As promised, I am following up on last week’s blog about preparing for medical appointments. 

Many of us have waited months for a specialist appointment, and we sometimes walk in without our history, medications or list of questions.  Then we leave feeling less than satisfied, often not recalling what was recommended. 

As I noted last week, it can be very helpful to go to appointments with a list of prioritized questions. 

Your list may be long on your concerns or complexities of your symptoms. 

Below are some I suggest asking. Please tweak them for your specific situation.

*Are there other tests I need first to help clarify a diagnosis? 

*Based on what you know so far, can we rule anything out?

*Based on what I have shared are there any new symptoms I should be looking for?

*What can I do now to help me feel better (e.g. sleep, diet, exercise, change in meds, see another provider)

*Is there anything I should not be doing at this time? 

*If/when do you want to see me again?

*How do I communicate with you in the meantime?

In addition to asking helpful questions, other ways to be your own advocate include being able to talk about your thoughts and feelings to medical professionals, being able to speak up and ask for what you need, knowing your rights, taking an active, educated role in your treatment decision making and knowing when to seek a second opinion (more on that next week).

Reach out with any questions or for a free coaching session – I’d love to help.