June 2010 : Volume 12 : Number 5

Welcome to the June Newsletter

I realised the other day that 2010 marks the 25th anniversary of my love affair with homeopathy!

In that time I've gone from home prescriber, to student to professional homeopath and my passion remains undiminished for this great system of medicine.

While I am aware of the limitations of the prescriber (rather than homeopathy itself!) I get such a thrill out of coming up with creative solutions for problems that conventional medicine can't help and seeing these problems resolve often quickly and easily.

I also take very seriously those patients who require more time and/or have much trickier cases than most. Even if a patient fails to get well or doesn't come back, they will frequently come to mind as I continue to strive for the remedies that may have helped.

While our Association requires us to undertake a minimum number of CPE hours (continuing professional education) per year, I am never without something homeopathic in the way of books, articles and CDs to stimulate my interest and increase my knowledge.

I may not have all the answers and I certainly don't get it right all the time, but I realise now that 25 years of reading, using homeopathics and working with patients of all kinds, just continues to add to my experience and expertise in homeopathy.

I thank all of you who've been part of this amazing journey and who continue to show your confidence in the benefits of homeopathy and in what I do as a practitioner. How much more I will know in another 25 years and how much the world will have changed in that time we can only ponder on, but I know I will still continue my love affair with homeopathy!!

Bits & Pieces

New Pilules - you will notice our lovely new pilules coming through in your orders from now on. They are marginally larger than the old pilules but dissolve much more easily and you should find them easier to dispense and better for small children to manage.

Price Increase - we've kept the price of our pilules the same for 3 years now, but like everything else our raw materials have increased in price and we therefore need to do the same. From 1 July 10g bottles of single remedy pilules will increase from a flat $10 each to $10.95 and combinations will increase to $13.95.

Drops will stay the same price for the time being. Kits may require a small price increase.

Adult follow up consultations will increase by $5, but children/concession follow ups and all other consultation fees will remain the same for the time being.

Consultation following an HP (Immunisation) Consult If you've had a consult to dispense an HP kit for a small child and then require a consultation sometime afterwards, I offer this consultation at a follow up rate, rather than that of a first consultation.

Packaging - We have been looking for more earth friendly ways to send our products to you for a little while now and have finally come up with items we are happy with. Until we have exhausted our giant roll of bubble wrap there will be a small number of remedies still wrapped this way.  Otherwise your remedies and kits will now come out to you wrapped in recycled corrugated paper and packed in recycled post bags as much as possible. Occasionally there may be parcels that won't fit in the bag sizes we stock and sometimes other bags are difficult to source in recycled materials.

Kalamunda Chiropractic Homeopathy Stand is kept up to date with many of the new products and you will find much of what is on the website. They have a good range of single remedies so ask if you don't see what you want. If you are a regular purchaser and would like a certain item stocked please let us know. Tami and Hazel now have our lovely embroidered soft kits in stock.

Barefoot Magazine - this is a beautiful, informative, holistic magazine for parents and people interesting in parenting or maybe even grandparenting. I was approached to advertise some time ago and generally I don't advertise in this way. However, I was so blown away by the quality of this publication and the target market I made an exception. It is a quarterly publication with the winter edition just out. If you can't find it in your newsagent, check them out at www.barefootmagazine.com.au.

Remedies for Sinus & Congestion

The viruses which have stormed around the country are probably waning now, but many people have been left with profuse mucous, sinus or cough.

The July 2009 newsletter briefly discusses remedies for convalescence.

May 2009 looks at more specific remedies for colds and flu, and April 2009 talks about remedies for whooping cough which are also remedies suitable for coughs generally.

Here then are some of the more specific remedies for Sinus and Congestion which may help with acute cases. If symptoms persist consult your homeopath or see your doctor:

Kali Bich - Most of the sinuses affected. Thick, sticky, yellow or yellow-green mucus which is difficult to blow out. Stringy mucus, post nasal discharge. Fullness at the root of the nose. Complete nasal obstruction, nasal tone or voice. Included in the Congestion Combination.

Merc Sol - Especially frontal sinus, greenish fluent discharge. Dirty coated tongue, generally whitish. Excessive salivation, offensive breath, pains generally worse at night.

Belladonna - Generally right sided symptoms. Almost always associated with fever and other Belladonna keynotes. Extreme pain upon stooping or bending head forward. Worse from motion and especially jarring.

Hepar Sulph - Sinusitis with obstruction and thick nasal and post nasal discharge after every exposure to cold or uncovering the head. Exquisitely painful inflammation in the sinuses. Offensive discharges; odor like old cheese.

Hydrastis - Thick, ropy or stringy yellow discharge (compare Kali Bich). Especially post-nasal catarrh. Swelling and obstruction worse on left side. Included in the Congestion Combination.

Kali Sulph - Marked obstruction. Generally worse in a warm room but the nasal symptoms improve. Thick and sticky yellow mucous. Snoring. Included in the Congestion Combination.

Silica - Chronic sinusitis, lasting months after every cold (this will only work if you are a Silica "type"). Post-nasal discharge. Chilly and worse from cold weather. Sinusitis associated with vertigo. Silica can be good at the end of a cold just to resolve the mucous. Included in the Congestion Combination.

Sulphur - Thick yellow discharge sometimes offensive or blood-tinged. Sometimes dry obstruction with crusts inside the nose. Worse winter and indoors, better outside. Hayfever attacks which settle in the sinuses.

