How to Take Homeopathic Remedies

How to Take Homeopathic Remedies Updated in March 2023

Homeopathic Remedies Lined up

Homeopathic Remedies Lined up

There are as many opinions on the subject of how to take homeopathic remedies as there are homeopaths. Understanding homeopathic posology is not easy, and it really takes years of practice to get a feeling for it. The goal of Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy, was to prescribe in a way that would be as gentle as possible, while keeping the healing moving forward.

In fact, his advocacy of the minimum dose, which is one of the cornerstones of homeopathy, was to try to find a way to eliminate the toxic side effects that people would experience from crude doses of substances, hence his use of highly diluted and succussed remedies. He tended to work with lower potencies throughout his life, like 6C’s and LM potencies. Only toward the end of his life did he begin to use 30C potencies, and I believe he only used the 200C a few times.

The use of higher potencies, such as the 200C, 1M, 10M and higher were popularized by homeopaths such as James Tyler Kent. Nowadays the full range of potencies are used by homeopaths, and there are various guidelines and philosophies about choosing which potency is best indicated for the individual.

Useful Things To Know About Taking Homeopathic Remedies

Boiron Remedy Bottles

Boiron Remedy Bottles

Never follow the dosage instructions on the vials of homeopathic remedies that you buy in the health food store or on-line. The FDA requires this information to be printed on the bottles, but it is overdosing for homeopathic remedies. Also do not pay attention to the indications on the bottle. Any remedy can have hundreds or thousands of symptoms that it can help with, but there is only space to print one symptom on the remedy vial.

For constitutional treatment a single dose of a homeopathic remedy can hold for many weeks or months without needing to be repeated. The sign I am looking for to know it is a good time to repeat a remedy is the return of symptoms that had improved after the first dose of the remedy. When a person takes a homeopathic remedy there is usually an initial reaction period that can last hours, days, weeks or months, depending upon the circumstances or how deeply rooted a symptom is. Unless the patient is in pain or distress, I prefer not to interfere with this initial reaction period.

I stress the above point, because many people treat the fluctuations in the initial reaction period as indications that it is necessary to repeat the remedy, or change the prescription. This is not accurate and slows down or interferes with  the healing process.

In most cases, I like to evaluate the response to the remedy at seven weeks from when the patient received the remedy, That is when I usually schedule the first follow up consultation. At that time I make a base-line chart of the patient’s symptoms that tracks what changes have taken place. I would then only repeat the remedy, if the symptoms that had improved on the base-line chart begin to relapse, as that is an indication that the dose of the remedy has gone full circle, exhausted its action, and it is now safe and advantageous to repeat.

In many cases a remedy is not needed at the follow up consultation, because the patient is doing well, there is no evidence of a relapse and the healing process is unfolding well. In other cases at the first or second follow up consultation or some time down the road, there may be a sign that the remedy given has worked well, but that symptoms that had gotten better are starting to return, and the patient feels ready and the homeopath feels that repeating the remedy would be a good idea.

A Second Prescription that is Not a Repetition of the Previous Remedy

Another scenario would be that we discover that the dose given has cleared off a layer and a new symptom picture has emerged underneath. This layer has always been there, but now it stands out in full relief and we can see it clearly. We now have a reliable basis on which to make a second prescription, which is not a repetition of the previous remedy. The homeopath recognizes this symptom image as one corresponding to a particular remedy, and in accord with the patient moves forward with a new prescription.

Treating Acute Illnesses

After administering a remedy during an acute illness, I observe the patient for 48 hours. In most cases there should be noticeable improvement within 24 hours. In other cases it can take longer. I only repeat the remedy if symptoms that had improved following the initial dose show signs of relapsing, and the relief the patient felt initially is waning.

If a repetition of the remedy is required during an acute illness, then the remedy can be repeated in water, but I vary the quantity of water used and the number of succussions given, per my description below about how to repeat the remedy in water.

Alternatively I may recommend that the patient do a pocket or room dose of the remedy to bring them easily and gently back under the influence of the remedy. Please read the article I wrote about the pillow, pocket and room dose. Here is a link to the article.

What to Expect After Taking a Homeopathic Remedy

When a person takes a homeopathic remedy, the remedy will cycle through the patient’s repertoire of symptoms as it looks for what it needs to work on. It will find the most recently experienced symptoms first, and it will work on older symptoms later on. The patient may experience a brief intensification of the symptoms as the remedy works to address them. This aggravation should be followed by an amelioration of the symptoms, and an improved sense of well being in the patient.

Many people misinterpret the aggravation that occurs in the first few days or weeks after taking the remedy as a sign that the remedy is not working, and then change the remedy, or repeat it too soon. This is a very common mistake. When changes are taking place, whether you interpret them as good or bad, the rule is not to interfere, but watch and wait to see how things settle. Do not interfere during transitions.

Evaluating the Sensitivity Level of the Patient and Adjusting the Remedy Accordingly

Following the advice of Samuel Hahnemann in the Organon of Medicine*, I prefer to administer the remedy diluted in water. When given in water reactions are more gentle and aggravations are minimized. Many homeopaths use the dry dose method and that is also fine, but from my experience administering the remedy in water is more gentle.

The potency of the remedy used,  the quantity of pellets used, the amount of water used to dilute the remedy in, the quantity of the liquid dilution that the patient drinks are all factors that the homeopath can adjust based on his or her intuition about the strength of the vital force of the patient, or the sensitivity level of the patient. The goal is to keep aggravations or reactions to a minimum while moving the healing forward in as gentle a manner as possible.

