The ABC Homeopathy Forum
dosages and potencies for Nux v.
Hello,I am relatively new to homeopathy, but have been learning as much as I can. I am 33 years old, and have the following symptoms:
-Insomnia - I fall alseep fine but then wake later and am awake for several hours each night. This has been going on for about 2 years.
-General restlessness (mental and physical) - I have a hard time sitting still or relaxing, and my brain is always going 100 miles an hour
-Irritability/Anger - I am much more irritable/angry than I used to be. This really bothers me as I hate to lose my temper with my kids. This started about 2.5 years ago.
-Heartburn - I have heartburn several times each day. It is not usually severe, but is still bothersome. I've been taking some nat. phos. whenever it is especially bothersome.
-Constipation with a feeling of never being finished
-Absentmindedness - This started during my first pregnancy in 2006.
-I have some other minor symptoms that don't bother me much: restless legs a couple nights each week, scanty menstrual flow, dry lips and fingertips.
-The majority of these symptoms really became apparent during my last pregnancy.
-I also have a history of birth control pills for over ten years (if only I had known better), and frequent antibiotics throughout childhood and into early adulthood. I also have hyperacute senses, and tend to be fastidious.
After studying a repertory/materia medica, I am thinking Nux vomica is the remedy I should try. (Cham and Ign also matched lots of the symptoms, but they don't seem to match me in essence.)
I started taking Nux 30x a few nights ago. I take it at bedtime and again when I wake in the night. It *seems* like it might be helping, but maybe too early to tell. I am wondering:
-How do I know if it is appropriate to move to a higher potency, such as 200c?
-If I do move to a higher potency, should I decrease the frequency? For instance, would I want to take it only once every few nights or some such?
I am thankful for any help!
Sarah3NN on 2012-01-27
This is just a forum. Assume posts are not from medical professionals.
Dear Sarah,
-How do I know if it is appropriate to move to a higher potency, such as 200c?
In homoeopathy, if an administered remedy does not show its desired effect, then there are two possible ways to proceed. It may eitherbe repeated a few times, or its potency may be increased gradually. The other method is that the potency may be maintained and another remedy may be used in between the treatment for the enhancement of the body
defences.
-If I do move to a higher potency, should I decrease the frequency? For instance, would I want to take it only once every few nights or some such?
There is no consensus of opinion on this. Every prescriber has his own way, based on experience. The matter has been left to the discretion of the individual
practitioners.
** A precaution while self prescribing the remedy, Two entirely opposite remedies
should never be given together. Would you drop ice cream into a hot cup
of tea? There is no sense in it.
Happy Learning :-)
Regards,
Nikkie.
[message edited by Nikkie on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:39:49 GMT]
-How do I know if it is appropriate to move to a higher potency, such as 200c?
In homoeopathy, if an administered remedy does not show its desired effect, then there are two possible ways to proceed. It may eitherbe repeated a few times, or its potency may be increased gradually. The other method is that the potency may be maintained and another remedy may be used in between the treatment for the enhancement of the body
defences.
-If I do move to a higher potency, should I decrease the frequency? For instance, would I want to take it only once every few nights or some such?
There is no consensus of opinion on this. Every prescriber has his own way, based on experience. The matter has been left to the discretion of the individual
practitioners.
** A precaution while self prescribing the remedy, Two entirely opposite remedies
should never be given together. Would you drop ice cream into a hot cup
of tea? There is no sense in it.
Happy Learning :-)
Regards,
Nikkie.
[message edited by Nikkie on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:39:49 GMT]
♡ Nikkie last decade
Thanks Nikkie. If the Nux does start working obviously, then should I stick with 30x or switch to a higher potency as time goes on?
Also, how long should I stick with the Nux to see if it working? For instance, if there is no obvious change after a week, should I stop taking it, or should I wait longer?
Also, how long should I stick with the Nux to see if it working? For instance, if there is no obvious change after a week, should I stop taking it, or should I wait longer?
Sarah3NN last decade
There are actually guidelines for potency selection.
Firstly, there is no standardized method of choosing a potency. It is done individually on the basis of the patient's disease and situation.
Different potencies do different things, so the right potency as well as the right remedy needs to be given to the patient. Potency is selected either on the basis of the intensity of the complaint (mostly in acutes) or in the way in which the disease is expressing itself in the patient. Low potencies are more useful when the disease is manifesting in pathological, common or purely physical symptoms. High potencies are valuable where the disease has many emotional and mental components. You will also find that the more peculiar and highly specific symptoms that a patient has which match a remedy (what we call single symptoms), then the higher in potency you will need to go.
There are a number of homoeopaths around the world who have done alot of work with potency selection. Dr Rajan Sankaran has established a system where potency level can be seen in the particular way the patient describes and experiences their disease. Dr. Divya Chhabra has done several 'potency provings' which clearly showed that the higher the potency, the more denial and avoidance you will see in the patient.
If you have started at a particular potency level, before moving in any direction, you must assess the response by the patient to that potency.
What symptoms changed? Which symptoms improved? Which symptoms remain unchanged? Which symptoms worsened? Since we have a hierarchy of symptoms/organs/levels in homoeopathy, it is important to look at the direction in which things are moving, or where things appear to be stuck. This will determine whether the potency you have selected is appropriate or not.
If symptoms on the mental level have not changed, but the physical ones have, then it is possible that the potency is too low. If the symptoms on the mental level have shifted, but the physical ones have not, it may be that the potency level is too high. If symptoms across the board are changing, then it is likely the potency level is correct, although dosage and frequency may need to be addressed. The hierarchy is far more complex than this, but you get the idea.
