What do I mean by: medical self-advocacy? Having a thorough education on your personal health conditions, medications and supplements, and a tenacity to research when new things arise so you can be aware, know what questions to ask and interact with your health provider.
We have been raised to acquiesce to our Doctor's recommendations without question or hesitation, because they have the degree...This is a dangerous mentality, because though they have a degree and have received the appropriate education hours, they are people...just like you and me. They are humans...prone to error, miscommunications, lack of communication, lack of knowledge or understanding, bad judgement, laziness and greed.
To be absolutely clear, this is not a Doctor-bashing article. There are many good Practitioners out there...but they are hard to find. It is my personal opinion, that you will be far more likely to find Doctors who do not 1) educate their patients thoroughly on all their options, the pros and cons, the side effects, etc... 2) take adequate time with their patients 3) try to determine the root cause of an issue, rather cover up the symptoms with medications and 4) communicate well with others involved in the patients' care.
Doctors, today, are overwhelmed; their schedules are bursting at the seams. There are many reasons for this; too many to address in this article. There has been a huge emphasis on going to the Doctor when you do not feel well for decades. That, coupled with a booming population and an increased dependency on prescription medication and instant symptom relief has only served to exacerbate the problem. There are some who like their schedule stacked...leaving only a quick 10 minute window with the patient. I would argue that you cannot adequately address any health issue, or really understand what is going on, in 10 minutes.
Conventional Medical Doctors are trained to hear the chief complaint (the primary reason you are there), quickly arrive at a diagnosis and provide a prescription. That leaves little room for any detective work. I have worked in both the conventional and alternative medical fields and there are stark differences in their approaches in correcting health issues. One tends to reach for the prescription pad, the other tries to get to the root cause of the issue.
Back to the main point; to depend 100% on someone you spend roughly 10 minutes with, once or twice a year, to make informed decisions for your health, is hazardous and very trusting of you. I encourage everyone to be fully involved in their health-care. That means, being educated and being able to speak up and have a dialogue with your health-care professional; you should feel comfortable asking questions and doing investigative work.
Do not rely on your medical chart to do the talking for you. It is my personal experience, that all too often things get over-looked, or under-communicated to others involved in your care. You need to subscribe to emails from your insurance company and from your medication manufacturers for health updates, so you can be up-to-date on any new findings with your prescription medications.
Many times, new prescriptions come to market after their trial period and 5, 10, 15 years later are found to be linked to the development of certain health issues. You need to be aware of these developments so you can bring them to the attention of your provider. Do not make the mistake of assuming they will make the connection or see the update themselves.
This is self-advocacy: taking back control of your health, and not relying on someone else. Understanding your body, what it needs/doesn't need, likes/doesn't like...Being aware and making sure relevant things are clearly communicated to any and all involved in your care. Asking questions, taking time to research before you agree to take a medication or an injection. Deciding for yourself, if you want to cover up symptoms, or address the root cause of the problem.
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