Highly Sensitive Patients

For a highly sensitive person, I would use a low potency remedy, choosing between a 6C, 12C or 30C potency or LM potency, or a pillow or pocket dose of the remedy.

If I am treating a highly sensitive person with a water dose, I would use only one pellet, diluted in two, four or more ounces of water and give one teaspoon or more of the liquid to start with. As I observe the response of the patient to the remedy, I will reassess the quantity used when a repetition is needed.

The Size of the Pellets and the Quantity to Use

From my experience quantity often does make a difference. If more pellets are used the remedy tends to hold longer. If I am using the larger sized pellets, which are more common these days, I tend to use one pellet for sensitive people, and between two and four pellets for everyone else. For children I tend to use two pellets.

The reason I pay attention to the quantity of pellets used is that I want to be gentle and effective, and at the same time I do not want to cause an unnecessarily strong reaction, which can happen if too many pellets of the remedy are given. It is a balancing act.

If the pellets are the medium sized ones, I tend to use eight of them. If they are the tiny ones, I tend to use ten to twelve pellets as a dose.

Selection of the Potency for People Who Have Average Sensitivity

Guidelines have been developed over the centuries about how to determine the potency for the patient. Here are some Guidelines:

Take into consideration how much experience the person has had with homeopathy. The goal is to be efficient, effective and gentle. It is good to test the waters with a new client and start low or with a medium strength potency, unless you have great confidence in the prescription and in the vitality of the patient. The 30C and 200C strengths are considered to be medium strength potencies.

The weaker the person is, the older the person is, the sicker the person is, and the lower their vital energy is, the more appropriate it is to use the lower potencies, such as a 12C or 30C strength.

The younger a person is, the stronger a person is, the more vital a person is, the more clear their symptom picture is, the more the patient can benefit from medium to higher strength potencies, ranging from the 30C to the 200C to the 1M and the 10M strengths. I very rarely venture into potencies above that.

Selecting the Remedy Potency Intuitively

The way I select the remedy and potency for my clients is an intuitive process, which is backed up by many years of experience. The reason I go deeper than my intellect to do this work is that I have been shown time and again that the ego is not a completely reliable guide for selecting the remedy and potency. One of the ego’s functions is to take a position and defend it. It can defend a correct position and an incorrect one. This is why I rely on study and analysis, but ultimately intuition and higher or inner guidance to make sure that I am not being led by my ego in making a prescription. I place top priority in nurturing my intuition through a daily meditation practice, because it is crucial to my doing my work as a homeopath well.

One Should Never Repeat the Remedy in Exactly the Same Form

According to Samuel Hahnemann one should never repeat a homeopathic remedy in exactly the same form. He recommended altering the dose slightly when it is repeated. I accomplish this in several ways:

I vary the quantity of water used, so if I used 4 oz. of water to dilute the remedy for the first dose administered, I will use 6 oz. of water for the second dose, and 8 oz. for the third dose, 10 oz. for the fourth dose, and then I start over again at 4 oz.

I always succuss for the second and subsequent doses. I do not succuss for the first dose, unless I am using LM potencies. The way I succuss is that I dissolve the remedy in a glass jar or plastic bottle that seals tightly, and then I hit the jar against a book.

I ask the patient to drink the amount that I feel would be appropriate for them, with the intention of keeping aggravations to a minimum. For people of average and high vitality I usually ask them to drink all of the liquid. I also instruct the patient to swish the liquid in their mouth for 15 to 20 seconds before swallowing each sip, so that the mucous membranes in the mouth are bathed in the liquid. I may also recommend taking the remedy by olfaction, which would be to breathe over the solution as it is dissolving in the water.

In the past I used to use dry doses. What I found was that dry doses do tend to hold quite a bit longer than doses dissolved in water, but they can cause unnecessarily strong aggravations. When I switched to dosing in water, I found that the remedies work much more gently, even if they need to be repeated sooner than they would with a dry dose.

People Who Are Afraid to Take Homeopathic Remedies

There are some patients who are very afraid of taking homeopathic remedies. One way I have found to help them get comfortable with the remedy and overcome the fear is to take a pillow dose, pocket or room dose of the remedy. Here is a link to an article I wrote on how to take the remedy in this way.

Sample Prescription

Here is a sample of a first prescription of a typical 30C strength remedy in a person with average sensitivity:

Instructions for Taking the First Dose of a New Remedy

1) Please dissolve (number of pellets) of (name of the remedy) in 4 oz. of water in a small cup. You can use a disposable cup if you wish. (The quantity of pellets depends on their size. If they are the large ones, please use 3 or 4 pellets. If they are the medium sized ones, please use 8 pellets; if they are the tiny sized ones, please use 12 pellets).
2) Allow the remedy to thoroughly dissolve in the water. It may take half an hour or longer to dissolve. (Stirring is optional. My reasoning is that the water receives the information from the remedy as soon as it comes in contact with it, so I do not believe stirring makes any difference).
3) Please drink all of the liquid and swish it around in your mouth before swallowing each sip. Please do not eat an hour before or after taking the remedy. It is okay to drink water. (I adjust the amount of water I recommend the patient drinks from the solution, based on my perception of their sensitivity level).
4) In addition to taking the remedy orally, you can take the dose by olfaction. You can do this by holding the cup and breathing over it while you are waiting for the pellets to dissolve.
5) Please dispose of the disposable cup.

You may experience a time in the first weeks after taking the remedy when your symptoms might be up and down. This is the remedy cycling through your repertoire of symptoms and looking for what it needs to work on. I wanted to make you aware that this is a normal process after taking a homeopathic remedy.

