Trying Out Alternative Medicine (Responsibly)

Okay, so, I don’t know how to admit this, but I read medical studies for fun. I’ve talked about it before, but I have PMDD, a disease affecting people who get their periods that’s basically PMS to the nth degree. 

Because it only affects people who get their periods, there are surprisingly few medical treatments available, even though it is destructive. So I read medical studies in the hopes of finding a supplement, a dietary protocol, literally anything that could help. I’m sure many of you can relate given this conversation we had in the Facebook group. 

It’s no surprise, then, that many of us turn to alternative medicine in the hopes of finding a fix. I personally have tried just about every supplement under the sun, in addition to adjusting my diet and going to acupuncture each week. The costs of all of this adds up. 

According to a study from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Americans spend a total of $30.2 billion each year on alternative medicine. 

What’s more is that as family income increases, so did spending on alternative medicine, and significantly. The average yearly spend for people with family incomes with who make less than $25,000 per year was $435. Meanwhile, for families with incomes of $100,000 or more, the yearly spend was $590.

So we’re spending a lot of money on alternative medicine. Does it actually work? 

That, of course, depends on your condition, the treatment options and whether you actually stick to the protocol. You can get highly specific and dig into the Journal of the American Medical Association to determine the chances of a specific treatment working.

That’s actually an important step here: instead of relying on what a Facebook group or Reddit thread full of people with a similar condition, make sure that you read up on the research behind their claims. You don’t want to be scammed into using a supplement that won’t work, right? 

Once you’ve done some research, check in with your doctor. You can call your PCP’s office for free to check whether it’s safe for you to take a supplement or engage in some other sort of treatment. 

You can use a flexible spending account or a health care spending account (both offered through your employer) to use tax-free money on these types of care. You can also look into perks offered by your employer and insurer: sometimes they partner with a store and offer a certain percentage off. 

Other ways to cut costs include waiting for sales and promotions (of course!), using credit card points to pay for certain expenses, seeking out sliding scale treatments (this is how I was able to afford acupuncture) and checking with your insurer to see if the treatment is covered.