What to Say to the Doctor

I was talking to a young friend the other day. She was complaining about various aches she had, and that whenever she went to the doctor she would bring up one and then get sidetracked and forget the others.

Remedy Magazine (Spring 2009) had an article suggesting the best way of approaching that doctor's meeting.

Have an Agenda. Decide what you want to accomplish in your visit. This includes getting to the cause of your various symptoms as well as less urgent concerns, like prescription medication refills.

Prioritize. Write down your complaints or symptoms, then list them from most urgent to least. That way, if you get sidetracked or forget to go down the list, you'll have covered the most important issues.

Know Your Medications. Review your medications -- and why your doctor put you on them -- when you visit the doctor in order to avoid problems and dangerous interactions of the meds. The simplest way to do this is to bring the bottles with you.

Speak Up. If your doctor suggests a treatment plan that will be hard for you to follow, ask for adjustments. Doctors' orders should take in to effect your lifestyle and values. But your doctor won't know unless you tell them.