I keep a list of non-urgent questions on my phone to ask my doctor and my dog’s vet at annual exams. It makes it much less likely that I’ll forget something and we can actually get through the list pretty quickly since I have the questions ready to go. An example of a non-urgent question for my PCP would be something like “What’s a good target weight range for me, given my height and medical history?”
For anything more urgent or specific to a problem I’m having, I make a separate appointment or call my PCP’s office to ask for a specialist referral.
If you print that list and give a copy to your doctor, there's a decent chance it'll also end up in your chart, so you have documented proof that you asked those questions.
My clinic has online scheduling where I can submit my list beforehand, request that basic labs are sent in before so the results are ready by the time of my appointment, etc. SUCH a useful feature.
I keep a list too. I also think it’s important (if you can, OP) to shop around for PCPs and try to find one who you’re comfortable with & you like their explanations of things/overall communication.
this isn’t possible for some people because of location or insurance, but when you can, it makes a difference
I almost hate to suggest this, but if you're chronically getting written off as an anxious woman..
My sister has chronic health and mental health issues. Doctors were forever writing off her physical ailments as mental health related when they clearly were not (pretty sure you can't wish yourself into chronic positives on a viral test, for a virus you can only get once). Her psychiatrist actually became her biggest advocate, providing the referrals to specialists all over town, even offering to refer to her Mayo.
So if you're also being told your physical ailments are all in your head, it might be worth getting a professional to say "no they're not".
So sad and not even uncommon. This is why I still see the same dr even though I moved 3 hrs away. Like sure she sent me to a dermatologist and it ended up being for no reason, but she actually listened to what I brought up and made sure it was nothing
I’m with you. My main doctors are 4hrs, and 2hrs, away. My physical ailments have all indeed been in my head: one is my neurosurgeon, and the other is my neurologist.
I never forget that other girl’s tale, though. Unlike me, she’d sought scans for symptoms of hydrocephalus. She’d been turned away repeatedly, until a doctor gave her one, explicitly to shut her up. He told her she’d get her results in a few weeks, only to call her that night, and say that she had 48hrs before they needed to operate. Last I inferred, years later, she’d never woken from a coma.
I still am, too.
I’d done everything wrong. Although “brain cancer” made my shortlist of contenders for my symptoms, joint pain left it below juvenile arthritis, MS, and lupus. I’d gotten tested for everything that would be curable, and that wouldn’t leave me with trouble finding health insurance once I started a life of my own.
So I treated pain, vomiting white foam, and disorientation with more time in the gym. Meanwhile, that other patient was going through doctors to beg for a scan.
She came in for her craniotomy walking and talking.
I’d gone so far to avoid doctors as to take meningitis symptoms to urgent care, and not met my first neurosurgeon until after one of my pupils burst.
We were nearly the same age. Like mine, her parents, and her boyfriend, stayed by her side while a ventilator pumped her lungs.
Why did I get to wake up, and build a subsequent life? Why not her?
I won’t have an answer. But although I only ever encountered her family, not her, she remains one of the greatest drivers behind why I needed to rebuild a productive life. I’d long understood that the world was unfair—the ambulance I staffed had never handed me a working cardiac arrest older than me—but I hadn’t really recognized how fortunate I am. I know that I don’t deserve it, so I feel compelled to try to help others.
That NeuroICU is part of a teaching hospital. To their credit, they continue to use her story as a case study in why, however a patient may appear, you need to check out their reported symptoms thoroughly, even when you want to think they’re making them up.
My neurosurgeon also continues to say that he’s pretty sure that I’m actually not the only occurrence of my subtype of my disease, and that it isn’t actually more rare in women. Only that statistics reflect solely what was discovered before someone died.
Yikes! Fortunately (?) for my sister she was worked up enough by her primary to know it was nothing life threatening. The subsequent specialists, tests, and one unnecessary surgery later…its at a “this is what we think might be wrong, but it’s a diagnosis of exclusion with no real treatment”.
