{This is a contributor post}
There’s a lot of people out there who feel they’ve been mistreated by their doctor. Sure, sometimes it’s simply because they dismissed a fear by reassuring us it’s not something we have to worry about, even though it feels huge in our mind. But as patients, there needs to be a sense of trust there. And if you’ve ever been through any kind of medical treatment, you know just how bad it can feel to feel dismissed by any medical professional. Sometimes it’s even worse when you’re simply heading for a checkup and won’t see the doctor again for a few good months! So let’s have a quick rundown of how to deal with a bad medical experience, so we don’t have to go through it again.
Remember, it (Hopefully) Only Happened Once
In most cases, your bad medical experience isn’t something you’re going to see again and again! Although, through my struggle with endometriosis, it took many tries before finding someone who took me seriously! That’s not always the case though. Remembering that this experience is likely just a one time deal is going to make any future checkups or surgeries a lot easier to manage. And doctors and nurses have qualifications for a reason, so you can typically trust they’re going to do their job to the best of their ability.
Learn How to Ask for Help
If you know how to ask for the help you need, you’re going to be in a much better position whenever you go into the doctor’s office. And whilst they only have a limited to diagnose you, you can easily book follow up appointments if you’re able to get straight to the point, and require a more longer term treatment. Keep pushing until you get the answers you want, and don’t be afraid to disagree.
So present your symptoms, your own theories, and then listen to what the doctor, dentist, or specialist says. Only you know what’s going on in your body, so if something sounds wrong when they theorise in return, make sure you pick them up on it. Remember: you might have a case for your worries, you might not, so also be receptive in return. Try everything you can for a solution and you’re more likely to be a lot happier with the results you get from one doctor’s trip.
Find a New Specialist
If you’ve been to a specialist for any of your symptoms before, and either you made no progress with them or they got something wrong in your diagnosis, make sure you look elsewhere for another specialist. You’d be surprised how many of them exist out there! Also be sure to do your homework to be positive the specialist you’re choosing is actually a specialist focused on your exact needs! In my case, many doctors are familiar with endometriosis and that’s added to their portfolio, but that doesn’t mean they’re focused or skilled in treating it properly.
Obviously, not everyone has endo and can relate. To make this more relative to the general public, let’s use dentists and orthodontists as an example. A lot of us are scared about letting someone armed with needles and drills into our mouth, but we know it’s necessary for healthy teeth and gums. So track down someone like Orthodontist Dr. Papandreas, someone who’s friendly and you know you can trust, and make an appointment.
Getting beyond a shady or uncomfortable medical experience is key to making sure you’re living a healthy lifestyle. There’s so much out there you can believe in when it comes to the medical world; don’t let a single bad checkup get in the way of your medical needs!
0 Be a leader! Be the first to like this post!
