Hey everybody, it is the one and only Melanie Day here with In Living Curls Haircare Community, and as always I'm bringing you the right information about hair care, health, wellness, and everything in between.
Today we're talking about how to have a conversation with your doctors. I think for a lot of us that's really overwhelming. We see someone who has almost 20 years of schooling and we feel overwhelmed. When they give us a diagnosis or tell us what we need to do, we jump. When they say do, we do. But I want you to consider, is that always the best thing for us?
Create a Teamwork Relationship
I want you to understand how important having a relationship with your medical professionals is. Let them know what your needs are, let them know what your fears are, let them know that you want to have a relationship where you guys work as a team.
They are experts in medicine, but you know, you've been in your body for 30, 40, or 50 plus years. You know what feels right and what doesn't feel right. You know when certain medications work and what certain medications don't. You know how they interact with your body.
For example, and you may remember my story from last year, I had really heavy periods, and so I was put on a hormone medicine called hydroxy progesterone which is basically the pill form of the Depo-Provera shot. My body just didn't like it, my hair was coming out in clumps and I was still having really heavy periods. So I let my doctor know hey, this is not working for me, what is the next option? In my case that was surgery and after that a radical diet change. My doctor helped me find treatment that worked for me.
Be Specific During Appointments
When you have a conversation with your doctor, you want to make sure that you’re being as specific as possible about your needs and concerns. You may only have 15 minutes with them, sometimes less if you’re seeing a specialist, so go in with a set of questions, share your research.
Understand the Importance of Advocates
Sometimes when we visit our medical providers, we’re overwhelmed and nervous, so you may want to bring someone along to be an extra pair of ears and write things down for you. They can help to advocate on your behalf. It is important to remember that you are your own best advocate though. You know yourself better than anyone so don’t let anyone else tell you differently.
Lean on Support
Make sure that you utilize your support groups. When it comes to hair loss, or if it comes to cancer or women's health or just anything you’re struggling with, there are tons of support groups to choose from. There are groups that share factual information, information that has the data and the research behind it.
I've been a part of a few support groups. They've been really nice. This is where you’ll see people calling you, checking in on you to see if you have any questions, especially if you're starting a new medication or just whatever the situation might be. They understand how things go, they themselves have been in your shoes and they can share specific information with you.
Ask the Hard Questions
Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions, because at the end of the day the doctors are working for you and I. They took a vow to do no harm, and they want to give us the best health care that they can.
Once again, we have to work as a team so ask questions, go in with your list of questions, do and share your research, doctors love when you do research. And remember that sometimes it’s best to send emails. If you have additional questions, shoot them an email and I promise they will get it and bring it up in your next visit.
Don’t Suffer In Silence
Data and research works on feedback from people going through the treatment or taking the medication. Companies won’t know how medications are making patients feel if they don’t tell them, so don’t suffer in silence. If something’s not working for you, if you’re seeing major changes, if you’re just not happy with the results, let someone know.
Depend on All Your Professionals
Depending on the type of care that you're under, especially when it comes to cancer care, make sure that you reach out to the licensed clinical social worker. Typically cancer centers have licensed clinical social workers that are there that help you with the process, to help you understand everything about your treatment. They can go over how to manage the medications and how to manage different things during your care.
Your pharmacist is a great resource, they have studied so many years in pharmacology and drugs and interactions. While your oncologist or your medical doctor is your main point person, when it comes to your medication, don't be afraid to ask your local pharmacist. You can let them know your goals and what supplements you’re taking and they’ll be able to inform you about possible interactions, positive or negative. They can also let you know what you should be feeling and possible negative side effects.
You should be able to have a good conversation with your doctor because they know that team work makes the dream work. Just take a deep breath, it's going to be okay.
At the end of the day it’s your health, and you have this entire team of people behind you. And you’ve got me, Melanie Day and all of the In Living Curls Haircare Community.
Thank you for joining me today,
Melanie Day