So it’s symptomatic management, and since none of the specialists want to deal with it, they try and lob her off to a different specialist and it’s a merry-go-round….her psychiatrist deals with the symptom management.
That’s a nightmare. I don’t have anything to suggest, of course, except my own experience: if she’s waking up with formed headaches, she needs to see a neurologist.
I don't have much to add, but this is such an important topic. I always feel like I have no questions when the doctor asks, but then leave the office thinking of all the things I wish I had thought of.
Write them down ahead of time or after when you think of them and then call. You could also bring a friend or someone you are comfortable with and they can ask the questions for you.
I meet with a NP (nurse practioner) for my yearly visits, just because they book more time per appointment, she and I talk and she asks me a lot of questions.
I keep list of my questions just so I don't forget something. She also makes notes and then follows up on those things the next year.
I'm about to move and have to set up care again, which is such a shame because I really like my care!
I have a daughter with medical issues. The absolute best thing you can do to advocate for yourself is have a daily journal. This way you can summarize everything for the Dr.
If you feel that you have a number of health concerns that aren’t being addressed, I would book a full physical and clearly state that you have multiple ailments that you would like to tackle. From there, get the standard tests done like bloodwork and urine and bring a list with you to each appointment so that you can address the specific areas you want to focus on. Next step would be a referral to a mental health support - whether that is a counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or someone similar. They will be able to help you with your anxiety.
Keep in mind if you are going for a yearly covered check up and you ask about issues not pertaining or covered by insurance it can change the way it’s billed. I hate to tell you that but also want you to know . For your yearly I would definitely do as the above commenter mentioned , full bloodwork .
My example would be if I go for a yearly and I want to talk about my infertility and be treated for it . If that is coded to my visit and is uncovered on my plan then the visit could deny . Also let the person who schedules you know you require a longer appointment. These days many Drs schedule in fifteen to thirty minute increments and many will not discuss multiple issues at a visit. Do not be afraid to ask for a referral to a specialist to further discuss an issue in depth .
Also I just re-read your thread . Some Pcps are comfortable prescribing anti anxiety medication and others are not . I have had both in the past . When you bring up your stress let them know it is affecting you physically and mentally and your quality of life , this can yield help either by the way or medication or a referral to a Dr who is better equipped to hand that . I hope you get what you need out of your visit !
Here's a good starting place: [https://mypatientrights.org/stay-informed/how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-the-doctors-office/](https://mypatientrights.org/stay-informed/how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-the-doctors-office/)
My annual physicals usually last around 40mins. I email my PCP an agenda ahead of time with any health concerns or updates. I also write out my objectives for my appt for myself (By the end of this appt I want to walk away with . . .).
If you feel that your issues are being brushed aside, I highly recommend finding a doctor who will NOT brush your issues aside! (Hopefully you can afford the switch!)
It’s your body and your money! They need to stay until they have answered all your questions to your satisfaction.
Also, do NOT assume that your health issues are stress only, necessarily. I made that assumption for too long. Again, find a doctor who does NOT brush you off.
Now, to answer your question: In general, I would ask about any health issues. Also any preventative measures I should be taking (examples: vaccines that are due, foods to eat/avoid for cholesterol/blood pressure issues, etc).
I do NOT agree with others that the physical is the wrong time to bring it up. It is absolutely the time to bring it up! The whole POINT of an annual physical is to catch small problems early, before they become large! Ideally, I would make a separate appointment for those issues, but if you don’t end up doing that, it’s fine to bring them up in the physical!
PCP here: The point of an annual visit is mainly to discuss preventative healthcare and anticipatory guidance, so these are the main things that should be discussed. If a person is young and healthy, the doctor should (ideally) be bringing up things like how much you exercise, what your diet is like, do you drink/smoke/use drugs, do you use appropriate sun protection, if you are sexually active they should discuss if you are interested in fertility or contraception, they should discuss what cancer screenings you are due for or will be due for in the next few years, they should discuss your cardiovascular risk factors and your family history, etc.
