vickythecat
Senior member
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2017
- Messages
- 366
- Reason
- DX FIBRO
- Diagnosis
- 01/2013
- Country
- EU
- State
- Earth
Hi,
These past few weeks, with the acute serious illness of my mom, I was once again reminded of how important it is to be a smart patient.
Before I start, I need to emphasize that I have full respect for doctors. This is not about 'dissing' them, or disregarding them. It is about the fact that doctors are also humans, they are also not perfect.
Most people (incl. myself my whole life) go to the doctor fully trusting that doctor, right? That is what these people are trained to, they have the education, they have the brains, they have the experience. So once you step into their office, you trust them, literally, with your life. This is a huge fact. Our health is our everything.
However, like most of us here have experienced, it also goes wrong many times.
Raise your hand up (or your finger!) if you have been to a doctor and left his/her office angry, frustrated, not listened to. All of us, right? Or have dealt with a mistake = wrong diagnosis, wrong combination of medication, procedures gone wrong?
It is therefore so very important for patients to be smart patients.
I personally have been doing a lot of reading and research these past few months. I am trying to educate myself on the human body, read the latest research findings on different topics. I am simply trying to have a basic yet logical understanding of the whole body.
My belief and experience is that you can only ask the right questions if you know what you are talking about. And questions are so important in a doctor's office.
But now, when you tell a doctor 'I read online....', they will have that look on their face. Of course, some of the time, they have the right to dismiss our findings. I am sure many patients go to a doctor with a pimple on their nose and say 'I read online, this can be cancer'. There is too much information and too much false information online. Plus doing this makes you (look like) a hypochondriac.
I get it....but ....
brain fog, sorry, I don't know how to put it into words.
So back to the basic question, what are your opinions on being a smart patient? how can you be one?
These past few weeks, with the acute serious illness of my mom, I was once again reminded of how important it is to be a smart patient.
Before I start, I need to emphasize that I have full respect for doctors. This is not about 'dissing' them, or disregarding them. It is about the fact that doctors are also humans, they are also not perfect.
Most people (incl. myself my whole life) go to the doctor fully trusting that doctor, right? That is what these people are trained to, they have the education, they have the brains, they have the experience. So once you step into their office, you trust them, literally, with your life. This is a huge fact. Our health is our everything.
However, like most of us here have experienced, it also goes wrong many times.
Raise your hand up (or your finger!) if you have been to a doctor and left his/her office angry, frustrated, not listened to. All of us, right? Or have dealt with a mistake = wrong diagnosis, wrong combination of medication, procedures gone wrong?
It is therefore so very important for patients to be smart patients.
I personally have been doing a lot of reading and research these past few months. I am trying to educate myself on the human body, read the latest research findings on different topics. I am simply trying to have a basic yet logical understanding of the whole body.
My belief and experience is that you can only ask the right questions if you know what you are talking about. And questions are so important in a doctor's office.
But now, when you tell a doctor 'I read online....', they will have that look on their face. Of course, some of the time, they have the right to dismiss our findings. I am sure many patients go to a doctor with a pimple on their nose and say 'I read online, this can be cancer'. There is too much information and too much false information online. Plus doing this makes you (look like) a hypochondriac.
I get it....but ....
brain fog, sorry, I don't know how to put it into words.
So back to the basic question, what are your opinions on being a smart patient? how can you be one?