Eczema

[Michael P]

Yes, you are probably right. Well i've got an appointment coming up in 10 days or so and I will ask the necessary questions then.

[Janet Manning]

Wow I do a day's teaching for the Society of Homeopaths and come back to loads of contributions in this thread!
Firstly Jayuk - acupuncture/Chinese medicine and homeopathy are 2 very different disciplines of equal value. In both cases it is very important to ensure that you find a properly qualified practitioner. Many health practitioners do not know what KC is. I had to enlighten a locum GP, who asked me quite aggressively why I was so adamant about wearing contact lenses and why didn't I go and get a pair of glasses. So ignorance cannot solely be attributed to complementary practitioners. KC is relatively rare. We just happen to know heaps of people with it!!! Even doctors cannot have seen examples of every condition.

As a homeopath I know enough anatomy and physiology to alert me to potential problems and have the books to look things up. I also make referrals to GPs for further referral to specialists to get a diagnosis. The most important thing is to be open to listening to your patient, particularly if you have not come across the disease before. So Jayuk, I think you were right to walk out of a consultation where the practitioner did not seem either aware of KC or willing to listen.

Incidentally, one of the cases I presented today was someone with KC. None of the homeopaths present knew what it was, so I gave an explanation and now there's a few more practitioners who know what it is!

As to the placebo affect - has anyone been watching the programmes on TV about complementary therapies? BBC2 Tuesdays. There's this totally disbelieving doc investigating acupuncture and healing so far. She wasn't even convinced that acupuncture worked after watching a woman have open heart surgery, using only acupuncture for pain relief. She remained conscious throughout. I thought that was pretty impressive and convincing.

Complementary medicine has the advantage of having lots more time with patients than a GP. If you really listen to your patient, the consultation itself is therapeutic. I spend 2 hours with someone for the first consultation. Many have commented that they felt better, just having had this opportunity to be heard, before I ever prescribed. It's about the positive intention to heal someone and the lack of judgement.

But that is only part of it, certainly in the case of homeopathy. I have seen remarkable and almost instant responses in babies and small children and know it also works on animals, where no placebo effect can be working. Also I cannot believe that a placebo effect could last e.g. in the face of allergens, and over 6 years, as with my asthma. My patients can also get unexpected positive responses to remedies. When I took the remedy for my hayfever, I wasn't expecting to get off my inhalers.

We decided today that our next homeopathy workshop in July should be about the therapeutic experience and placebo!!! I'll let you know!

Louise - I will ask a London colleague if I can post her details. Alternatively if you would like to see someone who knows about KC, I'm only a train ride away near Didcot Parkway. I collect my London patients from the station!!! No kidding!

[Janet Manning]

Postscript:-
having just re-read my post, it sounded a bit amibiguous when I said 'lack of judgement' in raltion to consultations. What I mean of course is that we do not judge our patients in any way.

[jayboi2005]

i have to say im very a-topic lots of allergies and nothing works, homeopathic which i tried a little bit i found a waste of my time, but this is just me we are all different. personally i like the real medican has done me lots of favors in my time i have to say most not for the better, well most actually made me ill the different pills.

one thing ive been allocated is an appointment with a dermatologist ill see what he can do.

[Louise Pembroke]

That's a good service Janet picking up your clients from the station! Thanks yes do post, and, I will bear you in mind also.
I must agree most practitioners of any discipline do not know what KC is, I've had to explain it to doctors, and the optom who diagnosed it had only seen 2 cases in over 20 years.
Jayboi I used steroid creams as a child for ezcema and stopped using them because I felt they made no difference - beware long term use thins the skin, however I appreciate the desire to be free of it.

[Andrew MacLean]

Michael

good to see you. thanks for the information.

I lived with KC for over thirty years and then, all of a sudden, it got worse. They kept saying that it was 'self-limiting' and that it was unlikely to continue to progress when I got over 50. so they were wrong! Never mind, there is help out there.

andrew

[Michael P]

Hi Andrew thanks for your welcome.
I've always been aware that my condition could deteriorate but of course when it remains stable for over 30 years (I am 55 now) you think you are over the worst. That is probablly illogical thinking.
I was so ignorant about KC. I used to see the poster at reception at Moorfields advertising the Support Group and I wondered why this was necessary!
Now I understand how fortunate I have been so far.
I seem to have hijacked this thread and should have raised my head above the parapet by starting my own thread. Apologies for that.