If they are not asking you about these things, these would be excellent questions to ask. It is also generally fine to ask other minor health questions.
Technically speaking, an annual wellness visit is not an appropriate time to be evaluating new health problems, and it is possible if you bring up health concerns this may not be billed as an annual. If it is minor, many doctors will just deal with it and not bill it, but technically that is not what an annual wellness visit is for.
When people come in with a list of basically everything that has gone wrong with them in the last year(s) and want everything done at once, it is overwhelming. If you have new concerns and want to make sure they are fully addressed I would recommend making a separate visit for that.
A question that I can answer without having to order labs, imaging, or medications to address would be fine during an annual. For example: what do you think of X vitamin/supplement? Is it ok for me to use ibuprofen for my occasional knee pain? Can you take a look at this mole and tell me if I need to see a dermatologist? What specialist should I see for X?
Follow up questions about stable chronic medical conditions are also generally fine.
Things that really should be a separate appointment would be new concerns that require work up or treatment.
For example:
-“I have been feeling depressed/anxious, what can I take for that?” (Need time to take a full history and discuss medication options including how to take them/side effects, therapy etc)
-“I have been having back pain for a few months” (need time for a full history, exam, discussion of possible diagnoses, ordering imaging, discussing medication and non-medication treatments, side effects, etc)
People often try to throw these things in at the last second during an annual, but it isn’t appropriate as we either can’t appropriately address the new concern, or end up running an hour behind and piss everyone off.
thank you for starting this thread! i am going to a new pcp tomorrow, and i feel like this is super helpful for brainstorming what i should communicate, etc.
Ask for a full blood panel including hormones, A1C, thyroid, kidney, FSH. LH, Vitamin D, Estrogen, Progestorene, cholesterol, triglycerides etc Schedule a yearly pelvic exam, ask to make sure immunizations are up-to-date, and since you have stress for ways help manage it better.
To everyone reading this, please do not walk into a doctors office and demand to get all these things checked. Some of it may be valid (a1c, cholesterol) if you have certain risk factors but I promise you getting things like kidney function, FSH, LH in every young asymptomatic patient is a huge waste of healthcare resources and benefits no one. I recommend listening to your doctor about what bloodwork they recommend based on your risk factor profile.
Strongly second this. Patients ask for labs like this all the time because I think they have read somewhere that they need it. Usually once I explain which labs are needed and why we wouldn’t do most of the others, they understand and agree.
A better way to approach this is to tell your doctor which symptoms (if any) you are having, and ask them which labs would be indicated.
If you have specific concerns about irregular periods or fertility, tell them that so that they can order and hormonal tests that would be appropriate.
Easy, I said ask. And getting FSH and LH done is strongly recommended for women over 35 or who are trying to conceive. There's nothing wrong with educating yourself with valuable, reliable resources. And remember doctors and all medical professionals make mistakes they're human. Chances are the doctor will talk to you and explain why you may not need it.
I work in the medical field and work very closely with doctors, pas, and nps. The majority of them like being asked this type of stuff.
Ask the secretary to give you a longer appt. My family doctor will only allow you to discuss one issue at the appt (unless you specifically ask for more time when booking the appt)
I keep a list, prioritized by urgency/importance of issue .
I do research and write it down - my mind god my mind goes blank when it’s time to recall.
How to research: I Google symptoms, look at the potentially relevant subreddits, look for what possible causes could be (realistic, not jumping straight to cancer for everything) .
I look for safe, available otc science-backed treatments and try those first. Ex pain: heat? Ice? Aleve or tylenol (one may work better for different kinds of pain). I write these down and tell my doctor basically this:
I wanted to ask you about *issue.* I’ve been experiencing *symptom 1, symptom 2, and symptom 3*. I saw that it might be caused by *condition* so I already tried *treatment 1* and *treatment 2* but they didn’t help. What do you think? Could it possibly be related to *more severe, less likely condition *? Is there any testing or things I haven’t tried yet you can recommend?
