You and your doctor are a team. You got to work this together. You may not agree with all they have to say but you need to let them know...the more you and your doctor talk to each other, the better chances are, you'll feel better.
Trust is important. Having a meaningful discussion with your family about your parents' health means openly sharing information about how they feel physically, emotionally and mentally. Starting with a foundation of trust, knowing how to describe symptoms, and feeling comfortable bringing up other concerns will help you become a partner in your parents' health care.
The tips and guidelines listed below will help you team up with your loved one and their doctor to yield the best possible outcome for their health care.
Be open and honest with your doctor. It will help him or her to understand your medical conditions fully and recommend the best treatment choices for you. Your doctor may ask you how your life is going. This isn't being impolite or nosy.
Providing Relevant Information and crucial information to your physician. Doctors rely on all aspects to be clearly communicated even if it might seem excessive detail or unnecessary, they need it to arrive at the most precise diagnosis.
Communicate Symptoms because a symptom is evidence of a disease or disorder in the body. Examples of symptoms include pain, fever, a lump or bump, unexplained weight loss or gain, or having a hard time sleeping.
Be clear and concise and provide precise description when describing symptoms to help the doctor identify the true problem. A physical exam and medical tests provide valuable information, but it is often these symptoms that point the doctor in the right direction. Identify:
What exactly are your symptoms?
When did they start?
Are the symptoms constant? If not, when do you experience them and how long do they last?
How often do they occur?
Does anything you do make the symptoms better? Or worse?
Do the symptoms affect your daily activities? Which ones? How?
The doctor will likely cover all of the above questions during the visit and it helps to brush up on the specifics before an appointment.
Give Information about all the medications taken including over-the-counter (nonprescription) drugs and herbal remedies or supplements, eye drops, vitamins, and laxatives so bring everything with you to your visit. Describe how often meds are taken, dosage, drug allergies or reactions, and provide the doctor with the phone number of the pharmacy you use.
Describe daily habits because they may ask about where they live, what they eat, how they sleep, what they do each day, what activities they enjoy, smoking or drinking. Be open and honest with them. It will help him or her to understand your or a parent's medical conditions fully and recommend the best treatment choices.
Voice Other Concerns and shareing what is happening in your or your parent's life may be extremely useful medically, even if it seems irrelevant. Let the doctor know about any major changes or stresses, such as a divorce or the death of a loved one.
You don't have to go into detail. You may want to say something like, "it might be helpful for you to know that my mother's husband passed away since our last visit with you," or, "my mother recently had to sell her home and move in with me."
Be Honest, don't share just want you think the doctor wants to hear. If you share what is really going on, they can suggest the best treatment.
Decide what questions are most important and pick three or four questions that are most important to address.
Stick to the Point and give the doctor a brief description of your loved one's situation.
Share Your Point of View About the Visit by telling the doctor if you feel rushed, worried, or uncomfortable. If necessary, you can offer to return for a second visit to discuss your concerns. Try to voice your feelings in a positive way. For example, you could say something like: "I know you have many patients to see, but I'm really worried about my parent's health. I'd feel much better if we could talk about it a little more."
Even the best doctor may be unable to answer some questions and most will tell you when they don't have answers. They also may help you find the information you need or refer your parent to a specialist. If a doctor regularly brushes off your questions or their symptoms as simply a part of aging, think about looking for another physician.
Ask the Doctor plenty of Questions and listening carefully to their answers. Don't wait for the doctor to raise a specific question or subject because he or she may not know it is important to you. Be proactive. Ask questions when you don't know the meaning of a word (like aneurysm, hypertension or infarct) or when prescription instructions are unclear (for example, does taking medicine with food mean before, during or after a meal?).
Learn About Medical Tests and what the doctor needs to do (e.g blood tests, x rays, or other procedures) to find out what is wrong or to learn more about the medical condition. Some tests, such as Pap smears, mammograms, glaucoma tests, and screenings for prostate cancer and colorectal cancer, are done regularly to check for hidden medical problems.
Before the medical test, ask the doctor to explain why it is important, what it will show, and what it will cost. Ask what kind of things will need to be done to prepare for the test. For example, they may need to have an empty stomach, or they may have to arrive ready to provide a urine sample. Ask how you will be notified of the test results and how long they will take to come in.
Learn how to talk with your doctor and make the most of your appointment. To read about this topic online, return to the main National Institute on Aging website.
1. A guide for Older People Talking with your Doctor: https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2017-07/TWYD_508.pdf
2. Doctor Patient communication for older adults: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/doctor-patient-communication/talking-with-your-doctor
Comentarios