Ways By Which Medicines May be Antidoted
1) Coffee: Coffee frequently antidotes homeopathic medicines, occasionally after only one cup. Coffee has a drug effect which can bring back the old state even many months or years after successful homeopathic treatment. Please avoid it. Decaffeinated coffee will also antidote. Please also avoid coffee flavored foods and drink (kahlua, coffee ice cream, coffee yogurt etc.) Black tea, herb teas, Coca Cola and other caffeine containing substances generally will not antidote unless you are taking them in large quantities or are especially sensitive to them.
2) Camphor: Skin or mucous membrane application of camphor may antidote medicines. Avoid anything that has significant amounts of camphor, such as deep heat rubs, liniments, Vicks, Ben Gay, Tiger Balm, Carmex, nail polish, Noxzema products, some massage compounds, some cosmetics, many lip balms (Chapstick, Blistex etc.), some Chinese candies, most cough lozenges and others. Even though ingredients don't specifically list camphor (i.e. lip balm) they often have camphor substances such as Mentholatum. Generally, the mere smelling of camphor is not enough to cause a medicine to be antidoted. Also avoid eucalyptus and mothballs.
3) Anything to Which You Are Particularly Sensitive: Avoid any food, chemical, or substance which you know causes severe reactions in y o u r particular system -- i.e., hives or skin eruptions after certain food, odors which make you faint, things which specifically cause asthma, etc. Moderate use of alcohol and tobacco does not generally interfere. However marijuana will usually antidote and cocaine will always antidote and should be avoided.
4) Electric Blankets: Waterbed warmers and heating pads are OK and will not cause a problem.
5) Routine Dental Work: Cleaning of the teeth is OK and does not cause problems. However the actual drilling, and perhaps the chemicals, used in dental work often will antidote homeopathic medicines.
6) Traditional Medicine: Traditional medicines are designed to remove specific symptoms without much regard to the person as a whole. This approach often leads to suppression of the symptoms and antidoting of the homeopathic medicine. Please tell your practitioner about all drugs, strong herbs, diet pills, birth control pills, etc. that you are taking. Under no circumstances should you stop strong traditional medicines without first consulting your homeopathic practitioner. An occasional Tylenol or aspirin will not cause a problem.
7) Skin Medicines: It is not uncommon for homeopathic medicines to bring back old skin symptoms. Please do not use locally applied medicine of any kind without first talking to your practitioner. This is especially true of topical steroids.
8) Solvents: Avoid heavy, prolonged exposure to solvents or fumes especially if working in an enclosed space. Also avoid hair permanents.
9) Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil will antidote.
10) Immunizations: Immunizations may antidote remedies and disrupt the immune system. Please talk to your homeopath before having an immunization.
11) Diagnostic Tests: Blood work will not antidote. Routine X rays are also not a problem. Mammograms or ultrasounds can antidote and MRI's almost always antidote.
12) Other Treatments: The balance of symptoms on all levels is a delicate one, and it can be easily upset. It is best not to mix acupuncture, chiropractic, polarity therapy, psychic healing and other energy plane manipulations with homeopathy. Magnets can antidote.