I get asked a lot of questions that demonstrate beginners’ confusion about what kinds of results to expect when they start relying on homeopathic methods.
People want to know how long they ought to continue with a particular remedy, how many times to administer it, how to tell if they have chosen the correct remedy or protocol and what kinds of obstacles might be preventing results.
Sometimes people make the mistake of not sticking with a protocol long enough, other times the mistake is sticking with a protocol too long.
I’d like to lay out some guidelines to help you have a clearer idea of what to expect.
I’m going to divide this topic into two articles, in this first article I’d like to address acute illnesses and injuries …
When treating an acute problem, we should expect to see results within minutes, hours or days, depending on the type of malady we’re addressing. So, for example with nausea or headache, we would hope to see results within minutes or hours. With a cough or sprained ankle or urinary tract infection, it’s more reasonable to expect results within hours or days, with consistent improvement during that time.
Look at the photos above. Does anyone remember Polaroid photos? In an acute situation, results can sometimes be as fast as watching a 
Polaroid develop.
In contrast, when dealing with chronics (which we’ll get to in Part 2), we need to carefully measure increments of change, in a similar fashion to how we would measure a child’s growth in height over time. This will often take weeks, months, or even years.
It would obviously be silly to expect months of treatment to clear up an acute problem, since in the normal course of events acute problems will clear up on their own within that time frame, with or without homeopathy.
The goal of homeopathy in the case of acute issues is threefold:
1) to alleviate the distress of symptoms
2) to aid the body in regaining health more quickly than it often can on its own
3) to avoid the negative repercussions of drugs and other suppressive treatments.
Now when I use the term “results,” what I mean is a movement toward improvement. So for example with a headache, one might very well achieve a perfect result within minutes — headache totally gone and life is back to normal.
On the other hand, one might find that after two doses of a remedy over the course of 30 minutes the headache is still present, but it has become more bearable. It is no longer throbbing so intensely. The pain is still there but one can get back to some normal activity.
This is an indication that the remedy is working, and you’d continue with the remedy.
Or let’s take an acute rash as an example, it may be an outbreak of contact dermatitis from washing dishes with a harsh detergent.
“Results” in a case like this often means that after a few minutes or hours the rash is still visible, but the itching has become much less intense. In this case, I would continue with the protocol until the rash was fully healed, but perhaps reduce the number of doses given over a period of time.
But let’s say, on the other hand, that one is suffering from a migraine and one is taking one of my favorite Banerji Protocols, Picricum acid 200 mixed with Belladonna 3 every 3 hours.
What if three hours go by and there is no noticeable improvement? How many doses should one take before moving on to a different remedy?
Generally, the number is about 4 doses. Remember, this is considered an acute condition.
That means that if by the 4th dose no improvement is seen, the remedy ought to be abandoned and replaced with another.
If however, complete resolution of the suffering is seen after any of the doses, the use of the remedy ought to be halted.
Why? Because the remedy has acted, and the work is done.
If improvement is realized, even a small amount, don’t abandon the remedy choice. Continue with a 5th and 6th and even more doses until the symptoms are completely gone.
Now, as improvement ensues, the space between each episode might be better placed approximately every 6 hours or so. In other words, we use the remedies when needed. As the symptoms return, the gentle stimulus is used to move things along.
And as always, we look to cure, not suppress. This is the colossal appeal of homeopathy. Because regardless of the length it takes to resolve the condition, in the end, we have genuine health instead of covered-up symptoms that often return with renewed vigor.
The vigor is in the person, not the illness. Now isn’t that what we would hope all medicine would deliver?
I expound on this subject further in podcast #6, so should this subject be of interest, listen in.
In the next installment of this series, I’ll address chronic issues and what I call Obstacles to Cure — the impediments that may be blocking efficacy, even though our choice of remedies is correct.
I am a homeopath with a worldwide practice working with families and individuals via Zoom. I'm also a teacher and most importantly, a mom who raised my now-adult children depending on homeopathy over the last 31 years. I lived decades of my life with food intolerances, allergies, and chemical sensitivities until I was cured with homeopathy, so I understand pain, anxiety, and suffering. You may feel that your issues are more severe or different than anyone else’s, but I have seen it all in my practice and in my work in India. My opinion is that nothing has come close to the reproducible, safe and effective results that my clients, students and I have achieved with homeopathy.
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Joette is not a physician and the relationship between Joette and her clients is not of prescriber and patient, but as educator and client. It is fully the client's choice whether or not to take advantage of the information Joette presents. Homeopathy doesn't "treat" an illness; it addresses the entire person as a matter of wholeness that is an educational process, not a medical one. Joette believes that the advice and diagnosis of a physician is often in order.