Here is a sample of a second prescription of a typical 30C strength remedy in a person with average sensitivity.

Instructions for Taking the Second Dose of the Remedy in Water

1) Please dissolve (number of pellets) of (name of your remedy) in 6 oz. of water in a glass jar or a small disposable water bottle container. Please wait 30 minutes to make sure the pellets have completely dissolved.
2) Please give the bottle 10 firm succussions. You do this by hitting the bottle or jar against a book.
3) Please drink all of the liquid. Hold the liquid in your mouth for 15 or 20 seconds before swallowing each spoonful. Please do not eat an hour before or after taking the remedy. (I adjust the amount of water I recommend the patient drinks from the solution, based on my perception of their sensitivity level).
4) You can also take the dose by olfaction, which would be to breathe over the bottle while you are waiting for the pellets to dissolve.
5) Please dispose of the bottle or jar.

You may experience a time in the first weeks after taking the remedy when your symptoms might be up and down. This is the remedy cycling through your repertoire of symptoms and looking for what it needs to work on. Each time you take a remedy the cycling process gets easier, but I wanted to make you aware that this is a normal process after taking a remedy.

Instructions for Taking the Third and Subsequent Doses of Your Remedy in Water.

For each subsequent dose, I add 5 succussions to the bottle, as follows:

1st dose – no succussions
2nd dose – 10 succussions
3rd dose – 15 succussions
4th dose – 20 succussions and so forth.

Alter the amount of water used with each dose to further change the stimulus slightly.

For example:

1st dose – 4 oz. of water.
2nd dose – 6 oz. of water.
3rd dose – 8 oz. of water.
4th dose – 10 oz. of water
5th dose – 4 oz. of water.
6th dose 6 oz. of water, and so forth.

The Pillow Dose, The Pocket Dose and The Room Dose

These are methods of exposing yourself to the remedy, which I developed over the years of my homeopathic practice and which I find to be very effective. I find the pillow dose, in particular, to be equally as effective as the traditional dry dose or water dose of the remedy. Here is a link to an article, which goes into depth on how to take remedies in this fashion, and explains when one method may be better than the other.

LM Potencies

I have written extensively about LM potencies, as I used them quite a bit in the past. These days I no longer use this method, because I find it puts many people on something of a roller coaster ride. It is extremely difficult to work with, and requires a lot of supervision by the homeopath. This is a method that Hahnemann came to in his later years and which he wrote about in the 6th Edition of the Organon of Medicine (which goes by various names, depending on who translated the book).* Link to article about LM Potencies.

Conclusion

I am sharing this information about homeopathic posology with you, because there is a lot of confusion about this subject amongst homeopaths and the public.There is always more to learn about homeopathic posology. My understanding of this subject is constantly evolving. I am sure that if I were to rewrite this article a year from now, I would find many things that needed to be changed, because of having acquired more experience.

I would love people to have positive, safe and gentle experiences with homeopathy. I have said this before and I will say it again. Homeopathy is Divine Medicine. It is Spiritual Medicine. It is Non-material medicine. It is Effective Medicine. I see miracles every day in my practice. Why? Homeopathy is also Miraculous Medicine.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

* There are many translations of this book and the titles are different. Here are a few translations on Amazon.com

This one is called the Organon of Medicine and combines the Boericke and Dudgeon translations.

A recent translation is Wenda Brewster O’Reilley’s translation called The Organon of the Medical Art.

There is another translation by Kunzli and others, also called the Organon of Medicine:

Note regarding blog comments:

Dear Friends,
I appreciate your visiting my website and reading my articles and taking the time to write your comments. I welcome your comments and will post them if it looks like what you have to say will be helpful to others. I may not write a comment back, but will let the article itself present my point of view.

I am no longer responding to people’s questions regarding personal health matters on my blog, because it becomes stressful for me due to the volume of such questions that I get.

Also there is no way I can actually answer these questions properly without familiarizing myself with the person’s  health.

For anyone who is interested in working with me, please complete the appropriate questionnaire and send it to me. This way I will know that you are ready to move forward with a consultation.

Wishing you  health and happiness,

Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

 

 

 

Homeopathy Remedy Bottles

Homeopathic Remedy Bottles

 

164 comments

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    • Allyson J O'Malley on August 28, 2018 at 11:07 am

    So grateful for your input. I have not given her any of the silica remedy yet, as I wanted to wait and hear back from you. I feel confident now that I will start her with 1 pellet in 4 0z of water and wait 7 weeks. Thank you, thank you. Btw, she has to get a hep B vaccination tomorrow, as it is mandatory for college. Is it ok to start the silica as well, or should I wait a few days?

  1. Dear Allyson,
    Yes there are so many different ways of prescribing. Samuel Hahnemann the founder of homeopathy wrote different versions of The Organon of Medicine, which also has different titles. Most homeopaths followed the 4th edition method, which was to administer one dose, watch and wait, and do not repeat until there is a relapse. In the the sixth edition, Hahnemann teaches about LM potencies. I use both the 4th and 6th edition prescribing methods.

    Many people have not read or studied from the classic homeopathic sources, and prescribe homeopathic remedies as if they are allopathic medications, hence the instructions on the bottle that says to take a certain number pellets several times a day. This is inappropriate for homeopathy, as a single dose can hold a year and longer.

    For your daughter my suggestion is not to give her any more of the remedy at all, as she has had more than enough. I would evaluate her in seven weeks and see how she is doing. If symptoms are improving, she does not need more of the remedy. She should only have more if she experiences a relapse of symptoms that lasts a while.