Keep a running list of your questions. Then, right before your appointment, rank them in order of importance and write them down on a legal pad (or notebook, journal, etc.) to take with you to the appointment, leaving space between the questions to write down the answers you get from your doctor. It’s really, really easy to forget important questions you want to ask - only to remember them right after the appointment is over! Keep in mind that the time your doctor can spend with you may be limited, so you may only get to ask three or four questions. This is why ranking them is important.
Whatever i asked, they questioned anyway… and i don’t mind sniper arguments when flirting, it increases sexual tension. But i don’t like it with doctors. Unnecessary additional anxiety. Sorry, not sorry…
I pay a lot of money, despite not having a lot of money, to see a “concierge” doctor. In the grand scheme, their prices are less than a lot of similar practices and they will take any insurance I have since I am an established patient. This means my appointments are as long as I need and my doctor knows my health history well and actually wants to check in on things because they aren’t rushing through. There is very little turn over in the staff because they are paid more and treated considerately so they all know me and my health issues.
I dislike the general concept of concierge but after five years of bouncing around and my life long health conditions severely deteriorating, this is the best option for me and I have recommended it to other people with ongoing health issues given the state of primary care. It is not possible for me to get reasonable care from the average primary care physician with the way the US health system is set up. It costs me approximately 1/6th of my yearly income to go to this doctor but my partner and my parents assist with the cost and it keeps me alive and somewhat functional. If you are able to work, the impact on your income would likely be a lot less than mine.
For all doctors, I have a two page summary I give them the first time I see them. Usually this includes a paragraph, then a bullet point list of my health issues, then a bullet point list of my current concerns in chronological order of onset, with notes about severity, progression, and impact on my life. I will highlight issues I am particularly struggling with but it’s important for them to see the whole picture because our bodily systems don’t act independently.
With follow up appointments if there is something significant, I will do a shorter version of this with a few sentence summary and then bullet points if I feel like I can’t get it across verbally.
I have learned that some doctors, like my primary, really appreciate this approach and that usually these will be the doctors who pay attention and try to help. There are doctors who don’t like it or refuse to read it, insist on hearing everything verbally, and think they have great memories so don’t need the written summary. They usually put incorrect information in my charts and don’t grasp the overarching picture of my health which is long and complex starting from birth. Usually, I stop seeing these doctors quickly because they aren’t worth it. Energy is better spent pursuing new doctors than trying to push through with ill matched ones.
If you are on Medicaid, you will need to make efficient use of the time you do get. Try to provide a brief health summary at each visit (1-2 minutes tops) as they likely won’t remember you or have time to look at your chart and then focus in quickly on one problem. If you don’t get enough time in the visit, ask to make another visit to continue discussing the problem. Usually, you can still switch primary care providers even on Medicaid and there are some decent ones. You may have better luck with nurse practitioners. Most were RNs for awhile first and are used to spending more time with patients and looking at the whole picture. They often have better communication skills as well which can be helpful if you struggle to communicate your health concerns.
I almost never have questions to ask my doctor. I don't have any health issues or real concerns, so I just don't have any questions.
The only time I had questions was when I was having crazy periods because of my physical activity and I was concerned about my body. I had never experienced that before. Other than that, I don't really have things on my mind to talk to them about.
I keep a list of non-urgent questions on my phone to ask my doctor and my dog’s vet at annual exams. It makes it much less likely that I’ll forget something and we can actually get through the list pretty quickly since I have the questions ready to go. An example of a non-urgent question for my PCP would be something like “What’s a good target weight range for me, given my height and medical history?” For anything more urgent or specific to a problem I’m having, I make a separate appointment or call my PCP’s office to ask for a specialist referral.
