Doctor Appointments

This morning I go to see my neurologist for my normally scheduled check-up. As I prepared for this visit, I gathered information my doctor may find helpful and wrote it down. As I was doing so, I began to think that perhaps my routine before doctor visits might be helpful for someone else with Myasthenia Gravis or any other type of chronic condition.

As you’ve read in my previous blogs, I write down for my doctor any questions that come up between visits. If a question is urgent, however, I don’t wait until my next appointment. Instead, I email my doctor utilizing their patient portal. I try not to use this method unless it’s urgent or extremely important. I know my neurologist is extremely busy, so if my question can wait, it ends up on my list.

I also try to keep the list from getting too lengthy. There are a lot of online resources that can be used to answer common questions, so I use these resources as much as possible. Bear in mind, I use these online resources only for information and not for adopting or implementing any new techniques or practices. Sometimes the information I read leads to a question for my doctor and that question will probably end up on my list. I’m very cautious about reading into any of the material I find online, however. For example, I try to avoid reading about possible reactions or side effects to medications unless I’m experiencing a symptom or side effect that is out of the ordinary for me and may possibly be caused by a medication I’m taking. I don’t want information I read online to trick my mind into adopting any symptoms just because I’ve read about them.

Once I have my questions written down, I try to think about and anticipate any questions my doctor may ask. This just allows me to go over the routine questions in my mind and properly prepare so I’m ready to respond with an accurate and concise response. Obviously, I won’t know every question my doctor is going to ask, but I can prepare for the ones I know.

Let’s take a minute to talk about those “pop” questions your doctor may ask that maybe you didn’t anticipate. What I try to do is listen intently to the question, have him repeat it if I don’t understand or may not have heard it correctly, and then take just a moment to think about it before I answer. I find this method works best for me because I’ve caught myself in the past responding too quickly with a pat answer instead of thinking through the question and answering with the most accurate response possible.

Let me give you an example. During one appointment, my neurologist asked me if my eyes close completely when I sleep. I immediately responded, “Yes, they do.” As I was walking to my car after my appointment, I thought about that question and realized there have been times when I closed my eyes to go to sleep and still see light peeking through. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that had to be due to my eyelids not closing completely. I didn’t run back in and update my doctor on my corrected answer; I didn’t deem it that important. It was, however, something that made my list for the next appointment. The lesson I learned was don’t be in too big of a rush to respond to a question. Take a moment or two to completely think through it before answering.

I totally respect and trust my neurologist. We have a very good relationship. It’s based upon trust. He looks out for my health and I try to do everything he tells me to do. That’s so important and helps both of us do our jobs. It helps my doctor because he can rely on me to be accurate and concise. It helps me because I can rely on the treatment he is prescribing will be right for me. A relationship like this takes time to build, but the benefits are invaluable.

It also helps my doctor to know I will do what he instructs me to do. If he prescribes medication, I take it exactly as directed. If he tells me to avoid a certain activity, I avoid it. If he tells me to exercise and stay active, I try to do that, too. Imagine the frustration a doctor must feel when they prescribe medication to a patient, but the patient doesn’t take it as directed. Imagine the frustration when the patient hobbles back into their office because they did something their doctor told them not to do. Listen to your doctor, follow their instructions, and if for some reason you can’t, then let them know about it before the symptoms reappear or before failing to follow instructions leads to an injury. Your doctor can only help you if you’re willing to help yourself.

At the end of each appointment, I bring out my list of questions. He normally just allows me to ask them, but your doctor may prefer reading them from your list. Sometimes a question from my list leads him to ask several other questions. That’s a good thing. It allows your doctor to thoroughly investigate what’s going on and allows for a dialogue on how to best address it.

As I mentioned, I try to keep my questions to a minimum and attempt to make them as concise as possible. I respect my neurologist is extremely busy. I know there are plenty of other patients needing his attention. Being concise helps my doctor tremendously and he respects me for respecting his time.

I don’t fear doctor appointments. I don’t toss and turn in bed the night before my appointment. Even when there is some uncertainty or I know I’ll be having tests, I try not to get too nervous. I know that God has my hand and He will get me through anything that comes along. If you’re feeling anxious about an upcoming appointment, turn to God and pray for calm. Have a conversation with God and let Him know you’re anxious. When you place your troubles at the foot of His altar, those troubles are in His hands and you no longer need to worry about them.

Finally, make sure you thank your doctor at the end of the appointment. We all need to hear we are appreciated. Think about it, doctors see patients all day long, some who are really suffering. Some they can help and some they can’t. That’s a huge burden to bear for them because each doctor wants to be able to help; each doctor wants to be able to remove the pain or heal the injury. The fact is, doctors can’t perform miracles. Only God performs miracles. Your doctor, however, is a miracle worker because God uses their hands and minds to perform those miracles. It’s not easy being a doctor. It’s one of the reasons they need to hear from you how much they are appreciated.