriate next step in your healing process. If homeopathy has not worked well for you, which is occasionally the case, your homeopath may refer you to another homeopath or to a different type of practitioner.
11. If you are traveling and need medical care. Your homeopath may be able to treat you by telephone, or to recommend a homeopath nearby. In emergencies, remedies can be sent by overnight mail or taken on your trip in a traveling kit. This is far better than to risk interfering with your treatment.