Although the use of complementary therapies is becoming increasingly common in Canada, depending on where you live, you may have difficulty finding some of the therapies covered in this guide. Buyers' clubs and mail-order health food stores can be useful resources if you are looking for herbal therapies. To find a practitioner, you may have to travel to a larger centre if you live in a small town but check around first. Some practitioners are establishing themselves in smaller centres. Check your phone book or the bulletin boards in health food and drug stores. Also, ask local AIDS service organizations for referrals. If you do have to travel, your practitioner may be willing to do follow-up consultations over the phone. But, obviously, this won't work for hands-on procedures like massage. In some cases, your only alternative may be to do the reading necessary to pursue these therapies on your own.

This guide offers basic information on a number of therapies but, to use these therapies effectively, you should gather more information. Any complementary therapist you work with can be a good source of information. You may also ask the person selling the treatment or call the manufacturer. Public libraries often have reference books on complementary medicine. The Internet also carries information on complementary medicine. (See the References and Resources section at the end of this guide.) CATIE and other local AIDS treatment agencies can help you find answers to your questions. Contact CATIE at 1-800-263-1638.

Here are ten questions to ask yourself to guide your investigation into any new therapy, either complementary or conventional.

• What am I hoping to get out of this therapy?
• Is this therapy used by other PHAs?
• Am I able to talk to any of these PHAs about their experiences?
• Is there any research or additional information about this therapy?
• What are the side effects of this therapy, if any?
• What sort of commitment do I have to make to use this treatment?
• Where can I get this treatment, and will it be regularly available?
• How much of this treatment is too much and what are the early signs of taking too much?
• Does this treatment interact with anything else I'm taking?
• How much does it cost, and does the practitioner I'm considering offer a sliding scale based on income?

Unfortunately, the answers to some of these questions may be sketchy. It is often difficult to find information on interactions between various complementary therapies or between complementary therapies and prescription drugs. It is always wise to get information from more than one source. Do not rely solely on information provided by people who are profiting from your use of a treatment. You will have to decide when you have enough information to feel comfortable trying a treatment.

When gathering information, watch for the following red flags. The presence of several red flags suggests that the person providing the information is more interested in selling something than in helping you improve your health. This list can be used in relation to conventional and complementary therapies.

Red Flags

(Things that should make you cautious about complementary therapy information)

• The information source discourages you from consulting others or belittles the information you have received from other sources.
• The source claims that the treatment can be used for a long list of illnesses without any explanation of how results vary depending on the condition or how the conditions are related.
• The information focuses on the treatment's popularity or financial success, not on how it works.
• The information relies exclusively or predominantly on testimonials from past users.
• The information is all about comparisons with other similar products.
• The qualifications of the practitioners or promoters aren't offered. (Although practitioners in some disciplines do not receive formal training, all should be able to explain their qualifications for practising.)
• Studies of the product referred to in promotional literature haven't been published or are published only in a newsletter owned by those selling the product.
• The source's focus is on payment, not information.
• Opinions and facts are mixed together in the information.
• The treatment is unjustifiably expensive and no clear explanations are given.

When you start a new treatment, it is wise to keep a journal. This applies to any new treatment, complementary or conventional. A journal allows you to record your experiences so that, in a few weeks or months (depending on the time commitment required), you can decide if the treatment is working. In the journal, record how you feel each day and what changes, if any, you think can be attributed to the new treatment. Record when you feel ill or when you think this treatment is interacting with another or with food. If you're experimenting with dosage, you should record the various amounts and your observations. If you get the treatment when you see a practitioner, note the date and time of your appointments. A journal will allow you to evaluate the treatment more fairly. It is a more reliable record than your memory, which often remembers only the most dramatic experiences, good and bad. A journal will help you determine whether changes in your life are associated with a particular treatment. It will give you a record of your treatments, which you can use in discussions with your doctor or practitioner. This type of record-keeping is particularly useful if you are trying a number of treatments. The journal is also a good source of information for PHAs who ask you about your experiences.

Choosing a Complementary Therapist

As there are for choosing a complementary therapy, there are some useful questions to ask when selecting a complementary practitioner. Here are some examples:

• How much training has the practitioner received and with whom has the practitioner studied?
• Is the practitioner a member of any professional association? If so, which one? And can the practitioner provide contact information?
• How long has the practitioner been practising?
• Does the practitioner have experience treating people with HIV/AIDS? Is the practitioner knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS?
• What have the results been like for the practitioner's HIV-positive patients?
• Can the practitioner provide references from professional bodies or reputable colleagues?
• Under what circumstances would the practitioner refer you to a medical doctor or another health professional?
• How many treatments does the practitioner estimate will be required? At what cost?
• How long will each treatment take? Is there anything you need to do before or after treatments?
• Are appropriate precautions taken in the practitioner's office to prevent transmission of disease between patient and practitioner? Between patients?

When interviewing a practitioner, determine your personal comfort level. Do you trust the practitioner? Do you feel that she or he can help you? There is no point in forcing yourself into an uncomfortable relationship. It is up to you to judge how much training, experience and professional support your practitioner should have to meet your needs. Like all members of society, complementary practitioners may have biases or prejudices that could hinder your relationship with them and affect the treatment you receive.

When seeking out a practitioner, look for someone with experience treating HIV/AIDS or at least some knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Any reputable practitioner should be able to provide references from other health-care providers. We encourage you to visit complementary practitioners who are open to referring you to a doctor. Because your immune system is compromised, it is important that the practitioner take precautions to protect you from other infections. In particular, this applies to acupuncture and any other therapy involving devices that may be used on other patients. Finally, practitioners should be able to clearly explain the purpose of any treatment, how long it will take and what you should expect. This ability to communicate will be an important part of your future relationship.