All aspects of dosage also need to be individualised. For most patients applying a single dose and then assessing the response is the safest course. Some patients will need more frequent dosing, while others will respond favourably to single doses given at long intervals. There is no way to know who is who until you assess the case.
It is important to be able to assess if a remedy is actually working. There are a number of reactions that can happen, and continuing to use a remedy that is not havinge a curative effect can result in serious consequences.
If the physical symptoms improve, the the emotional or mental ones worsen, this is a sign the remedy is suppressing the condition, and will make the patient far worse if continued (wrong remedy).
If the mental and emotional symptoms improve, the the physical symptoms worsen, this is usually a sign that the remedy is curing from the inside out, and prognosis is good (right remedy).
If the patient improves but needs constant redosing or they relapse quickly, this is a sign the remedy is palliating the symptoms (wrong remedy). If continued it will become suppression, which can create new and more serious diseases.
If some symptoms vanish, but as many, or more symptoms, remain, then it is likely you have only a partial similar (close match). What happens usually when these are continued is that they simply never take the patient much further, although the patient may also not relapse (unless the remaining symptoms are left to floursh back into the old disease). Continuing with a partial similar may create side effects over time.
Direction of Cure is a principle developed in homoeopathy to help us determine if a remedy is curative or not, which then allows us to proceed safely with it, or to change it to avoid harming the patient. Any of our medicines, if used incorrectly, can create even worse problems for the person.
Going up in potency too soon, when the patient was still improving on the lower one, can create chaos for the patient. It can cause aggravation and appear to create a complete relapse. So it is important to exhaust the lower potency fully before moving upwards.
David Kempson
Professional Classical Homoeopath
Dip.Hom.Med.1994
Firstly, there is no standardized method of choosing a potency. It is done individually on the basis of the patient's disease and situation.
Different potencies do different things, so the right potency as well as the right remedy needs to be given to the patient. Potency is selected either on the basis of the intensity of the complaint (mostly in acutes) or in the way in which the disease is expressing itself in the patient. Low potencies are more useful when the disease is manifesting in pathological, common or purely physical symptoms. High potencies are valuable where the disease has many emotional and mental components. You will also find that the more peculiar and highly specific symptoms that a patient has which match a remedy (what we call single symptoms), then the higher in potency you will need to go.
There are a number of homoeopaths around the world who have done alot of work with potency selection. Dr Rajan Sankaran has established a system where potency level can be seen in the particular way the patient describes and experiences their disease. Dr. Divya Chhabra has done several 'potency provings' which clearly showed that the higher the potency, the more denial and avoidance you will see in the patient.
If you have started at a particular potency level, before moving in any direction, you must assess the response by the patient to that potency.
What symptoms changed? Which symptoms improved? Which symptoms remain unchanged? Which symptoms worsened? Since we have a hierarchy of symptoms/organs/levels in homoeopathy, it is important to look at the direction in which things are moving, or where things appear to be stuck. This will determine whether the potency you have selected is appropriate or not.
If symptoms on the mental level have not changed, but the physical ones have, then it is possible that the potency is too low. If the symptoms on the mental level have shifted, but the physical ones have not, it may be that the potency level is too high. If symptoms across the board are changing, then it is likely the potency level is correct, although dosage and frequency may need to be addressed. The hierarchy is far more complex than this, but you get the idea.
All aspects of dosage also need to be individualised. For most patients applying a single dose and then assessing the response is the safest course. Some patients will need more frequent dosing, while others will respond favourably to single doses given at long intervals. There is no way to know who is who until you assess the case.
It is important to be able to assess if a remedy is actually working. There are a number of reactions that can happen, and continuing to use a remedy that is not havinge a curative effect can result in serious consequences.
If the physical symptoms improve, the the emotional or mental ones worsen, this is a sign the remedy is suppressing the condition, and will make the patient far worse if continued (wrong remedy).
If the mental and emotional symptoms improve, the the physical symptoms worsen, this is usually a sign that the remedy is curing from the inside out, and prognosis is good (right remedy).
If the patient improves but needs constant redosing or they relapse quickly, this is a sign the remedy is palliating the symptoms (wrong remedy). If continued it will become suppression, which can create new and more serious diseases.
If some symptoms vanish, but as many, or more symptoms, remain, then it is likely you have only a partial similar (close match). What happens usually when these are continued is that they simply never take the patient much further, although the patient may also not relapse (unless the remaining symptoms are left to floursh back into the old disease). Continuing with a partial similar may create side effects over time.
Direction of Cure is a principle developed in homoeopathy to help us determine if a remedy is curative or not, which then allows us to proceed safely with it, or to change it to avoid harming the patient. Any of our medicines, if used incorrectly, can create even worse problems for the person.
Going up in potency too soon, when the patient was still improving on the lower one, can create chaos for the patient. It can cause aggravation and appear to create a complete relapse. So it is important to exhaust the lower potency fully before moving upwards.
David Kempson
Professional Classical Homoeopath
Dip.Hom.Med.1994
♡ brisbanehomoeopath last decade
Brisbane Homeopath, Thank you so much! I am very happy to have such a comprehensive reply. I am sure I will refer to this often.
Are there any books you would recommend for me to read as I am trying to learn as much as possible? I have recently read 'The Science of Homeopathy' by George Vithoulkas, and it was very enlightening.
Are there any books you would recommend for me to read as I am trying to learn as much as possible? I have recently read 'The Science of Homeopathy' by George Vithoulkas, and it was very enlightening.
Sarah3NN last decade
I would highly recommend 'The Spirit of Homoeopathy' by Rajan Sankaran. No book can teach you how to practice though. You should enquire about distance education or find a local college for that. David Little does online education, and he is a highly knowledgeable classical homoeopath.
♡ brisbanehomoeopath last decade
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