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I would love it if you could address if, when, and how remedies for both acute and chronic situations can be used simultaneously. For example, how does if work if you are treating a child for chronic eczema, but would like to do another protocol for strengthening the immune system against chronic colds, or working to root out an allergy–and then they contract an ear infection or complain of a sore throat? Can you treat multiple chronic conditions at once? And do you have to stop those treatments if an acute situation arises?
In classical homeopathy, it is generally recommended that remedies for chronic conditions be halted or that acute illness be ignored for the sake of the overall constitution.
However, in what I call practical homeopathy, I urge folks to keep to as small a number of remedies as possible, focus on those conditions that cause the most problems and then see if you can find a medicine choice that covers more than one condition. This makes it a tidier choice and can go deeper. In my on line classes I teach how to integrate chronic and acute.
To be honest, its not that complicated to simply add what is needed trying to stay at only 3-4 remedies in total.
Thanks Joette. That is helpful. Do remedies for multiple conditions taken on the same day need to be separated by any length of time or can they be taken together?
In general, we like to separate by at least 15 minutes.
Thank you Joette! I was wondering these very same things.
Your questions are worthy of at least a full article. It is what I teach in my courses as it is a bit more complex than what I can offer here.
ditto to the question above:)
I don’t know to what question you’re referring, so repeat it and I’ll get back to you.
Well, I have been gradually trying more homeopathy and I am finding that is is very helpful. Now, I am confronted with my pregnant daughter who is 5 mos along and has a very tenacious sinus infection which is keeping her coughing and sleepless! Wonder if anyone can advise something to break this stuff up and stimulate her immune system. She is miserable and breaking my heart! Thanks so much! Evelyn
Hi,
Giving 2 remedies like picric ac and belladona is not classical homoeopathy, I guess. Rule of single remedy.
However, if you have seen results for migraine with 2 remedies, explain the dose repeatation interval and how is individualization followed here?
Thank you.
This is unapologetically not classical. I call it practical homeopathy and it is not as individualized. Picricum acid 200 mixed with Belladonna 3 every 3 hours is the repetition.
Is it Belladonna 30c? What is the potency? Thanks!
Hi Joette! Thanks for this timely post, as it turned out I woke up with a headache this morning that progressed into a migraine, complete with nausea and vomiting. I did have the remedies you referenced on hand ( only exception was Belladona 6 instead of the 3), but unfortunately it did not touch my headache at all. I will be trying so other recommendations but was curious to know if the choice of a remedy should be based on the root cause of the migraine, for example, if it was based on caffeine withdrawals as opposed to stress induced headaches? Thanks so much for all of your wisdom!
Hi Aimee!
The headache protocol that I posted is for a headache without knowing the cause. If the source is a resulst of a sinus infection, alcohol consumption, head injury, meds, dehydration, fasting, etc. then we must consider that the most important aspect of the remedy choice and its unlikely that this protocol will act.
The article says Belladonna 3, but the link goes to Belladonna 30c. So, which is it? Or does it matter? Thanks!
The Banerji Protocol is to use Belladonna 3 but in some areas of the world, the US included, it is not available, so we go to the next lowest potency.
Thanks! I found a website that sells Belladonna 3X and Belladonna 3C. Which one should I get?
Belladonna 3c is the Banerji Protocol. Pls give me the link.
It was at a website called Remedy Source. Here’s the link: http://www.remedysource.com/store/remedy_detail.php?remedy_id=230&search_name=#
Both remedy links go to “NOT FOUND” now (April 2017). : – (
If what you’re referring to is how you can purchase a remedy, go to Boirons’s site or Amazon.
I have a question. My husband has had pain in his left foot for nearly a year. I wasn’t sure if I should use Ruta or Rhus Tox. I tried Ruta because one of the specialists thought it might be his ligament. My husband was really skeptical about the “sugar pills”, but he took them. Much to his surprise the pain went away. This was four days ago. So I thought it worked, and he was healed. Today he told me that the pain is back again. Did he stop too soon?
Yes. Generally speaking, the longer the condition has been present, the longer the medicine is needed.
We often stop the use of the remedy, just as you did, to find the tipping point and if holds after a few weeks then we know its time to stop. If it returns, the remedy is resumed. Just like any medicine, you use it when needed and don’t when its not.
