Tips and Tricks (and Questions) for Your Doctor's Visit Part 2

Tip 1 - make a list of items you have been meaning to ask, or mention to, the doctor, like I did.



Tip 2 - bring someone with you who will speak up for you when you won’t do it for yourself. Sometimes. I don’t mention something to the doctor because I forget, sometimes, I don’t for other reasons. I think it is an insecurity that comes with invisible illnesses like fibromyalgia and neuropathy. You don’t want to say something to the doctor for fear of them looking at you or just overall treating you like you are nuts (or even worse…. A hypochondriac!). For me this is my friend, and the big sister I always wanted, Nan. She’s a bulldog.


Here are some important questions to ask your doctor:

• What tests will you do to diagnose the problem and which of the conditions is present?
• How good are the tests for diagnosing the problem and the conditions? What is the likely course of this condition? What is the long-term outlook with and without treatment?
• What are my treatment options? How effective is each treatment option? What are the benefits versus risks of each treatment option?
• If my symptoms worsen, what should I do on my own? When should I contact you?
• Will I need to take medicine? If yes, What kind of medicine?
• What should I know about the medicine? For example, what are the side effects?
• What if I forget to take a medicine?
• Should I avoid any foods or other medicines?
• Can I drink alcohol?
• How long will I need to take this medicine?
• My worse problem is pain but nothing I take helps - what can I take for the pain?
• Besides prescription medicines, is there anything I can do to relieve the pain?
• What can I do to improve my balance? What are the other symptoms of neuropathy that I should know of?
• Will I be able to continue driving a car and can I continue to work with my symptoms?
• Are there any alterative medicines or treatments that can help my numbness and tingling feet?
• Do you have any other suggestions?