Episode 123: "10 Crucial Questions You Should Be Asking Your Primary Care Physician"

https://www.conwaymedicalcenter.com/news/the-top-10-questions-you-should-ask-your-primary-care-doctor/

Health care professionals go through many years of schooling and training to understand the complex workings of the human body.  Unfortunately, there is one component that is not covered in all those years of education that leaves them at a disadvantage.  That is the art of mind reading.  There are standard milestones, measurements, and blood levels that a doctor checks on everyone.  If something is out of the normal limits, there are standard protocols for how to treat it.  But everyone is unique and standard protocols might not be the best approach.  Unless you discuss your specifics and ask questions, the doctor can only guess what is best for you. 

Talking to and asking questions of a health care professional is not a skill that comes easily to many people.  If you have a health issue, you may put off making an appointment because you aren’t sure if it really is an issue.  By the time you decide to call for an appointment and then wait days, weeks, even months to get in, you can be very anxious.   That doesn’t get any better sitting in the waiting room for a long time.   Once in the examining room, often in nothing but a drafty, paper gown, you can feel very vulnerable.  Embarrassment can take over and any questions you might have had, have left your mind. Anything the doctor is saying can be confusing and by the time you leave, you walk out asking yourself what they said and not feeling like you know any more than when you went in.   

People become doctors because they want to help make their patients as healthy as can be.  In the limited time they have with each person, they do an examination, evaluate any test results and explain them to you.  They hope that you understand what they have said and will follow any directions they give you.  If you just look at them and nod your head, they will assume you understand and are satisfied with what they have told you and will comply with their directions.   They cannot read the thoughts frantically going through your mind. “Is this normal? Is this the only treatment?  Why can’t I do this? What else should I be doing?” “What does that mean?”  You can leave an appointment more confused than when you went in. 

This does not need to be the case.  It is important to go into any appointment ready to advocate for yourself.  Have a list of questions so that when nerves take over you can follow your list.

10 Crucial Questions You Should Ask Your Primary Care Doctor.

1.     “What wellness tests should I have”.  This varies depending on your family history, previous medical tests, and personal issues that may need to be monitored.  Common tests include:

Fasting Blood Sugar

Cholesterol

Liver function

Blood pressure

Kidney function

Vitamin deficiencies.

2.     “How can I eat a more nutritious diet?”  Hopefully they have a referral list of