Consultations - what to expect
- The first consultation will take up to one and a half hours. I will take a detailed case history which will enable me to build up a picture of you as a person, and your state of health. This allows me to understand your situation as fully as possible, and helps me to prescribe the right herbs.
- I will ask questions about your current illness or complaint. I will also want to know about your medical history, your health in general and a bit about your diet and lifestyle.
- I will take your pulse and blood pressure, and with your consent, I may conduct an additional physical examination if necessary.
- I am trained to recognise serious illness and may refer you to a GP or other type of therapist. I am also trained to be aware of drug-herb interactions, and to prescribe safely alongside orthodox medication. It is very important that you tell me about any medications or supplements you are taking.
- At the end of the first appointment I will prescribe a herbal remedy. The first remedy consists of two week's worth of medicine, and details will be provided on how to take the medicine properly.
- I may also make recommendations to do with your diet and lifestyle. In particular, dietary alterations are often fundamental to the success of herbal treatment, and I see them as very important. I believe that correct nutrition can prepare the terrain in which herbal medicine can flourish. However, I am not a nutritionalist and therefore am unable to give detailed nutritional advice.
- Follow up consultations last up to three quarters of an hour. I will schedule the first of these to take place after two weeks, and thereafter every four weeks.
- Each follow-up consultation is an opportunity for me to assess your progress and to find out how you are feeling about the treatment. I see the patient/practitioner relationship as a dynamic partnership and a two-way dialogue is encouraged at all times.
- It is possible to alter the blend of your herbal medicine as treatment progresses, which allows me to respond to changes in your condition and adapt treatment strategies appropriately.
- If long-term treatment is required, it is possible for me to dispense repeat prescriptions without a consultation every time. A small dispensing fee will apply.
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