Remedies for Tonsillitis

Here are some of the main remedies for tonsillitis and as always if your home prescribing is not effective contact your homeopath or see your doctor.

Belladonna - Acute tonsillitis with rapid onset, mainly right sided inflammation and burning. Worse slightest touch of throat, worse for swallowing and cold air. Tongue red or with a "strawberry" appearance. High fever, flushed face, cold hands and feet.

Hepar Sulph - More advanced pharyngitis and tonsillitis often with pus on the tonsils or ulcerated throat. Pains radiate to the ear on swallowing. Very painful as if a splinter or fish bone in the throat. Worse for cold air, cold drinks or food, swallowing. Better for warmth and warm drinks. Patient wants to be covered up and kept warm, especially the throat.

Lachesis - for everything from mild sore throats to serious inflammation or abscess. Lump or sense of constriction. Worst left side or inflammation begins on the left and goes to the right. Tonsils swollen, deep red or even purple. Swollen uvula, abscess. Worse night in sleep or in the morning on waking, worse for swallowing yet a constant desire to swallow. Worse for sweets or acids, warm drinks, coughing or clearing the throat, touching the throat, tight collars. Better for cold drinks, easier to swallow solids than liquids or saliva.

Lycopodium - right-sided pharyngitis or tonsillitis, or begins on right side. Worse afternoon from 4 to 8pm, better for warm drinks.

Merc Sol - Acute or recurring symptoms. Suppurative (that's with pus!), dirty pharynx and tonsils, often right sided. Sensation of an apple core lodged in the throat. Worse night, heat of the bed, hot or cold (like a barometer). Tongue is coated and dirty-looking. Metallic taste on tongue. Tongue swollen and teeth leave imprints, offensive breath. Increased saliva especially at night.

Frequency of Doses

Some people are still confused about how frequently to give acute remedies, so here is the formula I teach at my Home Prescriber Workshops and which you will find in the leaflets I produce:

Very acute situations such as ear pain, shock, injury:
Every 10 minutes for up to 5 doses then if there is improvement continue hourly for the rest of the day.
If no change select another remedy, consult your homeopath or see your GP

Reasonably acute - you feel you need to do something reasonably quickly but it's not severe:
Give hourly on the first day, then reduce to 2 hourly on the second day and 3 or 4 times on the third day as long as there is improvement. Finally reduce to once a day for a further few days. In this situation you may find you need to change your remedy before you get to this point.

Not very acute, slow onset - you know you need to give a remedy but it's not intense, or you're at the end of an illness and just need to give something to finish up the symptoms:
Give 3 times a day for 3 days, then reduce to once a day for up to a further 4 days.

If there is no improvement after the first five doses if very acute or in 24 hours, change your remedy, contact your homeopath or see your GP.

Dosage of the remedy - 1 or 2 pilules (3 or 4 drops) whether an adult or a child. For babies you can half the dose for ease of administration. Increasing or reducing the dosage does not increase or reduce the effect of the remedy. Only giving more or less frequently does this.

Flu & Virus/Bacterial Prevention

I sent out an email in the middle of May suggesting that if you are particularly prone to getting the flu or various winter infections, you might want to consider alternating Anas Barb 200c with Influenzinum 30c once a week each.

This protocol is particularly for those people with weak immune systems and weak lungs. It is in response to further research in Canada confirming that the Seasonal Flu Vaccine hugely increases the risk of getting the flu and therefore spreads the virus through the community more quickly. Seasonal Flu Vaccination has been stopped in Canada for this reason.

What's new on the Website

Influenzinum 30c - Recommended this winter for those of you who are very susceptible to colds, flu and viral illness. Use once a week along with Anas Barb 200c.

Updated Congestion Combination which originally included Hydrastis, Kali Bich and Pulsatilla, has now been combined with the Sinusitis Combination tissue salts for added oomph!

Updated Birthing Kit We've added two more remedies to the Birthing Kit originally made available in the Caesarean Kit, but as much a part of general birthing. Phosphorus can be good for blood loss and faintness or nausea following anaesthetic/drugs of any kind. Recovery Combination - a combination of Arnica, Calendula, Hypericum and Bellis Perennis - can help with healing on all levels, including bruising to deep tissues where Arnica doesn't help and a combination can be simpler than using single remedies.

If you are considering buying a Birthing Kit I do like to talk to you and also suggest that you consider whether your birth partner or midwife is knowledgeable enough of homeopathy to be able to prescribe. You really can't prescribe for yourself during labour, however, most of the remedies are useful after the event and some are standard home remedies.

Labour Drops are great for the situation where no-one is available to prescribe for you.

Beautiful Birthing is an esoteric combination of homeopathics to help ground and incarnate your experience and your baby.

If you want to update your Birthing Kit to a Home Remedy Kit, an expansion pack is available.

Clinic Hours

I currently consult in Hobart all day Tuesday, Friday morning (note this is a change from the afternoons) and some Saturday mornings. Consults (including phone consults) are available at Mountain River all day Wednesday, Friday afternoon and some Mondays if I have time.

Homeoprophylaxis (Homeopathic Immunisation)

Please remember to keep me updated if you change your email address as any changes to programs come out via email.

Vaccination Issues

I have a separate database for people interested in some of the information that comes across my desk from a variety of sources on vaccine testing and other issues. I also recommend you subscribe to AVN.org for regular information on the subject whichever side of the fence you sit on.

Until next time,
Warmest wishes

Melanie Creedy