Do you Trust your Doctor?

If the answer is not ‘yes,’ you should be searching for a new doctor ---- but it is always wise to ‘trust but verify.’ Trust without verification is something only children can afford; their parents or guardians take on the responsibility for them. As an adult, you need to have a strategy that includes probing to substantiate the trust you have in your doctor. Here are some reasons the ‘trust by verify’ approach is particularly important:

• Doctors are people too. They see many patients and must rely on records rather than memory for your history. Not all of your previous interactions are quantifiable and in the records. And they are sometimes rushed. Don’t assume they have everything correct in your history.
• You know more about your history. You know more about your medical history (and the medical history of your family) than the standard forms request. You don’t have to share everything at once; however, if you have some anomalous tests that are similar to others in your family or consistent over a long period of time (before the records your doctor has on file)….you need to share and partner with your doctor to understand the best path forward for you.
• Your preferences. The tendency in the US is to medicate immediately. Sometimes this means that the root cause of a problem is never addressed. This is not necessary always bad; medicines like Tylenol, ibuprofen, or aspirin treat the symptom of fever helping us feel better while our own immune system gets to work on the cause of the fever. Pills are an easy out….with associated side effects. If you are a patient that would prefer to avoid medication unless absolutely necessary, you need to be clear with your doctor about the preference and be ready to do most of the ‘getting well’ work on your own. For example, blood pressure medication is frequently prescribed when life style change/weight reduction would be better for the patient in the long run (having more benefits than lowering blood pressure). The doctor can provide references to help with the life style change/weight reduction but this leaves hard work for the patient.
• Side effects. You are an individual and respond in your own way to medication. Know the potential side effects for any medication you are taking and contact your doctor for any that are intolerable. Changing dosage level or to another medication may be warranted. Always ask how long medication will be needed and how often need/dosage level will be checked for medications taken long term.
• Red flags - you need to ask questions. If your doctor recommends a new medication to address a side effect to a medication you are already taking, ask a lot of questions about alternative approaches. Careful review of all the medications with your primary doctor (even those prescribed by another doctor) periodically is a good idea; make sure you understand the details of how the medicines should be taken and undesirable interactions that can occur.

In the end, you are the one responsible for your health. Your doctor is a secondary partner. Their advice and assistance is important - sometimes crucially so. Make the effort to find a doctor you can trust.