Using Homeopathy and Conventional Medicine Together

Some parents choose to use both homeopathic and conventional medication concurrently. The two forms of treatment may be complementary and work together well. It is unlikely that the homeopathic medicine will interfere with the conventional treatment, but sometimes the drug does impact the homeopathy. If this occurs, we simply repeat the homeopathic medicine or adjust the dosage until the problem is resolved. If we are unable to find a resolution, we may recommend using one treatment or the other in the best interests of your child.

At the beginning of treatment, we recommend against changing the currently prescribed conventional medicine. We also recommend against beginning any new interventions at the same time, conventional or alternative. It is best to keep the process as clear and simple as possible to avoid confusion for both the conventional and the homeopathic practitioners.

The main difficulty with using both kinds of medication together is determining which medicine is producing what results or side effects. This can be complex, especially if the patient is receiving a number of conventional medications at the same time, each with their own side effects and possible drug interactions. To achieve the best possible results with homeopathy, we have to be able to see the actual symptoms of the person, as well as any changes as they occur. If these symptoms or changes are masked by a psychiatric medicine, it may be difficult to know what is happening with homeopathic treatment, and similarly, the conventional doctor may attribute the success of the homeopathy to the pharmaceutical drugs.

Often, since homeopathy treats the whole child, the homeopathic medicine will produce positive changes that the conventional medications do not address, confirming that it is indeed working along with the other treatment. If your goal is to replace the conventional medications your child is now taking, or to decrease the dosage or number of different medications, you may want to ask your physician about doing so before beginning homeopathic treatment.

Many times children with ASD are already being treated conventionally with pharmaceutical medications when they begin homeopathic treatment. As naturopathic physicians, it is not within our scope of practice to discontinue a medication prescribed by another physician. If parents want to stop or decrease the dosage of their child’s psychiatric or another prescription medication, they should consult with the prescribing physician. Abruptly discontinuing some medications is inadvisable and can be dangerous.

What If My Doctor Does Not Believe in Homeopathy?
Some parents find that seeking treatment in both medical worlds can be tricky, unless their conventional physician is open-minded enough to at least consider homeopathy as a viable treatment option. Some physicians refuse to work with parents who are also having their child treated homeopathically. Remember, you always have a choice regarding what type of treatment your child receives. If you wish to keep a foot in both worlds, you may wish to do what is necessary to find an open-minded physician to care for your child. Ideally your homeopath and conventional physician can work hand in hand for the mutual benefit of your child,
Gradually, as more conventional medical doctors are learning about and using homeopathy, old prejudices are beginning to change. Some open-minded physicians are referring their unsolvable or baffling cases to homeopaths, or are incorporating homeopathy into their own practices. Many conventional medical students are eager to learn about homeopathy, as well as other forms of alternative medicine and nutrition. When choosing a homeopath, however, we advise finding a practitioner soundly trained in the field with at least several years of practice and an active continuing education program, rather than a conventional practitioner who is just dipping his feet into the waters of complementary or homeopathic medicine.