What role do you play when you visit your doctor? Do you realize that you are an important member of the team? After all this is all about your health and wellness. As the most important member of the team, you are the one who can be most effective in describing your health concerns. It is your specific details that guides the health care team to determine what may be the cause of your symptoms.
You are in charge of your health! Therefore when you visit your doctor, you should engage in the discussion of your care. You will be able to tell them about your symptoms making sure not to hold anything back - no matter how insignificant you may think it is. Do not dismiss anything as it may be the key to help the health care professional team with the tests they need to run or what plan of action they take.
If your visit to the doctor is a scheduled appointment as an annual check up then you should discuss weight, diet, blood pressure, cholesterol level, reviewing family health history in case you need to have further testing, your job (stress) or lack of job (stress) among other concerns.
In the case of those in treatment for an illness/disease, engaging in your treatment plan is necessary. It's all about knowing what treatment is best for you:
* When will treatment begin/end
* How will you be treated
* Who will be a part of the team and will they be available for follow up
questions/calls
* Will there be any further tests to confirm the state of the disease
Keep a journal/take notes. Write down the discomforts you may have. Be sure to note the day and time. Include what you may have been doing before the symptoms of discomfort occurred. Did you eat? What did you eat? Did you have your medication or any other prescriptions? Keeping notes may help avoid unnecessary delays/tests. The health care professional team only knows what you tell them and who knows, something you share may help move the process efficiently.
It's all about you - your health and wellness depends on you.