    I hope your daughter has a very good college experience.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • Allyson J O'Malley on August 24, 2018 at 8:53 pm

    My 19 yr old daughter was prescribed silica 30c 2-3 pellets daily until the whole bottle is finished. She was seen for constipation and acne. I was researching typical dodging for constitutional remedies and came upon your site. Her instructions seem so different from what you suggest. There must be 100 pellets in the bottle, so 2-3 pellets daily for a few weeks straight sounds wrong. Why are there so many variations in prescribing? She is heading back to college next week and I don’t want any major aggravation. It sounds like I should give her 3 pellets in 4oz of water and stop for 7 weeks.

  2. Dear Carlos,
    Thank you for writing. The hot feet is a guiding symptom to Sulphur, and it is common to other remedies as well. We do not call it a disease, but view it as a symptom, and part of the whole, and we would look at you as a whole, taking this symptom into account.

    Sulphur 30C was a good remedy choice, but repeating after a week, is not something I would do. Generally speaking I would evaluate your response to a single dose of the 30C strength at seven weeks. Then I would see what symptoms got better, same, worse, and only repeat when the symptoms that have improved after that point begin to relapse.

    At this point I would suggest not repeating the remedy, and allowing the healing process to unfold without interruption. I hope you feel better soon.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA0

  3. I took 5 drops under the tongue of Sulphur30 liquid the first week and I repeated the dosis the second week.
    I have a rare desease called Erythromelalgia or Hot Feet (Extremely rare desease) I will appreciate any comment on Homeopathy and this desease.
    Thanks

  4. Dear Joan,
    I am very sorry to hear about your injury. Please see the article and slideshow on this website on “How to Take Homeopathic Remedies.” as you are taking remedies more often than I would suggest. You injured your shoulder, but there is a systemic response.

    It would be good for you to work with a homeopath, who can take your case, see what the modalities of your symptoms are, and understand the nature of the new state you are in. When you receive a remedy that resonates with your current symptoms, a single dose should suffice to set up a healing response and begin to restore you to health.

    If you are interested in working with me, please complete the questionnaire on the website and send it to me, letting me know you are interested.

    I hope you recover soon.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • Joan on August 6, 2018 at 11:42 am

    Hello, I broke my proximal humerous in my shoulder two weeks ago ( non displaced) and hyperexnded the muscles. Now my whole body is having inflammation – in my ankles and fingers. I started with Arnica Pills for 1 week moved into 30c of Ruta Gravelons for 3 days 2 pills 3 x a day and then to symphytum 30C 2 pills 4 times a day.for the break for the last week. My inflammation is not going away. I started the Ruta again 1 pill every 4-5 hours and it is helping alot.with the inflamation Why am I having inflammation in my other joints and will the Ruta eventually heal the inflammation so I don’t have to take it long term. There are no homeopathic Dr’s in my area.

  5. Dear Narasimharao,
    Thank you for writing. Please read my article on LM potencies. I recommend that you take the remedy that you are using in the LM or Quin Potency form, and to triple dilute and use less than a 1/4 of a teaspoon at each dilution level, and to repeat very very rarely. Evaluate yourself in one week, see what symptoms are better, and only repeat if these symptoms move backward for three days.

    Here is a link to the article: https://homeopathyforhealth.net/2014/04/16/lm-potencies-vs-centesimal-scale-remedies/

    I hope this helps.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

  6. Dear Joanne,
    Thank you for writing with your question. Garlic and onion will not antidote remedies. Some people have aggravation or allergies to these things, but they are not antidotes.

    Carbonated water will also not antidote a remedy. Sometimes a desire for carbonated water is a guiding symptom to a remedy. Medorrhinum and Phosphorous, for example desire these things.

    Chocolate will also not antidote a remedy. A desire, aggravation or aversion to chocolate can help guide to the remedy.

    I hope you have a good response to the Ledum.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • Narasimharao Nagulapalli on August 4, 2018 at 8:04 pm

    Dear doctor, Every small potency also aggrevates me like arg nit 30c. Please suggest me how i escape from aggrivates because i have faith in homeopathy. thank you.

    • Joanne Rocha on July 28, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    Deborah, I have read contradicting info on what antidotes a remedy. Are garlic and onion okay if they are cooked? Would carbonated water antidote a remedy. Should chocolate be avoided? I have been on ledum for a few days and just read on one site that these items will antidote. Thank you for your help.

  7. Dear Shirley,
    This is a very creative and very unconventional idea, but I would not do it this way. If it were my dog, I would dissolve two pellets of Arnica 30C in 4 oz. of water, give the dog two ounces of that to drink, and this would be the whole dose. I would not repeat, but allow the healing response from that single dose to unfold. It does not matter how much water the dog drinks afterward, in terms of increasing the strength of the remedy.

    A single dose of a 30C dose remedy holds for three months on average, but can potentially hold a year and longer. When you repeat frequently, especially if the dose he is on has not exhausted its action, then you slow down the healing process, and cause unnecessary aggravations.

    It sounds like you have already given your dog more than enough Arnica, now stopping and observing his response over the next few months would be good.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Shirley on July 23, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    Hi, I have a question? If Arnica 30C (3 Pellets twice daily) were to be consumed by a dog blended in with his wet food and then followed by a high consumption of water for approx. 10 days – would this increase the dilution ratio of 30C, thus creating an increased strength of Arnica? I have read that while it is counterintuitive, Arnica becomes stronger the more it is diluted. Thank you.