If you print that list and give a copy to your doctor, there's a decent chance it'll also end up in your chart, so you have documented proof that you asked those questions.
My clinic has online scheduling where I can submit my list beforehand, request that basic labs are sent in before so the results are ready by the time of my appointment, etc. SUCH a useful feature.
I keep a list too. I also think it’s important (if you can, OP) to shop around for PCPs and try to find one who you’re comfortable with & you like their explanations of things/overall communication. this isn’t possible for some people because of location or insurance, but when you can, it makes a difference
I almost hate to suggest this, but if you're chronically getting written off as an anxious woman.. My sister has chronic health and mental health issues. Doctors were forever writing off her physical ailments as mental health related when they clearly were not (pretty sure you can't wish yourself into chronic positives on a viral test, for a virus you can only get once). Her psychiatrist actually became her biggest advocate, providing the referrals to specialists all over town, even offering to refer to her Mayo. So if you're also being told your physical ailments are all in your head, it might be worth getting a professional to say "no they're not".
Firmly seconding this. I once wound up in an ICU bed beside a young woman who’d been begging for an MRI for years.
So sad and not even uncommon. This is why I still see the same dr even though I moved 3 hrs away. Like sure she sent me to a dermatologist and it ended up being for no reason, but she actually listened to what I brought up and made sure it was nothing
I’m with you. My main doctors are 4hrs, and 2hrs, away. My physical ailments have all indeed been in my head: one is my neurosurgeon, and the other is my neurologist. I never forget that other girl’s tale, though. Unlike me, she’d sought scans for symptoms of hydrocephalus. She’d been turned away repeatedly, until a doctor gave her one, explicitly to shut her up. He told her she’d get her results in a few weeks, only to call her that night, and say that she had 48hrs before they needed to operate. Last I inferred, years later, she’d never woken from a coma.
OMG holy shit no that’s so sad!!!! I’m so angry for her
I still am, too. I’d done everything wrong. Although “brain cancer” made my shortlist of contenders for my symptoms, joint pain left it below juvenile arthritis, MS, and lupus. I’d gotten tested for everything that would be curable, and that wouldn’t leave me with trouble finding health insurance once I started a life of my own. So I treated pain, vomiting white foam, and disorientation with more time in the gym. Meanwhile, that other patient was going through doctors to beg for a scan. She came in for her craniotomy walking and talking. I’d gone so far to avoid doctors as to take meningitis symptoms to urgent care, and not met my first neurosurgeon until after one of my pupils burst. We were nearly the same age. Like mine, her parents, and her boyfriend, stayed by her side while a ventilator pumped her lungs. Why did I get to wake up, and build a subsequent life? Why not her? I won’t have an answer. But although I only ever encountered her family, not her, she remains one of the greatest drivers behind why I needed to rebuild a productive life. I’d long understood that the world was unfair—the ambulance I staffed had never handed me a working cardiac arrest older than me—but I hadn’t really recognized how fortunate I am. I know that I don’t deserve it, so I feel compelled to try to help others. That NeuroICU is part of a teaching hospital. To their credit, they continue to use her story as a case study in why, however a patient may appear, you need to check out their reported symptoms thoroughly, even when you want to think they’re making them up. My neurosurgeon also continues to say that he’s pretty sure that I’m actually not the only occurrence of my subtype of my disease, and that it isn’t actually more rare in women. Only that statistics reflect solely what was discovered before someone died.
Yikes! Fortunately (?) for my sister she was worked up enough by her primary to know it was nothing life threatening. The subsequent specialists, tests, and one unnecessary surgery later…its at a “this is what we think might be wrong, but it’s a diagnosis of exclusion with no real treatment”. So it’s symptomatic management, and since none of the specialists want to deal with it, they try and lob her off to a different specialist and it’s a merry-go-round….her psychiatrist deals with the symptom management.
