Tip: Not all online health forums are reliable, and they often focus only on the most extreme cases. Google isn\u2019t a licensed physician, so be sure you\u2019re open to what your real doctor has to say.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It happens to everyone: you leave the doctor\u2019s office and realize there's something you forgot to ask. It\u2019s your health we\u2019re talking about here, so go ahead and take the initiative in the discussion. Asking questions is one of the best ways to make sure you and your doctor are on the same page. Before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":5618,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[159,25,290,408,38],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-featured.jpg","acf":{"post_type":"post","post_subtitle":"Face time with your doctor is limited. Here\u2019s a handy checklist to help make every minute count.","post_hero_image":{"ID":5617,"id":5617,"title":"questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero","filename":"questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","filesize":38379,"url":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","link":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero\/","alt":"Woman with her child at a medical office consults a list of questions to ask her doctor.","author":"49","description":"Woman with her child at a medical office consults a list of questions to ask her doctor.","caption":"Face time with your physician is limited. Arriving with a checklist of questions to ask your doctor can help make every minute count.","name":"questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":5593,"date":"2018-03-19 20:57:43","modified":"2018-03-19 22:27:17","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":960,"height":400,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":63,"medium":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":125,"medium_large":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","medium_large-width":640,"medium_large-height":267,"large":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","large-width":640,"large-height":267,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","1536x1536-width":960,"1536x1536-height":400,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-hero.jpg","2048x2048-width":960,"2048x2048-height":400}},"mobile_content":{"mobile_story_label":"Featured","mobile_post_title":"\u201cWhat\u2019s that for?\u201d Key questions to ask your doctor","mobile_carousel_image":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-mobile.jpg","mobile_hero_image":"https:\/\/d3toagd7ypryjs.cloudfront.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/questions-to-ask-your-doctor-featured.jpg","mobile_content_body":"
It happens to everyone: you leave the doctor\u2019s office and realize there's something you forgot to ask.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s your health we\u2019re talking about here, so go ahead and take a proactive role in the discussion. Asking questions is one of the best ways to make sure you and your doctor are on the same page.<\/p>\n
Before you go:<\/h3>\n
Think about why you made the doctor appointment, and what you hope to get out of it. Do you want to talk about a change in your health? Adjust a medication? Talk about treatment options?<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re dealing with a complex health issue, consider bringing along someone you trust to help listen and take notes. The same goes for older patients, who might be managing multiple conditions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Any doctor visit:<\/h3>\n
\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What\u2019s my diagnosis? What does it mean?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What are my treatment options?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Are there symptoms I should watch for that would require urgent care?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What\u2019s the best way to contact you if my symptoms change or worsen?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Do I need a follow-up visit? What should I do before my next appointment?<\/p>\n
Tip: If your appointment ends and you still have unanswered questions, see if you can get in touch by phone or email, or schedule a follow-up visit.<\/em><\/p>\nIf you\u2019re prescribed medication:<\/h3>\n
\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What\u2019s the medication for? What does it do?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0How should I take it? How long should I take it for?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Are there any side effects?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Could it interact with other medications I take?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Do I need to change my diet or habits while I\u2019m taking it?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Will I be able to tell if it\u2019s working or not?<\/p>\n
Tip: Save time by using a mail-order delivery service, or by ordering medications in a three-month supply.<\/em><\/p>\nIf you need labs or imaging tests:<\/h3>\n
\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What\u2019s the test for?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What will the results tell you?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Will the test help me make decisions about my care?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0How should I prepare?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0How and when can I get the results?<\/p>\n
Tip: Remember that prices vary widely, so search for a lower-cost lab or imaging center.<\/em><\/p>\nIf you need a procedure or surgery:<\/h3>\n
\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Why do I need this procedure?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What outcome do you expect?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Are there other treatments available?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Do I need to do it now, or can it wait?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0What are the risks of not getting the procedure?<\/p>\n
Tip: Whether or not to get surgery is a big decision! If you\u2019re still unsure after talking to your doctor, seek a second opinion.<\/em><\/p>\nIf you Googled your symptoms (we all do it, right?):<\/h3>\n
\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0I looked up my symptoms online, but what do you think?
\n\u2022\u00a0 \u00a0Is there an online resource you\u2019d recommend if I want to read more about my condition?<\/p>\n
Tip: Not all online health forums are reliable, and they often focus only on the most extreme cases. Dr. Google isn\u2019t a licensed physician, so be sure you\u2019re open to what your real doctor has to say.<\/em><\/p>\n"},"post_cta_status":"true","post_conclusion_status":"false","post_co_branding_status":"false","card_title":"Key questions to ask your doctor","header":"Worth the look","footer":"3 minute read"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5593\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/my.engage-wellbeing.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}