Why book a consultation?
- you have health concerns/conditions that cannot be treated by orthodox means and/or
- you are seeking a professional natural alternative or adjunct treatment to orthodox medications and/ or
- you want your overall health, diet and lifestyle reviewed and improved and/or
- you are seeking herbal medicine as a lifelong healthcare option
What happens at your 1st consultation
A standard first appointment will normally take 1 hour during which a detailed history will be taken, building up a picture of how previous illness and lifestyle may be affecting your present health. You can also expect your blood pressure to be taken and any other physical examination as appropriate. Please bring along any prescribed medication or supplements you are currently taking for full consideration.
Your Herbal Prescription and Treatment Plan
A herbal prescription, tailored to your individual needs, will then be prepared. This is usually in the form of a ready to use liquid tincture (herbs extracted in alcohol) which is simply taken in a little hot water. Dietary, supplement and lifestyle advice will also be given for you to consider. You may also be asked for a food diary to be discussed at your follow-up visit.
In a standard 1 hour initial consultation, you can expect to spend at least 30 minutes discussing the main reasons for your visit including any issues brought to light from the ‘New patient questionnaire’ you’ll have previously filled in and performing any necessary examinations. We will then spend around 20 minutes together working out your treatment plan and I will then spend 10 minutes preparing your herbal prescription for you to take away with you.
I also offer a 2 hour initial consultation for those of you wanting a full diet review at your first visit. This may be particularly helpful for those who feel their diet is a key point of concern and are coming from quite a way or will not be able to make a follow-up appointment for a few weeks. In addition to the ‘New patient questionnaire’ you will asked to do a food diary for seven days prior to your appointment. After discussing the reasons for your visit as above, we will then use the diary to identify possible problems and to draw up a workable diet for you to follow. For a successful outcome, this process takes the best part of an hour. A diet review will be suggested when necessary to all patients at the end of a standard initial consultation for their next visit.
I will usually contact all new patients a week after their first visit to check all is going well.
Your Follow-up and Future Consultations
This will usually be 2-4 weeks later and will take about 30 minutes or an hour dependent on your needs as will future consultations. These are recommended at 4-6 week intervals for the first 3 months and then as required. If you’ve had a consultation in last 4 weeks I will usually ‘tweak’ your medication if required free of charge. Patients are encouraged to contact me if they do not feel the treatment is being as effective as they had hoped.
For longterm treatments, repeat herbal prescriptions are available without a consultation for up to 12 months as long as no changes are required.
How long will the treatment take?
A typical course of herbal treatment may take from 6 weeks to 9 months or more depending on the individual case. More immediate symptomatic relief can be expected.
‘Short Consultations’
If you are otherwise well, certain common conditions can be addressed in a ‘short consultation’ which takes 20-30 mins. You will still need to fill in the New Patient Questionnaire prior to your appointment. If the condition does not repond well or is more complicated than initially thought, future consultations as above will be suggested. A short consultation can also be booked to review the supplements you’re currently taking -or better still book in for a standard 1 hour consultation to combine with a full diet review.
Conditions appropriate to ‘short consultations’:
Hayfever, warts/verrucae, athletes foot & fungal rashes, cold and flu prevention, persistent coughs (as long as seen first by your GP), quitting smoking, simple indigestion or constipation, menopausal ‘hot flushes’, child asthma, child eczema, molloscum and persistent children’s viral/ear infections.