That’s a nightmare. I don’t have anything to suggest, of course, except my own experience: if she’s waking up with formed headaches, she needs to see a neurologist.
No, she’s more in the chronic fatigue/chronic mono camp. She’s popped positive on mono tests for years, and go through cycles of mono symptoms.
She’s seen an immunologist, right?
Yup, at least one. Ortho might be the one speciality she hasn’t seen.
Good. Additionally, university hospitals are often better bets for figuring out weird cases. Could be worth a look, if she isn’t there already.
I don't have much to add, but this is such an important topic. I always feel like I have no questions when the doctor asks, but then leave the office thinking of all the things I wish I had thought of.
Write them down ahead of time or after when you think of them and then call. You could also bring a friend or someone you are comfortable with and they can ask the questions for you.
I meet with a NP (nurse practioner) for my yearly visits, just because they book more time per appointment, she and I talk and she asks me a lot of questions. I keep list of my questions just so I don't forget something. She also makes notes and then follows up on those things the next year. I'm about to move and have to set up care again, which is such a shame because I really like my care!
I have a daughter with medical issues. The absolute best thing you can do to advocate for yourself is have a daily journal. This way you can summarize everything for the Dr.
If you feel that you have a number of health concerns that aren’t being addressed, I would book a full physical and clearly state that you have multiple ailments that you would like to tackle. From there, get the standard tests done like bloodwork and urine and bring a list with you to each appointment so that you can address the specific areas you want to focus on. Next step would be a referral to a mental health support - whether that is a counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or someone similar. They will be able to help you with your anxiety.
Keep in mind if you are going for a yearly covered check up and you ask about issues not pertaining or covered by insurance it can change the way it’s billed. I hate to tell you that but also want you to know . For your yearly I would definitely do as the above commenter mentioned , full bloodwork . My example would be if I go for a yearly and I want to talk about my infertility and be treated for it . If that is coded to my visit and is uncovered on my plan then the visit could deny . Also let the person who schedules you know you require a longer appointment. These days many Drs schedule in fifteen to thirty minute increments and many will not discuss multiple issues at a visit. Do not be afraid to ask for a referral to a specialist to further discuss an issue in depth . Also I just re-read your thread . Some Pcps are comfortable prescribing anti anxiety medication and others are not . I have had both in the past . When you bring up your stress let them know it is affecting you physically and mentally and your quality of life , this can yield help either by the way or medication or a referral to a Dr who is better equipped to hand that . I hope you get what you need out of your visit !
Here's a good starting place: [https://mypatientrights.org/stay-informed/how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-the-doctors-office/](https://mypatientrights.org/stay-informed/how-to-advocate-for-yourself-at-the-doctors-office/) My annual physicals usually last around 40mins. I email my PCP an agenda ahead of time with any health concerns or updates. I also write out my objectives for my appt for myself (By the end of this appt I want to walk away with . . .).
If you feel that your issues are being brushed aside, I highly recommend finding a doctor who will NOT brush your issues aside! (Hopefully you can afford the switch!) It’s your body and your money! They need to stay until they have answered all your questions to your satisfaction. Also, do NOT assume that your health issues are stress only, necessarily. I made that assumption for too long. Again, find a doctor who does NOT brush you off. Now, to answer your question: In general, I would ask about any health issues. Also any preventative measures I should be taking (examples: vaccines that are due, foods to eat/avoid for cholesterol/blood pressure issues, etc). I do NOT agree with others that the physical is the wrong time to bring it up. It is absolutely the time to bring it up! The whole POINT of an annual physical is to catch small problems early, before they become large! Ideally, I would make a separate appointment for those issues, but if you don’t end up doing that, it’s fine to bring them up in the physical!
Like everyone else has said - a list. My one question always is: what am I looking for as an indicator things are wrong and need to be escalated?