    • Joanne Rocha on July 22, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    Thank you. This is reassuring. I wasn’t sure how I could even get them into my home without coming closer tthan 5 feet to Any electrical or magnetic device and even an electrical outlet! I won’t worry so much about walking from one point to another to transport them. I will just make sure I don’t place the remedy near anything of con
    sequence and will store away from laptops, microwaves, routers, etc.

  8. Dear Chantelle,
    When you are on a good constitutional remedy, the feeling you describe, as “I was finally at home in myself, like I remembered who I really was,” should become the state that you reside in when you are restored to your healthy state.

    I wish you that state of health and peace.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

  9. Dear Louise,
    Thank you for your question. When a remedy is antidoted, you usually know that, because the symptoms the remedy had previously helped come back pretty rapidly. That is the way you know it is an antidote. If this happens, and you have waited a reasonable amount of time to make sure this is not a temporary setback, you can repeat the same remedy in the same potency, but I would succuss the new dose about ten times, and vary the amount of water from what I used in the previous dose.

    Please look at the slideshow on this website on How To Take Homeopathic Remedies.

    I wish you all the best.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

  10. Dear Joanna,
    I have actually never heard this before. I just try to keep the remedies and tinctures in a cool dark place in the house. Instinctively, I don’t put them around the computer, or my cell phone or in the vicinity of a modem, or the microwave or the stove.Keeping the remedies away from things that have a strong magnetic field is probably a good common sense measure also

    Remedies are considered to be extremely stable.I use remedies that I purchased over thirty years ago, and remedies from over a hundred years ago are still in use.

    Thank you for your question. I hope this answer helps.

    In love and service,
    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • Joanne Rocha on July 22, 2018 at 7:25 am

    I have a question on the storage of homeopathic remedies, specifically ledum and echinacea tincture in this particular instance. I’ve been told they cannot come within 5 feet of cell phones, and magnetic and electrical fields and appliances or they will antidote and become useless. . Is this accurate? I find it difficult to Imagine an ability to meet this requirementrestriction with electrical fields (outlets, etc) and appliances, and WiFi throughout the home. Am I reading this too literally? Does it apply more to longer term storage, and not walking by an outlet, or placing remedy on kitchen counter for 5 minutes? Thank you.

    • Louise Vien on July 19, 2018 at 2:21 am

    Hello

    My question to you..

    If you antidote a remedy do you take it again or wait?

    I did have some reactions to the remedy
    but i am affraid I might of stopped the process.

    Than You

    Louise

    • Chantelle on July 17, 2018 at 1:28 pm

    Thank you so much for your advice! I really appreciate that. May I know if what I experienced, the gift as you say, was a preview of what’s to come once the remedy has healed what it needs to ? I felt as though I was finally at home in myself, like I remembered who I really was. I’ll patiently wait much longer than 7 weeks for that to return, I’m sure I’ve been waiting a lifetime already !

  11. Dear Chantelle,
    Thank you for writing about your initial response to Lycopodium 200C. This is not at all an unusual response,that you feel initially better, but then not as good after that.My suggestion is absolutely do not repeat. The remedy is still just setting up its action. It gave you an initial gift and now it is getting to work and actually addressing the symptoms.

    I usually evaluate at seven weeks to give the remedy time to cycle through and work on the symptoms, time for the aggravation period to pass, and time for some amelioration to happen.

    At seven weeks see what is better, the same, aggravated, new or old. What we are hoping to see at that point is some movement and transitioning. Some symptoms should be better; those that are aggravated are the ones being currently worked on and those that are the same have yet to be addressed.

    It sounds like you are on a good remedy, now just allow the healing to unfold with patience.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Chantelle on July 17, 2018 at 1:52 am

    Hi there,

    I’ve taken Lycopodium 200c and after the first 3 days I felt better than I had in so long. I had more energy, I wanted to go on adventures and explore and felt great in myself. It’s now the 5th day and I’m not feeling the same way. I wouldn’t say I’m back to how I was before taking the remedy however I do not feel as alive as I did after the first 3 days. I have problems with confidence and often want to stay in bed. These symptoms have come back. Is it possible that the remedy is not working on this ? If so how did it work so immediately and then revert back ? To go deeper ? Do I need to redose? Kind regards, Chantelle

  12. Dear Chiole,
    I would recommend ordering the Sulphur 200C on line, so that you follow your homeopath’s instructions. You cannot take more of the 30C to add up to a 200C. It is about energy, not numbers. The 200C is stronger and generally longer acting than the 30C, but it is also a matter of resonance. Some people resonate better to the 30C strength than to the 200C, so your homeopath has to match the resonance.

    Please ask your homeopathy what he or she thinks about this. If she thinks the 30C is a good potency for you, then you can take that instead of the 200C.

    I hope you have a very positive experience with homeopathy.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

  13. Dear Carol,
    Thank you for writing. It is best to use one remedy at a time. If you start on one remedy and then take another one later. The second remedy can interrupt the action of the first.

    I suggest following the guidance of your homeopath. Two weeks is a very short amount of time on the remedy. It is just beginning to set up its action. Please evaluate your response to the remedy your homeopath gave you after seven weeks. I hope that you will see it is helping you.

    Warm regards,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • Chloie on June 12, 2018 at 10:37 am

    Hi there,

    I was just prescribed a dose of sulphur 200c, 2 pellets, one time only. I can only get my hands on 30c in my small town. Can you tell me what the equivalent dose would be?

    Thank you!

  14. My homepath started me on my constitution remedy 2 week’s ago. She wants me to continue for another 4 week’s.
    I’m good that. I saw in my home remedy book I can treat my oily hair. It’s really flared up. Can I start that remedy while on my constitution remedy?