Thank you so much for your reply! I am actually a client of yours, (not sure if you can tell by my gravatar). I have to say that after a few initial ups and downs, the homeopathic remedies you recommended for my hormone imbalance have totally worked for me!! No more cramps before my “time of the month”, and the hyper-pigmentation almost GONE! I feel much calmer and organized. It is amazing. I really want to take your course “Good Gut Bad Gut”, but I am lacking the funds for it right now. My husband is also still skeptical, so I am trying to figure this out for him. 😉 Another weird thing happened last, he said his foot felt better, but the pain moved to his toe. I had him take Ruta again last night, so now the same thing happened again, but almost immediately. So I am wondering if he needs a second remedy. Any suggestions?
For now I plan on just continuing with the Ruta, since it seems like we just didn’t continue long enough. But I wonder if it could be inflammation. I was thinking about Nux Vomica as the next remedy of the pain persists.
Hi Keri! No, I didn’t realize that it was you. ‘Hope your Christmas and New Years’s celebration was the best.
Until you decide to learn more via courses, just use my blog. It’s a course in itself and will prime you for when you’re ready to delve deeper. Your decision to use Ruta is apparently correct. `I’d stay with it and not veer from your success.
This was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time to put this together. At the beginning of this week, I had a UTI. I needed Cantharis 30C and then Bell 6C. I used Cantharis for a day (multiple doses) and experienced tremendous improvement. I stopped the remedy (too soon) and symptoms returned. I went back to Cantharis 30C and it resolved the UTI completely.
Your first aid guide is also invaluable. I used the suggestions for nosebleeds (after blowing your nose) with my 7 year old daughter (ferr phos & calc phos cell salts 3x a day for three days) and the nosebleeds have ceased. There was a bonus as well…the calc phos cell salt also helped my daughter’s slow detention of her permanent teeth. She came to me this morning and stated “mommy, I have been waiting for these two teeth to push through for a few weeks, and this morning the teeth came through.”
You’ve got it!
Pls pass on the good new to your friends, family, neighbors. Homeopathy works.
Martha, thanks for the success story/reminder about using cell salts for teeth! My daughter’s permanent tooth has not been coming in and it’s been almost a month. I am on it!
Where did you purchase your cell salts? I’m looking to purchase them. Thank you
Amazon
This is so helpful, you seem to be able to really nail the things that we struggle with and you can’t imagine how grateful I am to have your blogs to refer to…thank you for working to equip people to make wise remedy choices on their own. In my case, I tend to panic and lose confidence, giving up too soon–like when my family recently came down with a stomach bug that caused constant vomiting, I dosed just once with Ars Alb 200 and spun into despair right after the next vomiting episode. I gave up right away in the midst of my panic. This particular blog helps reinforce a general guideline for an acute episode and revives my confidence!
Hi Debra, I can relate to your feelings of panic and losing confidence when you don’t see the results after giving a dose of a particular remedy. This has happened to me many times — and still does. For me, it tends to be a lack of patience on my part to allow the remedy to act and I am not always good at seeing the subtle shifts that occur from one dose to the next particularly when just giving the first or second dose of a remedy. I guess that is where I need to refine my observational skills. It is definitely a learning process.
Martha, thanks for relating! So true, it is very much of a process. I am enjoying it, and the successes are so rewarding. Always much room for growth and for honing the observational skills. Good to hear from others like yourself who are on this path!
So great to have found this blog–I struggle with the same things as Martha and Debra. I have had the Boericke Materia Medica/Repertory for a few years (or if I’m not home, I use them online at homeoint.org) and have made progress at times, and other times I think I must’ve given up too soon or have neglected to play close enough attention (particularly when my entire family got the flu this last month and I felt so disheartened when some of us recovered quickly and others not so much). I plan to delve further into this blog and hope to find more excellent articles and comments like this, and recently bought a Lotus Materia Medica by Robin Murphy (doorstop–it’s huge!) and may invest in the associated repertory as well.
These protocols that I teach will free you from repertories and even materia medicas. Yes, I know that sounds blasphemous, but you’ll find that you’ll rarely need them. I own at last count 43 materia medicas that I studied, poured over and taught from for nearly 3 decades. THe Banerji Protocols have changed my professional and personal life. I’ll bet you’ll find the same once you learn some of these tricks.
Joette I am taking the mindset class and you mentioned a book with protocols. Is the book that you recommend the Banerji protocol? Not the materia medicas?
Yes. Materia medicas don’t have protocols.
Is there any contact information for this website? My email address is registered but no combination of user IDs works to get a password reset because I was not asked for a password when signing up for the basic HO remedy pdf. Even sending a message to webmaster@… did not work. Ideas please?
Just click on “contact” on the 1st page of the site.
