Allergy drug reduction

Allergy medications

Unless you are also suffering from asthma, in general, it is best to discontinue medications related to your allergy during homeopathic treatment, at least temporarily. Desensitization treatments also will make treatment more difficult.  Of course, they could be necessary for specific allergies or in the case of life-threatening reactions. The advantage discontinuing allergy treatment for several weeks before coming in for a consultation is multifold:

•  You will be able to discuss your symptoms more clearly since the medication will no longer be masking your allergy symptoms.
• Side effects will no longer bother you.
• Then your homeopath can observe your real symptoms.
• You can more clearly describe symptoms that you are experiencing.

Before using your medications again, it is best to at least wait long enough for your homeopath to assess the chosen homeopathic medication. This may take several weeks.  Of course, there are cases where medications cannot be discontinued, so your homeopath will work around that situation.  Each time you go in for a consultation, it is advantageous to temporarily quit your medication so that you homeopath can check how your treatment is progressing.

Generally, I find that allergy clients come to me because their medications are not effective or have side effects. When their homeopathic medication shows signs of helping their allergy, they are so eager to quit their medications.  Often, I advise them to act cautiously.  The body does not like shocking experiences, so gradual reduction avoids failure. Unfortunately, sometimes and especially if many strong anti-allergy medications have been used to suppress allergy symptoms, then I select a homeopathic remedy (medication) that is close but not close enough to be curative.  Previous use of medication suppresses symptoms so that it is difficult to select the most curative medicine. Usually, some symptoms appear which are hints leading to the right remedy.  Usually, if treatment is unsatisfactory in one or two months, I change some aspect of the treatment.

Unfortunately, sometimes and especially if many strong anti-allergy medications have been used to suppress allergy symptoms, then I select a homeopathic remedy (medication) that is close but not close enough to be curative.  Previous use of medication suppresses symptoms so that it is difficult to select the most curative medicine. Usually, some symptoms appear which are hints leading to the right remedy.  Usually, if treatment is unsatisfactory in one or two months, I change some aspect of the treatment.

For patients with a broad range of allergies and a weak immune system (eg., more than 2 colds or infections per year and recovery from the cold or infection taking weeks), allergy shots are usually ineffective and these weakened patients to become so hypersensitive that they are allergic to their entire environment. Such strong medications will slow down homeopathic treatment, so weaning off them before beginning homeopathic treatment is wise. If necessary, I will help you to reduce your injections using homeopathic medicines. If for any reason, reduction of medications is impossible, then the least potent medications will interfere with homeopathic treatment the least extent.

Hierarchy of medications

In the effort to reduce medication, a sense for the least potent medication will help you.  Below is a suggestive hierarchy of anti-allergy medications:

• The least potent medication is Nasal Cromolyn inhalers.
• Next in the potency hierarchy are antihistamines.
• Steroids are stronger than antihistamines and affect the whole body less when inhaled.
• Steroids as injection or pills do the most damage to homeopathic treatment.

How drugs interfere

Medications interfere with treatment because they prevent the body from reacting naturally. Allergy is a natural reaction and those symptoms are used to select the curative medication as well as to evaluate the progress of treatment. Medication turn off natural reactions of the body. Homeopathic medications work because they are selected to balance those natural reaction. If a subdued version of your natural reactions are the only signals available for the homeopathic medication to treat, then most of what you want treated will be invisible to the homeopathic medication. In a sense, even a curative medication will not “know” what to treat because it lacks those natural signals.