  15. Dear Rose,
    I am happy the information was helpful to you. Yes, you are correct that you should not follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. Evaluating how you are feeling at six weeks is a good idea. Please check to see which symptoms have been showing improvement. Only repeat the remedy if a few of the symptoms that had gotten better begin to move backward for a while. In that way, you will not be interrupting a dose that is active, you will minimize aggravations and keep the healing moving forward.

    I wish you all the best.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

    • rose on June 2, 2018 at 1:03 pm

    Hi Deborah

    This is exactly the information I was looking for.
    I have a tube of 30c potency of Thuja pillules for some stubborn Veruccas that have been there for years.
    Am I correct in taking just the one dose as opposed to following the label on the bottle?
    Also how long do I wait for a follow up dose if needed, 6 weeks?
    Thank you
    Rose

    • Blake K on May 31, 2018 at 9:32 pm

    I haven’t ever before seen guidance so clear on how to dose homeopathically. I really appreciate you sharing your approach and how you came to it.

  16. Dear Watson,
    Homeopathic posology is very important. Please read the article on this website entitled “How to Take Homeopathic Remedies,” so that you understand the rules of repetition. The basic rule I use is after you give a remedy evaluate the response to it at seven weeks. If the remedy was well chosen you should see that some of your symptoms are better. The only reason to repeat the remedy after that point is if symptoms that had improved begin to move backward for two weeks or so. If you are sure the dose you took has relapsed evidenced by a return of symptoms that had improved, then you can safely repeat the remedy.

    I wish you success with homeopathy.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

  17. I’ve been wanting to switch to a natural pain relief remedy and was considering homeopathics. It was helpful how you pointed out that you can wait a set amount of time before reapply homeopathic remedies. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for the future so I don’t use too much.

  18. Dear Rama,
    I am very sorry about the problems your mother is having. Since I have not taken your mother’s complete case, there is no way that I can properly advise you about how to help her. I would have to know about the modalities of the case, her fears, her emotional state, and so forth.

    We have about 20 remedies listed for the symptoms that you gave above:

    Diabetes, hypertension, agg moving or turning in bed, left hip pain, right knee pain. These symptoms are common to so many remedies, and do not help to differentiate the individual.

    Nonetheless here are the remedies that are coming to the top:

    Ars
    Phos
    Sulph (this has left hip pain in bold, agg moving in bed in bold).
    Lyc
    Sec
    Nat-m
    Dios
    Calc-p
    Plb
    Caust
    Lach
    Bell
    Calc
    Kali-c
    Rhus-t
    Lac-c
    Sil
    Zinc
    Acon
    Agar
    Arn
    Led
    Puls

    and so forth. All of these remedies have distinctive indications, so please work with a homeopath to help your mother feel better,

    In love and service,

    Deborah

  19. Dear GG,
    Thank you for writing and I am sorry for my delay in responding to your email. I believe the remedy you should take is Aconite 30C, one dose an do not repeat. Why the Aconite?

    It has the fear of sudden death, the panic. It is the number one remedy for pins and needles sensation. Please read the article on this website entitled How To Take Homeopathic Remedies.

    I hope this will help and that you will feel better very soon.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev

    • rama on March 24, 2018 at 8:51 pm

    Dear olenev yor articles are giving broad understaning to the commonman in the society..thank you very much for the sharing of homeo knowledge…

    My mother age of 60yrs..diabetic for 5yrs.and high bp for 3yrs..
    She was seriously suffering for left hipjoint degeneration problem.
    Along with right knee stiffness and pain.
    She was very much suppering to walk or stoop.
    Even sleepless nights.and not able to moove on bed..
    We used cp.cf.silicea for one month.each 6x.thrice a day.
    syphilinu 0.5 taken for threedoses 4days interwell.
    Syphilinum 0.9 taken 3doses with 4days interwell.
    Now she was taking bio salts 19 twice a day.
    am requesting you to Plz.advise suitable medicine to my mothers problem.

    • GG on March 20, 2018 at 8:35 pm

    Hello doctor,
    I found you on homeopathyforhealth website, so I will write my story to you. If you are able, please answer when you have time.

    Long story short, I started with homeopathy on 6th January this year, my symptoms were heart palpitations, esophagitis, gastritis, anxiety, random pain at all body (pins and needles through hands, wrists, fingers, back, toes, legs etc), cold hands and feet, health (sudden death) fear, checking my pulse nonstop, googling my symptoms etc.

    My homeopath did a study to me and gave me Sulphur 30c one dose for all January, and when I took it, THAT day I was (surprisingly) full of anger, but the next day and whole month after that I was relieved by ANY symptom, so I was very happy and confident. I was like old me, I forget about my problems, I was praising homeopathy, I was very surprised how those 3 white balls worked for me.

    In 10th February, I started to feel the same symptoms slowly, I had minor palpitations, next day more, the next-next day more and so on for a week… So after consultation with my homeopath, he said to me to continue Sulphur but more often, every week. After that, at the end of February, I took several doses Sulphur 30c but symptoms went back after 2-3 days, so my homeopath gave me Sulphur 200c, and if not work, ARS Album 30c.

    I took Sulphur 200C at 5th March, so I was really better, but this Sunday I panicked about some weird pain (pins and needles, throbbing pain) at my left arm and armpit ( I thought that it’s my heart, I wanted to rush to hospital ), so after telephoning my homeopath, he said it is the right moment to try Arsenicum 30c. I did it, and suddenly after 5 or 10 minutes after that, I had ALL the OLD symptoms returned that lasted before I started homeopathy.

