Work Together
Making doctor's appointments more productive
Going to the doctor’s office can be an overwhelming and frustrating experience.
During appointments a lot of information is given and questions may go unanswered.
Patients then leave feeling frustrated, unheard, and sometimes confused about what
to do.
Being prepared for your doctor’s appointment can help reduce some of these feelings.
Your diabetes care provider and you are partners in managing your diabetes. So, your thoughts, feelings, and feedback are important in guiding your doctor’s treatment recommendations.
This section provides tips and strategies for preparing for your doctor’s appointments as well as getting a better understanding of what your doctor is saying.
Prepare
Preparing for your doctor’s appointment can make your appointment more productive.
If you prepare, you should understand the information the doctor is providing better,
your questions should be answered, and you should be able to have a discussion about
the best way to manage your diabetes.
Rehearse
In addition to educating yourself and preparing written materials for your appointment,
imagining a conversation with your doctor and rehearsing possible questions and
responses can help you feel less nervous about the appointment.
People often feel tense and nervous when they're at the doctor's office. It can
also happen when you start to imagine conversations with your doctor.
- You can learn to catch yourself getting nervous by watching for clues like shallow breathing, muscle tension, and feeling distracted.
- If you begin to feel this way, take a slow deep breath in, hold it for 4-5 seconds,
and then slowly exhale. Repeat that at least 4 more times. If any thoughts come
into your mind, just turn your attention away from them and refocus on your breathing.
- When you feel more relaxed, you can continue on with your doctor’s appointment rehearsal.
Try imagining a conversation with your doctor and rehearse your questions and answers
using this guided audio tool.
Talking with your doctor
Imagining a conversation with your doctor and rehearsing what you will say is a
great way to reduce your nervousness and prepare for your doctor’s appointment.
To start, wear headphones or turn up your computer volume. When
you are sitting in a comfortable position, you can press play to begin. You can
also download or print the audio transcript for yourself.
Talking with Your Doctor
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Talking with your doctor
Mentally rehearsing conversations with your doctor can reduce feelings of nervouness
you may have and prepare you to have a more productive doctor's visit.
Some tips to remember while talking with your doctor:
1. Be honest
Your doctor needs to know what's really going on in order to give you the best medical
care and recommendations. Be as honest as you can, even if it's hard. This lets
you work together on improving your health in a realistic way.
2. Repeat it back
After your doctor tells you something, verify your understanding by repeating it back in your own words. For example, “I want to make sure I understand. You said….” This helps both you and your doctor feel confident that you understand and know what to do to manage your diabetes.
3. Ask anyway
People often feel that they shouldn't ask questions because the doctor seems very
busy and doesn't pause or ask for questions. But if you have a question, ask. It's
important that you have the information you need.
Hearing what your doctor says
As we discussed, many people leave their doctor’s appointments feeling frustrated,
overwhelmed, discouraged, ashamed, or judged. Often these feelings are the result
of miscommunication.
Preparing for your appointment can improve some of the communication between you
and your doctor. But, sometimes you can misinterpret what your doctor is saying
because health is a sensitive topic. For many people, discussing their health can
bring up many emotions.
Your doctor may say something in a way that comes across differently than what he
or she actually means. Understanding what the doctor actually means can help reduce
negative feelings so that you can focus your attention on taking action to improve
your health. Try the Doctor Translator on the next page to see some examples.
Doctor translator
Here are some examples of common things doctors say, what people sometimes hear,
and what the doctor probably meant.
“You need to start exercising and lose some weight.”
What someone hears:
“You need to drastically change your diet and do some strenuous activity every day if you want to improve your health.”
What a doctor could mean:
“It’s going to help a lot if you can increase your physical activity a little, and begin to lose weight over time. Every bit helps.”
“If we can't get your blood sugar under control, insulin is the next option.”
What someone hears:
“You better get your act together and start doing the things I’ve told you to do. Insulin is bad: it’s the end of the road if you can’t get your blood sugar under control.”
What a doctor could mean:
“I don’t think it’s time for insulin yet, though eventually it may be a good option to help you manage your blood sugar. For now try to do the things I’ve recommended and we’ll talk about insulin again if your blood sugar doesn’t improve.”
“Looking at your blood sugars over the last six months, I think it’s time for you
to start insulin.”
What someone hears:
“You failed, and taking insulin is the punishment.”
What a doctor could mean:
“It’s my job to help you decide when insulin can help you. I think now is a good time to start taking insulin because it can help you manage your blood sugar and improve your health.”
“Your blood sugars have been running high. Have you been taking your medication
regularly?”
What someone hears:
"I don't think you take your medications like I recommended and I'm disappointed in you."
What a doctor could mean:
“I’m noticing that you have a pattern of high blood sugars, and I wonder if making some changes in your treatment will help.”
Great job!
Talking with your doctor can be complicated. Preparing for your appointment and understanding what your doctor says may help to make your doctor’s visits more productive.
Using the strategies discussed here and being proactive, such as asking about starting insulin, may help to improve your health. To learn more about insulin injections, check out Adjusting to Injections.
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Important Safety Information About Insulin
The most common side effect of insulin is low blood sugar. Some people may experience
symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision, while some
experience no symptoms at all. That’s why it’s important to check your blood sugar
often.