How to stress less about going to the doctor

A doctor’s visit can relieve stress that feels out of your control. For example, the routine of stepping on the scale at the beginning of each appointment creates anxiety for many people. Doctors say patients can ask not to weigh or stop measuring. It’s okay to say, “I don’t want to weigh in before seeing my doctor, and I want to be able to discuss with them whether it’s important to know my weight today,” said Tracy Richmond, MD, an adolescent medicine physician and Boston Children’s Hospital. Director of the Eating Disorders Program in

Once the doctor enters the exam room, it can sometimes feel like you and the doctor have different agendas. Maybe you’re contemplating that cough that won’t go away, but doctors are asking a million questions about a mole on your arm. what can you do? It’s helpful to have your goals and priorities clear in advance, Richmond said. She said that patients can say, “Here are the things that are at the top of my priority list. [for this appointment], …are there things that you think should be on my priority list?” This allows you and the doctor to have a list of items that you know will be covered.

Maja Artandi, a professor of primary care and population health at Stanford University School of Medicine, suggests going even further by bringing a concise, organized list of the top concerns to be covered in travel. “As a primary care physician, I really want to understand what is most important to the patient before I start telling them what I think is important. I think that if the patient has There’s a list and he’s ready to travel, so that’s good,” Artandi said. “I would say that if you want to bring up a list, focus on your top three concerns.”

When making a list, it’s possible that you may need a second or third citation to cover everything in depth, especially if there are several major topics. “We only have a limited amount of time, and we may not be able to address everything on the list,” Artandi said. “If someone really wants to address everything … they need to be prepared to make another appointment.”

She went to one doctor, then another and another

Writing down or stating your priorities in advance can also help avoid the frustration of bringing up anxiety in the last few minutes of the trip, only to realize that the therapist doesn’t have time to fully address the issue. Is. “The worst thing for a physician is that in the end the most important issue is raised… [Stating concerns] Advance and Clear makes it so much easier,” Richmond said.

You can also help increase the effectiveness of visits by bringing in data. Have high blood pressure? If you have had them, log your home blood pressure readings. Taking multiple medicines? Consider bringing bottles to review with your doctor. If this is too much of a hassle, be sure to write down the name and dosage to make sure they are up to date in your medical records.

Physicians especially want to know if you think you may be having a hard time maintaining your health, so don’t sugarcoat things into discussion. “It’s the patient’s health, not the report card,” Artandi said. “It is all part of the patient’s health journey. We exist to help them, especially if they don’t do so well.”

Of course, if you don’t feel like you’re being listened to or aren’t sure whether you agree with the doctor’s proposal, you can ask your doctor for other options or to see if their colleagues. Might have other ideas.

Tammy Chang, associate professor in family medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, said it’s okay for patients to ask doctors to seek peer opinions. “This is the art of medicine,” she said. “Very rarely there is only one, only one way forward,” she said. “And so I think empowering patients means giving patients choices and hearing options from different perspectives. Doctors no longer work in isolation.”

And you can get a second opinion. While patients may worry that a second opinion will upset their doctor, a good doctor should be comfortable with the idea. If not, it may be time to consider finding someone new.

“I always tell my patients that they are the main person – it is their health that we are concerned about. So if they need to ask questions, get a second opinion, or need to clarify something – its Should be welcomed, ”Artandi said. “If doctors find this objectionable, it is definitely a red flag. We all work together as medical professionals to help our patients.”

In a change, patients can now read clinical notes written by their physicians

Finally, some patients find that it can be hard to follow what the doctor is saying – either because there is too much information being provided or there is too much medical jargon. Chang suggests taking notes as you travel — or even bringing a friend or relative to take notes for you. And if you don’t understand what they are saying you can always ask your doctor to explain in simple terms.

“It can get really complicated. And so we should write things down and then if there’s a part that doesn’t make sense at or later in the visit, the patient shouldn’t feel uncomfortable calling for clarification,” Chang said. “As a doctor, I really appreciate it.”

Under new federal regulations, patients often also have the right to view all doctor’s notes about their visits through online patient portals, so that you can read and review what was discussed.

Chang’s conclusion is that navigating appointments can feel stressful, but going into a journey with information and expectations can help you.

“I think it’s good for patients to understand that this is really an association,” Artandi said. “As physicians we really exist to help our patients achieve the best health possible, but this is a partnership.”