    All the hell came BACK! Suddenly I started feeling acid in stomach and esophagus, palpitations, EXTREME fear, I started googling my symptoms like in the old days. Now the throbbing pain is in my all body, wrists, fingers, toes, neck, feet. My muscles shake and I feel my body very cold and anxious. I read some articles that Arsenic Album can give you death so panicked even more!

    That was last SUNDAY, still going and today is Wednesday, so I don’t know what to do. Do I need to return to Sulphur 200c or to wait for some benefit?

    I phoned my homeopath, and he said that I am oversensitive so I need to take Sulphur 200c, but I did not because I read on your website (and others) that aggravation is a good sign and I need to wait. But this drives me crazy, I think that I messed my remedies and I am very afraid that this will last forever.

    What would you do? Can you please help me?

    Thanks a lot in advance.

  20. HI!
    Thank you for this awesome Information. I love to read your article again and again.
    Again thanks for spreading the information

  21. Dear Samira,
    Thank you for writing and I am sorry that you have not been well. I repertorized all the symptoms you mentioned and there are 13 remedies that cover this list of symptoms. My recommendation is that you work with a local homeopath who can take your complete case and guide you through the treatment.

    Your symptoms are very amenable to homeopathic treatment, so with good treatment you should recover fully. Good luck in finding guidance to a good homeopath and on your healing journey,

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Samira Dewan Suri on October 1, 2017 at 5:59 am

    Dear Deborah,
    I must congratulate you on your articles on homeopathy . They are extremely informative and lucid .
    I am a 51 year old woman . I live in Gurgaon, India. I am a writer . In 2012, I was diagnosed with Sygorens Syndrom . The rhumotologist put me on HCQ 200 Twice daily . I suffer from joint stiffness, dry mouth, dry eyes and chronic fatigue . I also find it difficult to sleep at night . I have hypothyroid. My Endocronologist has put me onThyronorm 62.5 mcg. I developed mild Asthma two years ago after an acute bronchitis attack which needed multiple hospitalisation . Post that , maybe due to too many drugs I developed GERD and Acid Reflux. I have been out on Neksium 40 for acidity. I feel bloated and have a lack of energy all the time , with a sense of deep depression engulfing me .
    Pls advise what homeopathic medication I can start on gently to heal my system . I have read that homeopathy can help in making the immune system strong .
    Looking forward to hearing from you soon.
    Thank you
    Best Regards
    Samira Dewan Suri

  22. Dear Ahmed,
    There are so many differences of opinion on this subject, so I will only speak to my own opinion, gleaned through my experience. Others have had different experiences. I will stand by what I said in my article on How to Take Homeopathic Remedies:

    -For acute ailments after administering the remedy, I observe the patient for 48 hours. In most cases there should be noticeable improvement within 24 hours. In other cases it can take longer. I do not repeat the remedy frequently during acutes, as many homeopaths do, because I have found that if the remedy is working and the person is feeling better, repeating the remedy can aggravate the situation unnecessarily. I find it very rare that a repetition of a remedy is needed during an acute illness. I would only repeat if the symptoms that had gotten better were definitely moving backward for quite a while.”

    I follow the rule that you do not interrupt an active dose. It takes awhile for the remedy to set up its action. You have to allow the remedy to go through its cycle of aggravation followed by amelioration. I would only consider repeating if the patient relapsed for a while after a time of having felt better.

    Yes, I do recommend dosing in water in acute illnesses. Also we have to talk about what is an acute illness. In some cases the changes that take place are very rapid, and remedy indications may change very quickly. So there is no one rule for every circumstance.

    The size of pellets determines how many of them I use as a dose. In some pharmacies the 30C pellets are very large. In this case I would use one pellet for a very sensitive patient, and two to three pellets for the average patient.

    For 200C strength remedies, I would use 8 pellets if they are the medium size and 12 pellets for the very tiny ones.

    Often the dosage size is indicated on the bottle.

    Yes, never ever follow the instructions on the remedy bottle. They are way overdosing for homeopathic remedies.

    I hope this answers your question and I wish you all the best.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Ahmed on September 25, 2017 at 9:32 pm

    Dear Deborah
    I need more explanation in acute cases, do you recommend the same intake method of remedies by dissolving them in water or taking them dry and what is appropriate numbers of pellets if what your saying we should not considering the instruction in remedies containers.
    Regards

  23. Dear Vjay,
    Thank you for introducing yourself. Ruta graveolens is not listed for arthritis in the knees. My recommendation would be to work with a homeopath who can take your complete case and select a good remedy for you, and help manage your treatment.

    The frequency with which you were planning to take the Ruta graveolens is way too high. A 200C strength is a high potency remedy and a single dose of the remedy taken only one time can hold anywhere from three months to a year and longer. Please read the article on this website entitled: How to Take Homeopathic Remedies to learn about this.

    I wish you success in healing your knees.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Vijai kumar srivastava on August 7, 2017 at 1:59 am

    Sir
    I am 60 years old
    Xray report of my both knee shows
    BILATERAL KNEE JOINTS OSTEOARTHRITIS
    PLEASE ptescribe medicine and its dose

    Sir on net search i bought ruta graveolens liquid 200ch of 30 ml from sbl company
    Whether it is useful to me or not .please if it is iseful to me please prescribe dose .i am taking 5 drops with water in three times from two days .

  24. Dear Chaya,
    Thank you for writing. I do consider 6X dilutions and 30x dilutions to be valuable remedies when prescribed according to homeopathic indications. I like to work with the full range of potencies, as I believe there is a place and a use for everything. I do use low dilutions from time to time. Generally, though, when I feel someone needs a low potency remedy, I prefer to work with LM potencies, as I can succuss and gently plus the remedy with each new administration. I also often prescribe the 12C strength or the remedy, which is about equivalent to a 30X.

