Paying for vitamins?

my helper has had some sort of digestive system problems for a while. We have paid for her to go see a doctor (3-4 times now) and for all her medicine.

She now has been to see some free (?) doctor - from Philippines, apparently a lot of helpers see him/her - no idea... Anyway - this doctor prescirbed $750 worth of something called Pollen suplements - i checked and it is just bee pollen food supplements/vitamins! Obvously i will not be able to charge this on insurance.

I think it is all scam and i dont want to pay for it at all. At the same time, i am happy to pay for anything that would help her feel better... Shall i just offer her half the money or something? really not sure what to do...

If this was done before asking me first I'm afraid i wouldn't pay for it, i would be happy to pay for any agreed medication for my helper but not if she just goes off and does something and then expects me to pay for it. I would also think it was a scam by this so called Dr and i would also want to send a message to my helper that she cannot just do what she wants and expect me to foot the bill.

This is just my opinion though

Is there a cheaper alternative that could be ordered online?

$750 is a tad expensive, and would be an ongoing cost you'd need to maintain.

Is there a permanent fix for your helper's problem?


What sort of digestive problem is it? I'd want an official diagnosis, not 'some sort of problem'. Have you read the medical reports?

This is a tough one ~ For me, I think I would not want to encourage my helper to consult an unqualified doctor. If I did, and there was some kind of adverse reaction, I would feel awful about it.


If I were in your situation, I would take / send the helper back to your (registered) doctor and explain that she is still suffering from the problem, it hasn't cleared up, is there anything else to try?


I am happy to pay for vitamins / supplments and even essential oils for my DH if they are prescribed by a registered practitioner or pharmacist (e.g. in Watsons). If your helper has a chronic problem this could be a better long-term solution.


Lastly, perhaps it would help (if your DH agrees) for you to double-check her understanding of what your doctor said to her previously. Did the doctor say "take this and you'll be fine in a week?" or "this will take a couple of months to clear up" or "this is a chronic problem that may never be completely resolved"? And has the helper been following all your doctor's instructions? And correctly?


My own experience, with a previous helper, is that she came out of a consultation with our doctor (re. a chronic problem) not understanding what was wrong with her, what to expect or anything - not even if she would need a repeat prescription / follow-up consultation! With her agreement, I went to talk with the GP and then came home and explained to my DH about her condition, how lifestyle/dietary changes could help, what the prognosis was etc. And after that I was involved every time she went to the GP (again, at my helper's request). In this way she got a much more satisfactory result from her medical treatment.


In conclusion, I think your first instinct not to pay for the pollen supplements is right. Taking your helper back to a proper doctor will demonatrate your concern for her health.

thank you all! i had a chat with her - i have done a bit more research on internet in all of the stuff he "prescribed" and it is just food supplement - bee products, dont think it is harmful, but really dont think it will make her feel a whole lot better! told her that. Plus he prescribed 4 products that do the same thing!!! and the prices seem to be 3 times of that on internet. Asked a friend to send a couple of bottles from US, so she can have that. And will def take her to a doctor myself next time... I honestly think as street-wise as my helper is, she still believe anything that a "doctor" says!!