How to get more out of your next doctor's appointment
Defuse stress, get more out of your doctor's appointment with these simple tips
Defuse stress, get more out of your doctor's appointment with these simple tips
Going to the doctor is more than just stressful, it can be downright awful. Not only do you almost always have to wait forever to get an appointment, but doctors also tend to be overbooked and rushed.
맥스카지노Developing a good relationship with your doctor is so important, but it can be tough to do,맥스카지노 says Jenni Prokopy, who is in and out of doctors맥스카지노 offices often and blogs about living with fibromyalgia at . 맥스카지노Physicians맥스카지노 practices just seem to get busier, which means doctors 맥스카지노 and the people who work for them 맥스카지노 can be less available and accommodating.맥스카지노
Even so, there are some things you can do to forge a better connection with your practitioner and make the experience less stressful and more productive, Prokopy adds.
Here are simple tips and strategies that can help you do just that, according to folks living with chronic health conditions that require regular doctors visits.
Prepare questions you want to ask in advance
It may seem unnecessary, but Prokopy says reviewing what she wants to can really help her stay on track once she맥스카지노s in the exam room. She맥스카지노ll either go over her talking points with her husband or a friend or just simply state them out loud to herself while she drives to her doctor's office.
맥스카지노Doctors are always short on time, so I rehearse what I need to say to make sure I맥스카지노m as concise as possible,맥스카지노 Prokopy says. 맥스카지노Practicing what I want to say also helps me pick out the most pertinent points.맥스카지노
Mary Leah Caillier Coco, who was diagnosed with a life-threatening at age 30 (and blogs about her condition on ), follows a similar strategy. She says she맥스카지노ll often run what she wants to ask her doctor by a friend with a similar health issue.
맥스카지노Oftentimes, that friend can answer some of my simpler questions so I don맥스카지노t waste time on those, and she맥스카지노ll also give me advice on other points to bring up with my doctor,맥스카지노 Coco said.
Do just the right amount of research
Natasha Tracy, who writes about her on her blog , likes to do a little bit of research about her symptoms on trusted sites 맥스카지노 but not too much.
맥스카지노It맥스카지노s great to be informed about what you want to discuss with your physician, but you also don맥스카지노t want to come off as that patient who thinks she knows more than her doctor,맥스카지노 she said.
Email your MD the topics you맥스카지노d like to review ahead of time
While this tactic may only work if it맥스카지노s a doctor you have a good rapport with and who knows your health history, Prokopy says it can really help both the patient and the physician make the most of a limited appointment time.
맥스카지노I email a list of symptoms I맥스카지노m having to my doctor맥스카지노s office before my appointment, and oftentimes the doc will skim the info before she walks in to examine me,맥스카지노 said Prokopy. 맥스카지노It leaves more time for discussion 맥스카지노 and questions.맥스카지노
Leisha Davison-Yasol, the author of the personal health blog, "," has a slightly different approach. Rather than e-mailing her doctor before the appointment, she keeps a running list of her symptoms in the 맥스카지노Notes맥스카지노 app on her phone.
맥스카지노If the doctor seems rushed during my appointment, I hand him my phone to read the notes,맥스카지노 she said. 맥스카지노He can read through that list faster than I could explain them to him, which means we have more time to go over my treatment plan.맥스카지노
Book a double appointment
If you know you맥스카지노re going to need a significant amount of time with the practitioner, ask the receptionist how long the appointment slots are 맥스카지노 and request a double appointment if you맥스카지노re worried the allotted time won맥스카지노t be enough, Tracy suggests.
Asking to speak with a nurse practitioner can also be a good tactic, as they often have more time in their schedule. More often than not, they're able to answer all the same questions as your doctor.
Find a good health advocate (and maybe even bring them to your appointment)
If you맥스카지노re seeing your doc for something routine 맥스카지노 like an annual checkup or sick visit 맥스카지노 you can likely handle it on your own. But if you맥스카지노re worried about something in particular, or have recently been diagnosed with a condition that맥스카지노s going to involve a lot of follow-up treatment, it맥스카지노s a good idea to bring a smart and confident friend with you to your appointment, Davison-Yaso said.
맥스카지노You need someone who맥스카지노s going to help you ask questions, remember the answers, and who isn맥스카지노t going to be afraid to politely push back when you need more explanation,맥스카지노 she said.
If bringing a friend isn맥스카지노t an option, Coco recommends voice recording your visit.
맥스카지노Doctors talk fast and throw out a lot of big medical terms,맥스카지노 she says. 맥스카지노If you can play back what she says, you맥스카지노ll be able to digest it when you맥스카지노re not so overwhelmed or stunned.맥스카지노