Japanese blend for hallucinations in Lewy Bodies Dementia

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is a clear answer to offer.  There just are not enough studies looking at these types of relationships.  Further, on an individual basis, it's hard in such a relatively short time-frame particularly to know if the lack of observable change from the herbs was related to a type of "tolerance" or a change in the "severity" of the condition itself.

While working directly with a practitioner can offer some benefits as far as tweaking the formula from time to time in an educated way - guided, of course, by the responses you have - it is still often "guesswork" on the side of the patient.  This is even more so with conditions that don't have a defined resolution like a cold or flu for example.  I would recommend, if at all possible, to work directly with a practitioner whom you can visit in person (ideally) or online if necessary.

Along that line, many individuals end up using formulas because they are shown in research, etc. to be "good" for "x" condition - and while this may work from time to time, it generally yields poorer results when the formula is not based on your diagnosis in the terms of Chinese Medicine.  This is a longer discussion than I can do here but it comes down to some of the herbs having effects regardless for "x" condition (or at least aspects of certain herbs having an effect) but the formula as a whole not being entirely correct for the individual due to their systemic diagnosis in Chinese Medicine terms - ie blood deficiency, kidney yang deficiency, etc.  This is where a practitioner will be able to tailor certain formulas to you and keep tailoring them over time if need be as your symptoms and underlying causative factors change.

If you have no one to work with, however, and you are getting results - I would consider lowering the dose and/or not using daily and see if you can maintain the result with minimal input - that may lower the chances of a wavering response/tolerance.  It may not, of course, but that is generally where I try to start with patients.

So maybe same dose but every other day and see if you get a result and if it maintains longer - then maybe even lower dose and every 3rd day, etc. - finding the minimal input that still provides a change.