Hi all. I mentioned previously that I have a new doctor. My reason for getting a new doctor is probably a little different than most. My previous doctor moved away, and another practice took over. So I guess I inherited a new doctor. So far, thankfully, this has turned out to be a good thing. 

(A bit of a warning, this blog may be a bit rambling. Those of you that know me in real life and have heard me tell you a story will not be surprised. To everyone else, I apologize in advance.)

I have been lucky with my previous three rheumatologists. They have been great about listening to me and asking questions. Talking with some of my arthritis friends, I know that this isn’t always the norm, although it definitely should be.

This week, I went in for my 6-month checkup. I went in and filled out the “How are you feeling/what hurts” sheet that we all have to fill out. I hope all of you arthritis patients are honest on those. I am, and I see that my doctor does look at them. For that, I’m thankful. I went in Monday morning with pain in my left hand, left knee, and both feet. He looked at it and came in saying, “I know your labs say things are good, but I don’t think your medication is working for you.” He took a look and feel of the areas that were giving me problems that day.

Then he told me a little bit about the two medications. One of them should start working pretty quickly and we hope it works for a long time. The other one he said should last longer, but it could take a little while to start working, so I could have some regression before it takes effect. He also said both are injections since that’s what I am on currently and seem to be comfortable with it. We also talked about daily pills vs. injections. Finally, he gave me a plan about what would happen if we needed to change again.

To bring my ramble into focus, allow me to summarize. To me, this is what I feel an appointment should be like. Ask the patient how they feel, check on the patient, give them options regarding what’s going on, talk them through anything new or different. As for patients, we have a responsibility, too. First, BE HONEST! If something hurts, tell them. If something is wrong, tell them. If something doesn’t feel right, tell them. I have told several friends of mine to write things down if you need to. Sometimes, we get overwhelmed or, sadly, talked over at the office. Writing things down can help us remember. Also, ask questions. If you don’t understand something, ask. If something doesn’t seem perfectly clear, ask. If you want to know what this means, ask. I’m a big proponent of asking questions as you can tell. No matter what, let your voice be heard.

To summarize, a visit to your doctor (or other medical professional) should not be a monologue from the provider, it should be a conversation. Medical treatment is a partnership that both the provider and patient should be invested in. Photo Credit: stevecoleimages / Getty Images

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^{Photo Credit: stevecoleimages / Getty Images}