Factors Which Do Not Antidote Homeopathic Remedies:

1. Medications: Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, when used infrequently, will usually not interfere with homeopathic treatment.
2. Heating pads and water bed heaters.
3. Medical tests: Blood tests, X-rays, mammograms, Pap smears.
4. Dental examination and cleaning (except when ultrasound is used).
5. Cleaning products: Ammonia and bleach. ( Wear rubber gloves and dilute.)
6. Personal care products: Most toothpastes (except Vicco), deodorants that are not strongly aromatic, aftershaves without menthol. Soaps, perfumes, and colognes which do not contain the substances listed in the antidote section are fine.
7. Therapies: Massage, (using non-aromatic oils), chiropractic adjustments and many other forms of bodywork are generally compatible with homeopathy. If your complaints are primarily musculoskeletal, it is best to discuss the frequency of these treatments with your homeopath.

If you think you have antidoted (interfered with the action of) your remedy, your homeopath will usually wait one to two weeks before re-evaluating your case and deciding whether to repeat your remedy. This waiting period is necessary in order to evaluate whether your previous symptoms return and to give you a chance to bounce back without the need for repeating the remedy.

You may feel that the list of potential antidotes places too many restrictions on your life and makes you feel rebellious. The idea is not to make you walk on eggs and fear any potential influence, just for you to be reasonably prudent about avoidable exposures. Most homeopathic patients find that it becomes relatively easy to avoid these factors and that allowing their remedies to work over time is well worth the effort. Patients generally find that the increased freedom in their life resulting from homeopathy is greater than the freedom of drinking coffee or using menthol. If you do feel too restricted by your homeopathic treatment, discuss this with your practitioner. Perhaps you are avoiding some substances unnecessarily. If your treatment has been going well and you feel you just have to drink some coffee, you can test it, but let your homeopath know so he or she can adjust your treatment accordingly.

This article was excerpted from The Patient's Guide to Homeopathic Medicine, which will be published in 1994. Drs. Robert Ullman and Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman are board -certified diplomates of the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians. They teach homeopathy for the professional course of the International Foundation for Homeopathy, of which Dr. Reichenberg-Ullman is president. They practice at the Northwest Center for Homeopathic Medicine in Edmonds, Washington. They may be reached at 206-774-5599.