Hello Joette, is there help for a premature newborn with apnea?
Yes.
Hi Joette, is there a reason the Picricum Acid 200 has a line through it? Not sure if it is because the link no longer works or because you are no longer recommending that mixed with the Belladonna for a headache.
I don’t see a line through the word in my version. It’s still a good protocol.
just beginning. hope to get some help for UC from your consultation and orders remedies and then learn enough to feel confident in ordering and using a kit for other things.
Hi Joette,
Does this protocol work for a headache that my daughterinlaw has, she has never had migraines before but has a headache that has lasted for about 2 weaks. A dull headache above eye and forehead.
Thank YOu
pls tell me which protocol you’re referring to.
Good morning I have nasal polyps with cough some gray color mucus coming out I’ve been taking some homeopathic Lemna minor finished that round still having problems. Taking now teurium marum 200. Cant breath throw nose .. had surgery nasal polyps removed twice in the past 15 years. Went ENT prescribed me antibiotic and prednisone. Ent wants to do surgery again to remove polyps. I don’t want to go that route should I be using something else for the polyps or continue to take what I am now and be patient.looking for a Homeo Dr.in my area . thank you for all the info. you have given us. . I have tried essence oils oregano oils vitamins. For chronic sinus. I do take an inhaler for asthma I have noticed that I’ve been taking these homeopathic meds that I have not been wheezing usually when my polyps are inflamed and I have a cough with mucus I would have a problem but not now.. could you help thank you Joette..
Feel free to contact my office to schedule a free 15 minute conversation with me. At that time, you can decide if homeopathy is a fit for you and if you’d like to work directly with me on SKYPE.
I am new to this site! Could someone tell me if I start with cell salts or other remedies. I am not quite sure the difference and would like to get a kit. Short explanation? Thanks
There’s no need to start with cell salts. We carry the 12 cell salt kits as well the top 100 remedy kit. Should you be interested, feel free to contact our office at 716.941.1045 from 8:30AM -4:30 PM EST.
Cell salts are simply a catagory within the world of homeopathic medicines that are comprised of the 12 most commonly found tissue salts the body needs to function properly.
Joette, what do you mean when you say one homeopathic remedy is to be mixed with another?
Pills in mouth of the 1st followed by pills in the mouth of the 2nd so that they’re mixed in the mouth. Or they may be purchased as a combo. and taken as one.
Hi Joette
I heave been on histaminum hydohloricum and allium cepa for several months. It works immediately for a tickle/wet congestion in my bronchia. I have no sinus issues nor am I sick. I really don’t know if it’s allerfies which I Have no history of or some other chronic issue. No indication of a serious matter as I’ve had an all clear CT. How long can I continue to take this? I’m doing it 2X a day. Please advise. I’m worried that it’s causing the condion to prolong instead of curing. Thanks so much
If a homeopathic medicine acts, it will not prolong a condition. It’s homeopathy! Not allopathy.
Kindly let me know the charges for consultation with Joette. Thank you.
Pls contact the office at 561.537.5900 to speak to Eileen or Audrey.
Hi Joette, I’ve been using the Picric /belladonna banerji protocol for headaches with no success. I just read through all the comments on this blog post and found one that basically says the cause is the most important aspect of the remedy choice. I know most of the remedy choices for conditions listed in your answer but I don’t know what the remedy choice would be for a headache caused by dehydration or fasting. Is there one for those if so what is it? Thank you so much! Just started your pain course can’t wait to learn tons!
If someone has a headache from dehydration, I’d not encourage them to use medicine for it but rather to drink water.
Hi, Joette! I was wondering about what Helen asked. Have you shared the protocol for a headache caused by fasting?
If what you mean by fasting is that there’s no food intake over a period of days or so, I’d say its best to simply eat instead of taking a medicine for effects.
Do you have ANY idea when we may be able to consult? I know you are VERY busy with the academy and everything but I signed on back in March. I wrote to you on another thread a few nights earlier but I can’t find it now. I REALLY needed you to see that post because of what you told me to do with the Banerji clinic. There are still a lot of other issues I desperately need help with. Thanks so much!
I believe that Shannon has reached out to you personally.
Hello, I am new to homeopathy but I am desperate. I have had hormonal migraines for 15 years. Will homeopathy help this? Thank you so much for any help I can receive. I appreciate your time.
I cover this condition thoroughly in my online course titled “Make it Stop” found here
https://courses.joettecalabrese.com/
Will homeopathy help hormonal migraines? Thank you.
Homeopathy has a history of relieving human diseases, hormonal migraines being one of them.