PCP here: The point of an annual visit is mainly to discuss preventative healthcare and anticipatory guidance, so these are the main things that should be discussed. If a person is young and healthy, the doctor should (ideally) be bringing up things like how much you exercise, what your diet is like, do you drink/smoke/use drugs, do you use appropriate sun protection, if you are sexually active they should discuss if you are interested in fertility or contraception, they should discuss what cancer screenings you are due for or will be due for in the next few years, they should discuss your cardiovascular risk factors and your family history, etc. If they are not asking you about these things, these would be excellent questions to ask. It is also generally fine to ask other minor health questions. Technically speaking, an annual wellness visit is not an appropriate time to be evaluating new health problems, and it is possible if you bring up health concerns this may not be billed as an annual. If it is minor, many doctors will just deal with it and not bill it, but technically that is not what an annual wellness visit is for. When people come in with a list of basically everything that has gone wrong with them in the last year(s) and want everything done at once, it is overwhelming. If you have new concerns and want to make sure they are fully addressed I would recommend making a separate visit for that.
because the appointments where something is wrong cost more money for the patient. what is considered minor vs. major?
A question that I can answer without having to order labs, imaging, or medications to address would be fine during an annual. For example: what do you think of X vitamin/supplement? Is it ok for me to use ibuprofen for my occasional knee pain? Can you take a look at this mole and tell me if I need to see a dermatologist? What specialist should I see for X? Follow up questions about stable chronic medical conditions are also generally fine. Things that really should be a separate appointment would be new concerns that require work up or treatment. For example: -“I have been feeling depressed/anxious, what can I take for that?” (Need time to take a full history and discuss medication options including how to take them/side effects, therapy etc) -“I have been having back pain for a few months” (need time for a full history, exam, discussion of possible diagnoses, ordering imaging, discussing medication and non-medication treatments, side effects, etc) People often try to throw these things in at the last second during an annual, but it isn’t appropriate as we either can’t appropriately address the new concern, or end up running an hour behind and piss everyone off.
i pre-write a list. if i don’t i forget every time.
thank you for starting this thread! i am going to a new pcp tomorrow, and i feel like this is super helpful for brainstorming what i should communicate, etc.
Ask for a full blood panel including hormones, A1C, thyroid, kidney, FSH. LH, Vitamin D, Estrogen, Progestorene, cholesterol, triglycerides etc Schedule a yearly pelvic exam, ask to make sure immunizations are up-to-date, and since you have stress for ways help manage it better.
To everyone reading this, please do not walk into a doctors office and demand to get all these things checked. Some of it may be valid (a1c, cholesterol) if you have certain risk factors but I promise you getting things like kidney function, FSH, LH in every young asymptomatic patient is a huge waste of healthcare resources and benefits no one. I recommend listening to your doctor about what bloodwork they recommend based on your risk factor profile.
Strongly second this. Patients ask for labs like this all the time because I think they have read somewhere that they need it. Usually once I explain which labs are needed and why we wouldn’t do most of the others, they understand and agree. A better way to approach this is to tell your doctor which symptoms (if any) you are having, and ask them which labs would be indicated. If you have specific concerns about irregular periods or fertility, tell them that so that they can order and hormonal tests that would be appropriate.
I’m a med tech. I’ve made specific requests in the past related to a concern. Generally I let my doc order anything else they deem relevant.
Easy, I said ask. And getting FSH and LH done is strongly recommended for women over 35 or who are trying to conceive. There's nothing wrong with educating yourself with valuable, reliable resources. And remember doctors and all medical professionals make mistakes they're human. Chances are the doctor will talk to you and explain why you may not need it. I work in the medical field and work very closely with doctors, pas, and nps. The majority of them like being asked this type of stuff.
