Homoeopathy

[Elektra_Demons]

Has anyone tried homoepothy  for BP 2? What kind of success have you had? And was it classical homeopathy or a mixture with other natural remedies ie acupuncture, herbs etc.?

[jst4shanell]

I think acupuncture is a great resource for stress management and anxiety.  I have done it many times.
I would not recommend using homeopathy or naturalpath as a way to treat Bipolar.  I have tried the naturapathic way and it just doesn't work at all.  Your body cannot heal itself from Bipolar using herbs and certain foods.  I think homeopathy is quite dangerous for someone who is Bipolar.  I would never want someone who isn't a doctor pumping full of unconventional chemicals at really high and low doses.  Findings for any treatment is unsubstantial.
Homeopathic doctors believe that if you give someone a drug that mimics their symptoms, they will then become cured.  Doesn't make sense considering you already have the symptoms.  They used to and probably still do try the medicine out on healthy people to see if they start getting the same symptoms before giving them to you.  They also believe that the treatment has a lot to do with where the water they are using to dilute the medicine comes from.  They prefer water from thunder storms and things of that nature.  In my opinion, I would stay far,far away.

I do think natruapathic medicine is great.   I have my own doctor.  I would never let him treat me for BP though.  He does know though.  I use him mostly for  nutrition, my body weight, my aches and pains.  Things of that nature.  They also have the highest quality vitamins and proteins you can get (not cheap but worth every penny).  

Hope this helps.  My best friend is in school becoming a naturapathic doctor.  Her first choice was homeopath till she really got into it and realized it wasn't what she thought it was.

[LeftCoastChick]

BP is a chemical inbalance, there are no natural herbs to replace or augment you brain chemicals. Be aware that just because the product is natural or homeopathic, it doesn't mean it's safer. Many are quite toxic, like St. John's Wort, and some like Sam-E can actually trigger hypo/manic episodes.  I worked in a health food store, and I do agree that many things can be treated together allopathically and homeopathically, but like Epilepsy, on it's own, you just can't do it.

I think it's important to have some sort of talk therapy, being followed by a pdoc, some sort of support group, and social interaction. All these things can help you stay well on top of meds. I've learned the hard way not to just to depends on meds. This BP is not easy.

[monkeyc]

One word of advice.  Lithum Carbonate and Lithium Orotate are 2 very different things and no orotate is not safer, needs less doage etc etc.

Its the naturopath and homeopaths fav drug because its not a drug and they can prescribe it.

Personally Ive never met a single person who has found success with homeopathic treatments or natural therapies, i have seen and read more than one horror story of people who thought herb A or root B could replace their MS or AD drugs and ended up in serious trouble.

[dippy1]

Some complementary medicine can be just that...it can further help someone who is already appropriately medically managed. Reiki is very soothing and feels great, accupuncture helps certain things, Personally I think homeopathy is a bit of a dodgy theory/practice and chinese herbalism could be frankly  risky for BP as the chemicals used may well cause something- good or bad. I always remind people that Digoxin, the cardiac med started life in the naturopaths market and it's far from a benign subtance, but should be carefully dosed and monitored for it's powerful effect. There's a long list .

The thing is with a lot of these, reflexology etc...you go for an appointment and the atmosphere is calm and warm and it's all completely client-focused. The approach is hollistic and the length of appointment probably 5 or 6 times as long what you get from your GP in UK. These things all help to make the client feel good. If it makes you feel good and does no harm (and you can afford it) then there's no harm complimenting your proper medicine with certain complimentary approaches. The placebo effect is not enough for proper BP symptoms, but remeber there's more going on than BP, there's also day to day variation and stress and life the same as everyone else, I know anything that destresses me helps with my moods and functioning....that could equally be a session of Reiki or a long bath with lavendar in it...it all compliments my meds and mood disorder treatment.

[therese83]

It didnt work for me.  I went to a top homeopath here in Vienna and paid a lot.

The only good thing was she listened for an hour each time and paid attention, was very affectionate to me.

Other than that nothing, sorry

[Elektra_Demons]

I am actually very well versed in classical homoeopathy as I have been a devotee for over 10 years. I found it extremely helpful when allopathic medicines made me so ill that I had no energy and couldn't get out of bed. At the time I was taking one medication to counter the effects of another and so on until I became bedridden at the age of 28! I turned to homoeopathy. And no, for me there was no special little room with music playing! I phoned my uncle who lives in a different state to me and he treated me over the phone and within 2 months I was off all the other meds and got better. I don't think it's dodgy at all because I have also used it on my pets and my son who could not have understood the placebo effect as you call it. Even my husband (who is a big pill popper) has benefited from homoeopathy. Just because regular science can't prove it it doesn't mean it's bad.

I only asked because I am considering all my options and know that there are a myriad of different sorts of treatments that work for some and not others.

BTW classical homoeopathy does not mix up use of herbs and acupuncture etc. it only concentrates on one remedy at a time. And it is a slow and thorough process.

[monkeyc]

I would not disagree with it working or being good, putting it frankly people have been sick long before modern medicine so there must be something in homeopathy in some respects I guess.

My major concern always comes from the advice of naturpoaths and holistic and faith healers to stop meds.  This is why I tend to sound warning bells with these treatments as they can be very dangerous.

Like everything its a matter of doing research and finding the right doctor and having the right knowledge as far as I am concerned, I personally cannot comment on how natural therapies work as I have never tried them I just advise the same caution as anything - do not change your meds without consultation with your psychiatrist.

Hope i didnt offend anyone...

[bernie40]

I have to go along with what everyone else seems to be saying.  That in its place there is nothing wrong with homeopathy as long as it is alongside your current medication and does not interact/intefere with that medication.

I would very strongly advise that it not be used in place of prescribed medication however, which I hope is not what is being suggested here.

[Elektra_Demons]

A good Classical homoeopath will never suggest you come off your meds. Normally they are busy working through what your ancestry has left you with or the drugs of suppression such as antibiotics and cortisone. A good classical homoeopath recognises that some allopathic drugs are helpful and not harmful. As I said before it's drugs that supress things in the body that they disagree with and lets face it, when it comes to antibiotics (BTW which means against life) we really have screwed up as we now have bugs that are resistant to any antibiotic.

I was not in any way suggesting that we should all chuck our meds away and go alternative. I merely wanted to know other peoples experiences with said homoeopathy.

Hope that clears up any misunderstanding.