Dr. Vicki's top 5 reasons it's hard to ask embarrassing medical questions
- Many medical questions involve taboo body parts and taboo body functions "In my family we just don’t talk about..."
- Peeing
- Pooping
- Procreating
- Paying
- Psycho-somatizing or the mind-body connection
- Fear of being judged "My doctor will think less of me..."
- Shy by temperament, slow to warm and there's not enough time with the doctor to develop trust
- You want to see yourself as healthy
- You don't want to know the answer
Dr. Vicki's top 5 reasons to ask even if you’re embarrassed
- Alleviate worry and anxiety
- Earlier diagnosis means
- Less invasive treatment
- Better prognosis
- Return to health more quickly
- Get the correct diagnosis and treatment
- Change the family legacy of shame about illness
Dr. Vicki's top 5 questions most patients want to ask
- Is this going to hurt?
- Do I have cancer?
- Am I going to die?
- How much will this cost?
- What happens if I do nothing?
Dr. Vicki's top 5 questions you should always ask your doctor
- How do we know this is the diagnosis and what else could it be?
- What's the best-case outcome for this plan?
- What are the risks of the medical test/treatment? What's the worst case?
- What are the alternatives to this plan?
- Will this plan move me closer to my overall health goals?
Dr. Vicki's top 5 symptoms you cannot ignore
- Chest pain/chest tightness
- Blood in your stool or a change in bowel habits
- “The worst headache of my life”
- Cough/ fatigue that does not get better
- Sudden inability to move parts of your body or speak
Dr. Vicki's top 5 things to remember when you see your doctor
- Your doctor is there to help you...not judge you
- Your doctor has heard it all before
- You can be embarrassed and ask anyway
- Your goal is to live a healthy life
- You deserve to enjoy health
Dr. Vicki's top 10 reasons that patients find it hard talk with their doctors
- "Communication is my doctor's job"
- "It's embarrassing"
- "I don't know what to say"
- "I'm shy."
- "I want to be a good patient."
- "It's hard for me to ask."
- "I don't want to trouble my doctor."
- "I'm not sure I want to know."
- "I don't want to offend my doctor."
- "The doctor knows best."
Dr. Vicki's top 10 obstacles to good medical care
- Following The Yellow Brick Road and having unrealistic expectations of what your doctor, like the Wizard of Oz, can do to you and for you
- Settling for arranged marriages with doctors instead of dating and finding a good match
- "But you're the doctor" syndrome, believing that your doctor knows more about you than you do
- "Doctors are from Mars; Patients are from Venus." Doctors and patients see the world from different perspectives
- "Deer in the Headlight" Fear is a driving force when you become a patient, and it can get in your way.
- The Myth of Quality Time Your moments with your doctor are limited, but good care takes time.
- "Eggs: to eat or not to eat." That is the question” How do you make good choices when there's so much information and it's often contradictory
- "Be polite" Sometimes getting good health care means challenging the boundaries of etiquette, like asking your doctor to wash.
- "Be Nice" If you suffer from "The Disease to Please" you may take care of your doctor instead of the other way around. You may not want to ask for a second opinion because you don't want to hurt your doctor's feelings.
- "No, Dude, I'm fine" You may think that real men don't get sick...or admit it.