    I hope this answer is helpful and I wish you all the best.

    In love and service,
    Deborah

    • Chaya on July 29, 2017 at 7:22 pm

    Hello Debora
    I want to thank you for usefulness and clarity of your articles.
    I started my homeopathic experience only a few years ago, with tissue S alts. I have been mostly using 6X dilutions and then 30x. I wonder why you don’t seem to consider those low dilution potencies.
    Is it because toxicity difference between those and herbal remedies?
    Thank you in advance for your response.

  25. Dear Paul,
    Thank you for writing. I am happy that my article was helpful to you. Thank you very much for translating it into your language. I wish you all the best.

    In love and service,

    Deborah

    • Paul on February 13, 2017 at 4:40 pm

    Dear Deborah,

    Thanking you for the enlightenment!

    I am a lay person following the Homeopathy since 1985.
    Very recently, from Oct 2016 onwards, I have been overdosed and repeated varieties of remedies in high potencies. I was a bit confused and stop going to the practitioner. Looking on answers of how to take Homeopathic doses and you are there!

    Happy to see your article. Most probably, I’ll translate into my language, Tamil, for the benefit of the people, with the credit.

    Thanks again !

  26. Dear Clare,
    Thank you very much for your really great question. I hope that your son is feeling well now.

    Generally, the rule is that first aid situations take precedence over everything else, so you have to treat it. You did very well by giving him a single dose of Arnica 9C. From my experience Arnica can interfere with the constitutional remedy, but not always. You gave it to him in a low potency, so that reduces the possibility of it interfering. Sometimes it is just a temporary interference, and then after a week everything settles back, and the remedy he took before appears to be working well.

    If the Arnica did indeed antidote his constitutional remedy, you would be able to detect that, because when there is an antidote, the symptoms relapse very fast, and come back quickly. If that has not happened, then you can feel confident that the Arnica did not interfere with the constitutional remedy.

    One of the reasons why I like to use homeopathic first aid creams is for just such eventualities, because you get the benefit of the healing properties of the remedy in a cream form, with an extremely low risk of interfering with the remedy. In your son’s case, however, since there was a cut involved, it would not have been appropriate to apply Arnica cream, because you should not use Arnica on open wounds. Please visit my firstaidcreams.com website.

    I wish you and your family all the best.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev

    Clare’s response to my letter a week later:

    Dear Deborah,

    Firstly thank you so much for your reply, i have found it extremely helpful indeed. My son responded very well indeed to the Arnica 9c, the “egg” went down within one hour of giving the dose and the blue of the bruise came out immediately, then the next morning the bruise had all but disappeared, just a slight yellowy colour. Like you have said, i dont think that the Arnica has antidoted the constitutional remedy because he does not appear to have relapsed in any way, so i will just leave him be for the time being and see how he’s getting on in a month or so time. It will be my absolute pleasure to post my question on your website, i will do this right away. Im sure this will be helpful to others aswell.

    With kindest regards

    Clare Talha

  27. Dear Karla,
    Thank you very much for your wonderful question. I will do my best to do it justice.

    I always use one remedy at a time, because I am a classical homeopath, and I believe in these principals. Once you take a remedy a healing process is set in motion, and it often happens that you process through the current symptoms, and a new symptom picture appears, or there are just one or two stubborn symptoms that do not respond to the remedy you have taken, even though you may have waited six months or longer. In this case I will look for another remedy that will address the symptoms that are uppermost currently. Let your body be your guide. It will show you the way. I sound like Dorothy on the yellow brick road. So yes, take the remedies in sequence, addressing the uppermost symptoms, and the largest totality that you see.

    You gave the example of the head injury. You took Arnica for the initial blow. Now you have watched for two weeks, what is happening? What is the nature of the pain? Do you have radiating pains? You may need Hypericum? Is there depression, again Hypericum or Natrum Sulphuricum. Is there bone pain in the skull? You may need Symphytum or Ruta. My suggestion is see what is uppermost and what needs to be healed and address that.

    I hope this answer has been helpful. I wish you health and happiness.

    In love and service,

    Deborah Olenev

    • Clare Talha on July 23, 2016 at 2:07 am

    Dear Deborah, I very recently gave my youngest son a wet dose of a remedy in a 30c potency. After only 3 weeks on the remedy he had a bad fall outside when playing with his brother and friends. He banged his head and a big egg of a bump appeared very quickly just above his eyebrow with a cut in the middle. My first instinct was to give him low dose of Arnica and I only had a 9c in the house so i gave him one pellet dry. Of course after I had given it to him O wondered (a bit too late) if this would in fact interfere with the other remedy 30c potency that id given him 3 weeks earlier? I’d be very greatful for your views on this please.
    Kind regards
    Clare Talha

    • Karla Joy on July 22, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    Thank you for this very clear explanation. It answers many of my questions. Less is more. I have noticed this in many areas of life. Right now I do not live close to a homeopath. There is a store selling 30C and 200C. I asked about 6X and those are available as cell salts.

    Question: what to do as healing progresses and different layers arise which indicate different remedies? Mix them ? Take them in sequence as healing progresses?

    E.g. Two weeks ago Arnica for initial blow, but then later Mag phos And now Ruta for the remaining injury to periosteum. But what about calc phos or silicea for healing the bone?

    Your article reminds me of Dr Dorothy Shepherd’s 1945 classic “Homeopathy for First Aiders.” Thank you!!

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