Homeopathic Dosing Strategies for COVID-19 Treatment

For COVID-19 especially, dosing strategy can make the difference between an illness that resolves quickly without negative after effects, and an illness that continues dragging on and even worsens to the point where the person gives up on homeopathic treatment.

In my intentionally-small homeopathic practice, I’ve treated 75+ cases of COVID-19 and have found that the optimal dosing strategy is somewhat different from other illnesses. Herein I will share the dosing strategies I have found to be most effective.

Wet Dosing Is More Effective for Acute Illnesses

I always prefer to use wet dosing for acute illnesses. In the hundreds of acute illnesses and injuries I’ve treated over the last 9 years, I've seen how much more effective wet dosing can be than dry dosing alone. Dry doses are simple and easy, but wet doses are even more effective at prompting swift and effective healing. There is more about wet dosing here.

The following are some of the advantages of wet dosing:

• It speeds up the overall healing process.

• It allows the size of the dose to be optimized.

• The potency is able to be increased with each successive dose.

• It makes homeopathic aggravation (temporary worsening of symptoms before improvement sets in) less likely to occur.

• It uses fewer remedy pellets, making each tube of remedy pellets last for much longer.

General Method for Wet Dosing

I typically start with 1-2 dry doses of 30c potency to ensure that the remedy selection is correct. In my experience, continued dry doses can lead to less effective treatment as well as increased chance of aggravation. Therefore, after a maximum of 2 dry doses, it works best to switch to a wet remedy solution.

The solution is made by dissolving one remedy pellet in 4 ounces of water. This solution is stored in a very clean glass jar (or bottled water). When it is desired that the remedy will be shelf-stable for an extended period of time, unflavored vodka or bourbon can be added (to account for 1/3 of the liquid by volume) to preserve the solution. However, for acute treatment, it is generally sufficient to just store the remedy solution in the refrigerator (so long as the remedy jar was very clean in the first place).

It is important to leave some empty space at the top of the remedy jar, such that the remedy solution will be able to be vigorously succussed. Succussions are performed by firmly tapping the bottom of the remedy jar against the palm of the hand (or against a book, if that is more comfortable). Similar to how remedies are potentized when they are being manufactured, succussions will raise the potency of the remedy solution slightly.

During a typical acute illness, 10-30 succussions before each dose often works effectively, with greater succussions being used to get a stronger response to the dose. Succussions are cumulative and raise the potency of the remedy solution bit-by-bit over time with each dose. For COVID-19 specifically, I have found that 50 succussions before each dose works most effectively.

Once the remedy has been succussed, a good starting dose is ½-1 tsp from the remedy solution. The amount can be increased if a stronger response is needed, and it often works well to taper off the amount of remedy solution being administered towards the end of the illness when the symptoms are much diminished.

Increased Potencies

Whereas wet doses of 30c potency have generally been all that is needed for most seasonal respiratory illnesses in my homeopathic practice, for COVID-19 specifically it has worked better to increase the potency over time as the illness continues. The need to increase the potency is evident when the wet doses are no longer working as effectively, generally every 2-3 days.

I have had good success with using both C potencies and LM potencies to increase the potency over time. I generally start with 30c potency and then increase to 200c potency (with 2 dry doses followed by 200c wet doses). Often the 200c wet potency remedy will take the case to completion, but when additional potency increase is needed, I generally switch to LM potencies next, starting with an LM4 wet solution. (I never do any dry doses with LM potencies, as they are designed to be used in water and more likely to cause aggravation if given as a dry dose.)

Add the Nosode When Needed

Nearly all of the C19 cases I have treated have responded well to one of the following remedies: Lycopodium clavatum, Natrum muriaticum, Phosphorus, Arsenicum Album, Sulphur, or Nux vomica. (There is more info about using some of these for COVID-19 here.)

Many times, just one remedy is needed and the case is taken to steady completion through implementing wet doses and increasing the potency over time. However, in some cases, the symptoms will tend to drag on even with the appropriate remedy.

In those cases, I have found it very helpful to administer the COVID nosode in 200c potency. (Unfortunately, this remedy is available to practitioners only.) I use a wet dose for the nosode, just as for the other remedies. The nosode is taken in between doses of the other well-selected remedy, and generally only repeated once every 1-2 days, depending on the overall response to the dose.

Dosing Instructions I Provide to My Clients

I typically provide my clients with a list of the top 3 remedies to try for their illness. The following are the dosing instructions I provide to my clients. NOTE: I use this dosing protocol for acute treatment only. Proper wet dosing for chronic ailments is substantially different from this.

Initial Dosing

• Take a dry dose of the #1 remedy first. A dry dose is ONE pellet dissolved on the tongue at a time when there is no taste in the mouth from previous food or drink.

• Observe for a few hours and see if you notice any change in symptoms (mood, energy, cough, aches, etc).

• If there is a positive change, wait to take another dose until the symptoms are worsening again.

• If there is no change within ~3 hours, try another dose and watch again.

• If there is no positive response within 2 doses, then stop taking that remedy and move to the next one on the list.

Acute Wet Dosing (after 2 dry doses)

• Dissolve 1 pellet (30c potency) in 1/2 cup of filtered water in a very clean jar (with no residual smells) with a lid. (Alternatively, a bottled water can be used, but make sure there is a gap of air space at the top of the bottle.)

• Succuss the jar (smack the bottom of the jar firmly against the palm of your hand) 50 times before each wet dose. Succussing the remedy actually raises the potency slightly, which accelerates the healing.

• 1/2 tsp from the jar is generally a good starting dose. Continue to use that amount as long as the symptoms are strong.

• Do NOT take the next dose while improvement is happening. Rather, wait to take the next dose until there is regression of the symptoms, or a plateau (when the improvement levels off and then remains unchanged for hours).

• Once the symptoms start to taper off, so that they are returning with less and less intensity, make the doses smaller (such as scant 1/2 tsp, 1/4 tsp, scant 1/4 tsp, etc).

• Typically, the dosing frequency will taper off during an acute illness. For instance, 3-5 doses a day may be needed initially, then over time it will taper off to fewer doses per day. Just make sure to pay attention and continue to give the remedy every time the symptoms show a pattern of regression over several hours or when the symptoms plateau and stop getting better for a period of several hours.

One thing that may be a little tricky is that the cough/symptoms may get a bit worse as you move towards days 6-8 of the illness even with a remedy being given, because that is the normal progression of the illness. Nonetheless, you should be able to tell if there is a positive response after you take a dose.

Effective Treatment for all Variants Thus Far

Thus far, these treatment strategies have worked well for all variants of COVID-19. I have not observed anything substantially different in how the variants respond to homeopathic treatment, and my clients have been well pleased with how effectively homeopathic treatment has reduced the severity of their symptoms and restored them to health. I hope that this information is helpful to others who are treating COVID-19 illness.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or licensed healthcare professional. I am a homeopathic practitioner whose services are considered complementary and alternative by the state of New Mexico. The uses of homeopathic remedies described herein are provided for educational use only.