I had to post this as I'm sure everyone here would appreciate this.

I've gone to several acupuncturists and bought several herbal
formulas (powdered and pelleted) from them. I am and will always be
grateful for this and for their expertise.

I found an acupuncturist closer to me, but he was so rude -- I never
thought I'd meet an Asian who was so nasty -- and I vowed to never
see him again. I put up with him b/c I was so desperate for a
solution to my problem, had to wait for an appointment, etc., it
seemed like a shortcut home, even if it was through a dense briar
patch! :-)

A box of Korean ginseng tea (10 bags) was $5, and 200 pelleted pills
was $10. I went to an Asian grocer (Kam Man, I think is the name of
the chain, in Edison, NJ), and got 100 bags of the same tea, same
mfr, for $12, and got the same 200 pills, same formula, etc., for
$1.99! I was unable to find one of the other formulas, and no one at
the grocer knew what it was or where to find it. It's available
through Mayway Corp. for $9-10 a bottle, but that's retail, as Mayway
doesn't sell to the public.

My jaw DROPPED when I saw the price of the formula in the store. It
sold for $10-15 on the Internet. The Asian clerk said
wisely, "Internet very expensive." It really was too funny in
retrospect!

I considered making the formula myself by buying the herbs online or
at a health food store (99 cts - $1.99/oz), but could not find the
percentages of ea. herb used in some of the formulas.

My advice: See an accupuncturist, get the herbs you need, then buy
them elsewhere at a reduced price unless the acupuncture is really
helping. These herbs helped me more than acupuncture ever did.

To be fair, the acupuncturist runs a business and needs to make
money. S/he knows which herbs to prescribe, which ones not to
combine, etc. Garages do the same thing to change someone's oil. An
oil change costs $7-10 to do yourself, but a garage will charge up to
$25 to do it for you. Everyone's trying to make a living and a
profit.

I expected there to be a mark-up on these herbs, esp'ly online. I
was disappointed with a reflexologist blocks from my house who sold
the same tea for $7.50 a box. (Highway robbery!!) But if you know
what the price ranges are, you can figure out who to go to and how
much you'll pay.

FYI.


Glenn