At one point in my career, I grew increasingly frustrated when hearing the stories of too many patients rushed in and out of their doctor appointment.
I would ask, well did you ask this or that and they would say no, there was “no time” or “I couldn’t think straight the moment.” Add in the brain fog that many patients have because being put into that situation is like being the deer in the headlights. Frozen.
I could see the frustration on their face. Each doctor appointment took on a sense of dread, which is not the environment that serves anyone well when trying to be in a place of healing.
When I speak of restorative medicine, a big part of what I do differently as a restorative physician is to create an environment of healing, as well as calm and change the dread over a doctor appointment to hopefulness.
Frustration on both sides in the doctor appointment
Patients are often surprised to learn the doctors are often as frustrated as they are.
Patients have stories to share that do need to be heard, but in our system there is no time and frankly not a lot of patience by the doctors because of it.
When the patient asks too many questions a doctor can’t get the work done in the scheduled time. It’s a push-pull because some very smart and savvy patients acquire a lot of insight from being on a long and winding healing journey.
The person in the white coat can sometimes feel intimating, especially when patients have been to several doctors for the same chronic pain issue.
Negative impacts from the doctor appointment dread
I’ve had patients tell me they are so afraid of doctors that their blood pressure spikes just from walking in the office and their body goes into complete stress mode. This happens so often the term “white coat syndrome” was coined, often referred to as “the white coat effect, or “white coat hypertension” can sometimes signify an underlying blood pressure issue.
For some patients, even the fear of possibly having to get a shot can be traumatizing. Trypanophobia is an extreme fear of medical procedures involving injections or hypodermic needles. Although there is no solid evidence, this phobia is believed to be caused by previous trauma, changes in brain chemistry or even genetics. Not so sure about the genetic theory!
Sometimes the doctor-patient match just isn’t the right one because the patient didn’t do the homework to find the right doctor. Do you want a male or female doctor? A general practitioner or specialist? An integrative medicine doctor or someone who specializes in holistic medicine?
As a trained physician and surgeon who utilizes holistic wellness techniques, my practice offers the best of both worlds. I like to treat the whole person and get to the root of the problem.
Whether a serious phobia or just negative associations, we want to take the dread out of the doctor appointment. Let’s take a look at ways you can get through this appointment and dare I say, make it enjoyable? We can improve your experience in just Four steps.
Four keys to a better doctor appointment
Regardless of which doctor you choose, a little pre-appointment prep goes a long way.
- Make a list of your health goals
Before you jump right into telling the doctor every ache and pain, start with an overall objective of what you are expecting out of the appointment. Things like “I’d like to naturally improve my thyroid and eliminate the meds I’m taking.” Or “I’m looking to improve my overall health, and I don’t feel like other doctors I’ve seen have really listened to me and understood my issues. I’m hoping you can take the time with me today.” Also, by stating this upfront, you are in the driver’s seat and will start the appointment off in the direction you want. - Make a list of your symptoms
Keeping a journal is the best way to provide the most information to your doctor. Jot down when the symptoms happen, how long they last, and how they make you feel. Most doctors love to use the 1-10 pain scale; and writing it down in the moment helps you recall the pain since chances are you will have no pain the day of your appointment (Murphy’s Law, am I right?). - Bring paperwork and tests that you’ve had done before
Did you get blood drawn or an MRI in the last year? Bring the paperwork if you are seeing a new doctor. This will help give them a baseline of where to start so they know where they need to take you to get you back in the game. - Self-advocating while still being respectful
After going in prepared, hopefully, your appointment will go smoothly—but what if it doesn’t? As much as you may want to run and scream or even curse at your doctor, please don’t. It doesn’t help anyone and definitely puts you in fight or flight mode stressing your adrenals, which is the last thing we want!. When we don’t feel well and we are not being listened to, it’s frustrating. I find it’s best to take a deep calming breath, remind the doctor why you are there. Also, question the authority! Yes, push back, get clarity on next steps. This is your health, and if you don’t like the way this appointment is going, find a different doctor or get a second opinion.
I take my patient relationships very seriously, and you should too. After all, this is your life we are talking about. And you deserve to be treated with honor, respect and compassion in all situations.
