No, we?re not talking about Santa Claus, we?re talking about you and your doctor?s appointment. Making lists is the most important activity you can perform BEFORE you go to your appointment.
You know from experience that you don?t remember everything you wished you remembered when you get there (or when you get done and are on the way out). There?s always variables that throw you off guard and if you were on a roll, you suddenly get derailed.
So, how can you prevent this? By making lists, that?s how. Oh, and then, of course, you have to remember to take the lists with you to the appointment. Not surprisingly, though, if you forget to take them, you?ll still be better prepared if you?ve written out the lists.
Bring the symptom diary you?ve been compiling since you realized these symptoms weren?t going to go away. Or, if you have a chronic condition, the diary of triggers and conditions of the problem.
Make a list of the questions you have or will have. Get your spouse to participate in this because you know they always have questions too ? and frequently they are able to come up with questions you have not even considered. These questions are not just about what?s wrong with you, but also about what tests need to be done and when; what activities you might be restricted from (and why); what should you do about work; what treatments is the doctor going to give you; how and when to contact the doctor or the office after you leave; and anything else that comes to mind.
Write it down!
You should also make some lists and carry them with you at all times. This includes a list of medicines you take. List any over the counter or herbal medicines you use/take. These medicines may impact any other medicines or treatment you might get. It?s a good idea to write your list in pencil so you can change it as needed (or do it on the computer where you can easily change it too, but pencil is the easiest). Put this list in your wallet and carry it with you.
You need another list (maybe on the back of your medication list) that lists your medical problems. Make sure to keep this up to date. This will help when you?re at the doctor?s office but will also help if you ever have to be taken to the emergency department or are unconscious. You want the medical folks taking care of you to be able to figure out what your existing problems are. Medic Alert? has created a great product which is a USB drive that fits on your key ring and has all your medical problems, medicines, and emergency information on this drive. Your list can also contain a list of procedures and surgeries you?ve had although this is not necessary. It?s just that the more information available to the medical people, the better.
List things you want to mention to the doctor. This is other than the symptom diary. You may want to ask for samples or generics. Write it down! You may want to ask how to contact the doctor afterwards. Write it down! You may need to know what to do about insurance papers. Write it down!
If you think it, write it!
Dr. Wurzbacher is a retired Navy Emergency Medicine Physician who recognized early in her career that she wasn?t good at communication and more importantly that she was probably missing much of what her patients were trying to tell her. Although she was excellent at diagnosing conditions, patients generally need more than that. The Emergency Department is one (of many) places that being good at communication is essential since you have no records to work with and a short amount of time to glean information and make a diagnosis. So, she worked diligently at learning to really HEAR what her patients were telling her. Teaching young doctors and ancillary staff the personal aspects of medicine has become a passion of hers. Her book, ?Your Doctor Said What? is intended to help patients not only understand why many doctors seem like aliens but also how to empower themselves to deal with them.
Check her out at http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhat.com and http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhatblog.com.
Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts
February 23, 2009
February 21, 2009
What Does Your Doctor Really Mean When He Says "There’s Nothing Wrong"?
What thoughts go through your mind when you hear this - ?There?s nothing wrong.?
Most likely you hear that the crappy way you?re feeling is all in your head - or so the doctor thinks.
Believe it or not, this is a phrase that?s mean to reassure people. Fat chance of that happening. Once more this shows the major gap between the person uttering those sounds and those receiving them.
What the doctor is trying to tell you is that he cannot find anything serious either on examination or on the testing that he?s done. And you really do not want something to show up on any of those. He is NOT saying that it?s all in your head. There are many things that can be wrong with you but not have major abnormalities that can be easily found.
Part of the problem is that you probably won’t listen to anything else the doctor says after that. Do not fall into that trap. What comes next may actually explain the whole thing. You know how fast doctors talk. They don?t pause between sentences to see how you absorbed or reacted to that statement.
So, what do you do? First, let?s discuss what NOT to do?.Do not get upset. Do not shut down. Do not feel abused or ashamed. Do not feel like you?ve been wasting everyone?s time. Do not be angry. Do not discount everything else the doctor?s going to say. Do not get flustered. That?s the most important of all.
Stay alert and open-minded. If you have to regroup, put your hand up to signal the doctor to slow down or even pause. Listen, listen, listen. See what the doctor has to say afterwards. If it doesn?t seem that you?re understanding what he?s saying even though you?ve been trying, stop him and ask for clarification. Say ?excuse me? or hold your hand up again. If he?s not looking or listening, try standing up and see if that will give him a clue.
At that point you can simply say ?I don?t understand what you?re saying.? Or you can ask specifically ?what do you mean there?s nothing wrong? Are you saying that this is all in my head?? One reason we give up so much of our power is that we remain silent. You have to ask for clarification and refuse to be intimidated. You know that there?s something bothering you. No, it may not be earth-shattering or something that will be a first recorded case ? BUT, it?s something making you feel bad enough to come to this humiliating appointment with a doctor who isn?t doing a very good job explaining things to you. Don?t allow that to happen. Don?t give away your power.
