Cost of Homeopathy

[MercilessKiller]

Hey there.

Has anyone experienced Homeopathic or Herbal remedies and know the kind of prices for something that would help depression?

I'm skeptical but a good friend of mine is convinced its worked for some people she knows!

Either way this is for my girlfriend who's suffering from Depression atm :( (Its Suzzi2704 btw, she posted around here before..)

If anyone can help it'd be much appreciated. Thanks

[catz747]

I went to a homeopath who charged about £30 initial consulation and about £25 for each consultation after that. The remedies were £3-4 each and lasted a couple of months. I've found homeopathy can be a bit hit and miss though, some remedies worked really really well and others didn't seem to do much.
Hope you find something :)

[lauranurse]

How about giving st John's wort a try? You can get this from a chemist, no need to pay anyone for a consultation. The money could then be spent on counselling or therapy, which can be a huge help in Depression.

[Ted_Hutchinson]

The evidence base of complementary and alternative therapies in depression. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16926053&query_hl=20&itool=pubmed_docsum)
We found Grade 1 evidence on the use of St. John's wort, Tryptophan/5-Hydroxytryptophan, S-adenosyl methionine, Folate, Inositol, Acupuncture and Exercise in Depressive disorders, none of which was conclusively positive. We found RCTs at the Grade 2 level on the use of Saffron (Herbal medicine), Complex Homoeopathy and Relaxation training in Depressive disorders, all of which showed inconclusive results So homeopathy is shown to be less useful than other alternative approaches.

Where there is evidence that some alternative approaches are better than others it's my view the true MSEer will back the most likely winner. As you use the letter atm I suspect we may be talking about a Seasonal Depression and the root cause of this is low vitamin d status in the winter months See Vitamin D vs broad spectrum phototherapy in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=10888476&query_hl=23&itool=pubmed_docsum)

[MercilessKiller]

Thanks very much :) I don't think its seasonal due to the genetic history within her family. Saying that I don't think there is a root cause either which is strange!

Its got symptoms of seasonal depression, but as I said theres a massive history in her family including her mum, 4 aunts and grandmother. I understand her mum was committed to a hospital for a few months as well when she was younger.

There isn't anything goinig wrong in life as such :) so anything to help her feel better about herself would be great. She's starting to be put off her tennis too (shes played for years and absolutely loves it) so ye..

Thanks

[vizcacha]

Homeopathy diagnoses on a very detailed basis, and takes into account all the different ways someone is affected, their personality, and physical constitution so your GF is best to see a homeopath for a proper consultation because a homeopathic remedy is aimed at treating the whole person rather than a just a 'condition'

e.g. if someone wanted a remedy for a headache the homeopath would have to know a lot of detail about the type of pain, how the person feels about it, what makes it worse it etc before they could give a remedy

So, without knowing exactly how she is affected it would be very hit and miss to just take a remedy randomly

I've had a lot of homeopathy over the years and my experience is that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but is definitely worth looking into. A good relationship with a good homeopath is invaluable.

If your GF finds someone she would like to go and see I would definitely recommend that she has a chat with them on the phone before making an appointment and paying any money so that she gets a feeling as to whether she would be comfortable with the person. Any decent practitioner would be happy to do that.

Tell her the most important thing, is that whoever she goes to see that she must feel safe and comfortable with them as a person, because depression makes someone so vulnerable that they need someone who will take good care of them.

I really hope she feels better soon and finds the best treatment for her whatever she decides :smiley:

[mae]

My brother suffered from depression for years. I suggested he take St johns wort after reading very good reviews, he was sceptical but was willing to give it a try. He now says the cloud has lifted and he gets panicky if he has is running out. He swears by them. Like anything else they take a time to get in your system and also must be taken regularly.

[digger3]

Be careful taking St Johns Wort as it can interfere with other medication prescribed by a GP- the contraceptive pill for example

[Ted_Hutchinson]

Be careful taking St Johns Wort as it can interfere with other medication prescribed by a GP- the contraceptive pill for example
What interactions should I watch for? (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsInteractions/0,3926,4049%7CSt,00.html) and
Check Interactions - DrugDigest (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs)
But it's not nearly as bad as most anti-d's though which is why it's prescribed for younger people in Germany. Prescription patterns in Germany reveal predominate use of St. John's Wort and TCAs, which contrasts sharply with U.S. patterns, wherein SSRIs predominate. Also, in the United States, unlike Germany, 5-9- and 10-14 year olds receive sizable proportions of ATDs. Labeling status (only herbal hypericum preparations and TCAs are labeled for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents in Germany) and cost restrictions appear to influence the prescribing pattern of doctors in Germany. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16553540&query_hl=3&itool=pubmed_docsum)

[digger3]

[QUOTE=Ted_Hutchinson]What interactions should I watch for? (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsInteractions/0,3926,4049%7CSt,00.html) and
Check Interactions - DrugDigest (http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs)
But it's not nearly as bad as most anti-d's though which is why it's prescribed for younger people in Germany.


It might not be 'as bad' Ted- but as it is available to buy from many high street shops without any medical advice I think people need to be aware it can reduce the efficiancy of the contraceptive pill.Getting pregnant might be the last thing on a womans mind when she buys St Johns Wort!

[Ted_Hutchinson]

It might not be 'as bad' Ted- but as it is available to buy from many high street shops without any medical advice I think people need to be aware it can reduce the efficiancy of the contraceptive pill.Getting pregnant might be the last thing on a womans mind when she buys St Johns Wort!I wasn't deny the interactions, which is why I provided the drug interactions checker link.

Most reputable pharmacists though do ensure their customers get such warnings and packs also generally carry appropriate guidance.

SJW is not my first choice though for anti-depressant therapy anyway.
I feel you should try the cheapest, safest options which provide general health benefits to your body as well as your brain first. Vitamin d and omega 3 are very cheap, very safe and will reduce your risk of getting certain other conditions even if they don't affect your mood. But as both are needed by the brain and are generally insufficient in the average persons diet and vit d in particularly seriously under supplemented at this time of year, these seem to me to be the first place to start. You do have to be aware though of the importance of taking an EFFECTIVE level of supplement and over an extended period of time. If you are correcting an insufficiency state in your bank balance you have to put into your account MORE than you spend every day BEFORE you see any reduction in the bank charges. Similarly with supplements such as vit d and omega 3, you have to correct the insufficiency before you appreciate the benefit and those who only ever use less than the actual amount needed daily, will never catch up.
Same principle as only paying your minimum monthly payment on your credit card while continuing to spend on it.