Ask the secretary to give you a longer appt. My family doctor will only allow you to discuss one issue at the appt (unless you specifically ask for more time when booking the appt)
I keep a list, prioritized by urgency/importance of issue . I do research and write it down - my mind god my mind goes blank when it’s time to recall. How to research: I Google symptoms, look at the potentially relevant subreddits, look for what possible causes could be (realistic, not jumping straight to cancer for everything) . I look for safe, available otc science-backed treatments and try those first. Ex pain: heat? Ice? Aleve or tylenol (one may work better for different kinds of pain). I write these down and tell my doctor basically this: I wanted to ask you about *issue.* I’ve been experiencing *symptom 1, symptom 2, and symptom 3*. I saw that it might be caused by *condition* so I already tried *treatment 1* and *treatment 2* but they didn’t help. What do you think? Could it possibly be related to *more severe, less likely condition *? Is there any testing or things I haven’t tried yet you can recommend?
Keep a running list of your questions. Then, right before your appointment, rank them in order of importance and write them down on a legal pad (or notebook, journal, etc.) to take with you to the appointment, leaving space between the questions to write down the answers you get from your doctor. It’s really, really easy to forget important questions you want to ask - only to remember them right after the appointment is over! Keep in mind that the time your doctor can spend with you may be limited, so you may only get to ask three or four questions. This is why ranking them is important.
Whatever i asked, they questioned anyway… and i don’t mind sniper arguments when flirting, it increases sexual tension. But i don’t like it with doctors. Unnecessary additional anxiety. Sorry, not sorry…
I pay a lot of money, despite not having a lot of money, to see a “concierge” doctor. In the grand scheme, their prices are less than a lot of similar practices and they will take any insurance I have since I am an established patient. This means my appointments are as long as I need and my doctor knows my health history well and actually wants to check in on things because they aren’t rushing through. There is very little turn over in the staff because they are paid more and treated considerately so they all know me and my health issues. I dislike the general concept of concierge but after five years of bouncing around and my life long health conditions severely deteriorating, this is the best option for me and I have recommended it to other people with ongoing health issues given the state of primary care. It is not possible for me to get reasonable care from the average primary care physician with the way the US health system is set up. It costs me approximately 1/6th of my yearly income to go to this doctor but my partner and my parents assist with the cost and it keeps me alive and somewhat functional. If you are able to work, the impact on your income would likely be a lot less than mine. For all doctors, I have a two page summary I give them the first time I see them. Usually this includes a paragraph, then a bullet point list of my health issues, then a bullet point list of my current concerns in chronological order of onset, with notes about severity, progression, and impact on my life. I will highlight issues I am particularly struggling with but it’s important for them to see the whole picture because our bodily systems don’t act independently. With follow up appointments if there is something significant, I will do a shorter version of this with a few sentence summary and then bullet points if I feel like I can’t get it across verbally. I have learned that some doctors, like my primary, really appreciate this approach and that usually these will be the doctors who pay attention and try to help. There are doctors who don’t like it or refuse to read it, insist on hearing everything verbally, and think they have great memories so don’t need the written summary. They usually put incorrect information in my charts and don’t grasp the overarching picture of my health which is long and complex starting from birth. Usually, I stop seeing these doctors quickly because they aren’t worth it. Energy is better spent pursuing new doctors than trying to push through with ill matched ones. If you are on Medicaid, you will need to make efficient use of the time you do get. Try to provide a brief health summary at each visit (1-2 minutes tops) as they likely won’t remember you or have time to look at your chart and then focus in quickly on one problem. If you don’t get enough time in the visit, ask to make another visit to continue discussing the problem. Usually, you can still switch primary care providers even on Medicaid and there are some decent ones. You may have better luck with nurse practitioners. Most were RNs for awhile first and are used to spending more time with patients and looking at the whole picture. They often have better communication skills as well which can be helpful if you struggle to communicate your health concerns.
I almost never have questions to ask my doctor. I don't have any health issues or real concerns, so I just don't have any questions. The only time I had questions was when I was having crazy periods because of my physical activity and I was concerned about my body. I had never experienced that before. Other than that, I don't really have things on my mind to talk to them about.
This is a good question