Same goes if the doctor says ?I can?t find anything wrong?. I know from my 30 years in medicine that just because I can?t find something wrong does NOT mean that there isn?t anything ?wrong? with the patient. Doctors do try to find out if there is anything obvious first. And sometimes they will stop looking if there?s nothing found on the basic studies. But most often they will try to find something that will provide relief for you while your body heals ? even without anyone ever knowing what it was. They will tell you that you need to come back if you?re not getting any better. This is not just ?blowing you off?. It?s because right then they are not concerned that there is something major wrong to warrant other studies. But, they are acknowledging that you don?t feel well and want you to rest, take the symptomatic medicine you?re given and return if you?re not feeling better.
It?s important that you do not give up your power by giving in. Do not leave the office if you?re uncertain what?s going on or what the plan of action is. I know this is difficult but you really can do it. You may have to speak up and say ?Excuse me, I don?t understand. Can you explain this to me so I can understand, doctor? Are you saying that there is nothing wrong with me or that you just cannot find something on your tests?? Do not feel as if you?re going to make the doctor mad or he won?t like you or something stupid like that. The doctor will NOT know that you don?t understand unless you tell him. If you don?t say anything, he will only assume that you?re fine with everything he?s said.
For help with communicating with your doctor, contact the author at Terrie@askyourdoctorsaidwhat.com
Dr. Wurzbacher is a retired Navy Emergency Medicine Physician who recognized early in her career that she was probably missing much of what her patients were trying to tell her. The Emergency Department is one place that being good at communication is essential - you have no records to work with and not much time. Teaching young doctors and ancillary staff the personal aspects of medicine has become a passion of hers. Her book, ?Your Doctor Said What? is intended to help patients not only understand why many doctors seem like aliens but also how to empower themselves to deal with them.
Check her out at http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhat.com and http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhatblog.com.
Most likely you hear that the crappy way you?re feeling is all in your head - or so the doctor thinks.
Believe it or not, this is a phrase that?s mean to reassure people. Fat chance of that happening. Once more this shows the major gap between the person uttering those sounds and those receiving them.
What the doctor is trying to tell you is that he cannot find anything serious either on examination or on the testing that he?s done. And you really do not want something to show up on any of those. He is NOT saying that it?s all in your head. There are many things that can be wrong with you but not have major abnormalities that can be easily found.
Part of the problem is that you probably won’t listen to anything else the doctor says after that. Do not fall into that trap. What comes next may actually explain the whole thing. You know how fast doctors talk. They don?t pause between sentences to see how you absorbed or reacted to that statement.
So, what do you do? First, let?s discuss what NOT to do?.Do not get upset. Do not shut down. Do not feel abused or ashamed. Do not feel like you?ve been wasting everyone?s time. Do not be angry. Do not discount everything else the doctor?s going to say. Do not get flustered. That?s the most important of all.
Stay alert and open-minded. If you have to regroup, put your hand up to signal the doctor to slow down or even pause. Listen, listen, listen. See what the doctor has to say afterwards. If it doesn?t seem that you?re understanding what he?s saying even though you?ve been trying, stop him and ask for clarification. Say ?excuse me? or hold your hand up again. If he?s not looking or listening, try standing up and see if that will give him a clue.
At that point you can simply say ?I don?t understand what you?re saying.? Or you can ask specifically ?what do you mean there?s nothing wrong? Are you saying that this is all in my head?? One reason we give up so much of our power is that we remain silent. You have to ask for clarification and refuse to be intimidated. You know that there?s something bothering you. No, it may not be earth-shattering or something that will be a first recorded case ? BUT, it?s something making you feel bad enough to come to this humiliating appointment with a doctor who isn?t doing a very good job explaining things to you. Don?t allow that to happen. Don?t give away your power.
Same goes if the doctor says ?I can?t find anything wrong?. I know from my 30 years in medicine that just because I can?t find something wrong does NOT mean that there isn?t anything ?wrong? with the patient. Doctors do try to find out if there is anything obvious first. And sometimes they will stop looking if there?s nothing found on the basic studies. But most often they will try to find something that will provide relief for you while your body heals ? even without anyone ever knowing what it was. They will tell you that you need to come back if you?re not getting any better. This is not just ?blowing you off?. It?s because right then they are not concerned that there is something major wrong to warrant other studies. But, they are acknowledging that you don?t feel well and want you to rest, take the symptomatic medicine you?re given and return if you?re not feeling better.
It?s important that you do not give up your power by giving in. Do not leave the office if you?re uncertain what?s going on or what the plan of action is. I know this is difficult but you really can do it. You may have to speak up and say ?Excuse me, I don?t understand. Can you explain this to me so I can understand, doctor? Are you saying that there is nothing wrong with me or that you just cannot find something on your tests?? Do not feel as if you?re going to make the doctor mad or he won?t like you or something stupid like that. The doctor will NOT know that you don?t understand unless you tell him. If you don?t say anything, he will only assume that you?re fine with everything he?s said.
For help with communicating with your doctor, contact the author at Terrie@askyourdoctorsaidwhat.com
Dr. Wurzbacher is a retired Navy Emergency Medicine Physician who recognized early in her career that she was probably missing much of what her patients were trying to tell her. The Emergency Department is one place that being good at communication is essential - you have no records to work with and not much time. Teaching young doctors and ancillary staff the personal aspects of medicine has become a passion of hers. Her book, ?Your Doctor Said What? is intended to help patients not only understand why many doctors seem like aliens but also how to empower themselves to deal with them.
Check her out at http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhat.com and http://www.yourdoctorsaidwhatblog.com.
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