People learn to trust whatever their doctor tells them. I’m not saying there are no trustworthy doctors, but it makes it hard for the more complex cases. This hardship comes in when realizing that you have to be your own advocate. It breaks the enchantment that thinking that this one specialist or doctor knows all, and whatever they labeled you as or whatever they said to you is final. I’m here to tell you that is not true. Doctors are human just like all of us, and no one knows everything.
Taking on being your own advocate can feel very overwhelming. There is challenging what your doctor is saying, such as asking questions about other treatment options or insisting on symptoms that are being dismissed. It can also mean needing to look for second opinions.
Many people take advocating for granted. This is because the average person can just rely upon that their doctor is advocating for them, and what they’re saying is being heard. For many people, being your own advocate means needing a support system. The patients that deal with chronic illness or maybe it is just a complex case, even on their good days, going to a doctor’s appointment can be incredibly draining.
They also need to come in with pre-planned questions and feel comfortable enough to question what they’re being told. That is not easy. It is important to have good family and friends as part of your support system. These people can help give support both in or out of an appointment. The support system does not end with just friends and family. It can include research, such as reading blogs from other patients, or connecting to other patients. Different nurses or doctors you had good experiences with are all valuable resources for your support system.
There are no stupid questions. Bringing up a conversation through their providers is one of the best things a patient can do for themselves. I know some people might freak out thinking that they don’t know the language. They don’t know all the doctors speak and all the research terms. That isn’t important. What is important is that you ask the doctor or whoever the provider is to tell you something with language that you understand. Some people refer to it as, “give me plain English”, or they say layman’s terms. Any provider should be able to sit and explain any part of the evaluation or diagnosis or treatment with their patient.
You know your body better than anyone else. Don’t get discouraged even if you feel you are repeating yourself like a broken record. Someone will listen.
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