After a series of illness in 2018, my health took a serious dive in December and warranted medical attention. I had found a Doctor I was comfortable with during my stay in Accra but December I had travelled and so was forced to deal with a Doctor on recommendation. Our first consultation was awkward for lack of a better word-he found me a little too much “You reason too much” that’s what he said. What was wrong with reasoning? Him finding my reasoning an issue was my problem with him and so it dragged on until my mother became our alkaline. Yes! I have heard that I am a rather difficult client but that’s not my focus today I’m just wondering whether you do ask your Doctor questions?
Do you know it is well within your right to do so? It is after all your health, your body, your life. You have every right to request information on who is treating you, how and with what. You can ask questions should you need clarity, you should not always just take your doctor’s word for it. Before I get in trouble with my Doctor friends let me just issue a disclaimer that I have nothing against Doctors and I actually recognise the significance of their practice and appreciate their service. However, what I have observed is that there is a modern culture amongst some Doctors who refuse to relate with their patients. They are not interested in getting to understand you they’re just in it for the cheque and one can actually tell the difference when you meet a Doctor who loves his work and understands that being a Doctor requires human interaction versus the one who does not care. I’m not going to get into why some of these attitudes probably exist my focus is in warning you to please choose your Doctor well, they do After all play a very important role in our quest to achieving optimum health.
Any one who is in a position to handle your health needs to be carefully considered. You cannot just entrust your life to someone merely because they hold a title of Dr. You have a responsibility to make sure that your relationship with your Doctor is beneficial and results driven. Some Doctors like the one I encountered in December would rather do the talking and you just soak in the information . The only time you get to talk is when you’re answering their questions other than that they do not need you to be asking much or suggesting anything because they are the Doctor they know much and you know nothing. But what most doctors do not understand is that they could actually achieve greater results and faster when they use the approach of working with the patient. Then again not all Doctors care about the outcome if you like keep coming for reviewed for whole life, what’s their own. No wonder we must take our health in our own hands, we simply must take responsibility we cannot leave it to the doctor alone.
Dr Basil Gold other wise known as the Doctor’s Doctor seems to agree with me-In his book “The natural cures” he makes emphasis on the importance of asking your Doctor. Here are a few example of some questions to ask your Doctor
- How many hours of nutritional education have you had?
- What are good foods and what are bad foods?
- Why do I have to keep coming back, can’t you show me how to cure my problem if not then what am I paying you for?
- How did my disease/ailment start, can you tell me?
- What side effects does my prescription have and why?
- Why antibiotics? Don’t they destroy all friendly bacteria allowing another drug for the side effects or do you have an other drug for the side effects?
- How many similar cases, such as mine have you successfully reversed permanently?
Listen! Do not be intimidated by your Doctor, respect them yes but remember it is you paying a Doctor for their knowledge of your personal and intimate problems. You assume with all their years of studying and research they should have all the answers, you will be astonished at how some are actually clueless on some cases so ask the questions. Besides, any good Doctor should not have any issue with a patient wanting to ask questions. Remember to take the responsibility of your health and maintenance into your own hands, it is a part of self care. Wishing you well on your next Doctor’s visit, happy healthy you.
By Lerato Charlotte Letsoso | Email: leratokayise@gmail.com
