Is it worth asking your doctor about the medicines you saw on TV?

There is a unique American phenomenon that anyone who lives in or visits the state knows. A commercial full of happy and smiling people will appear on TV. Narrator declares that branded medicines are changing people’s lives such as psoriasis. A faster voice performs a list of potential side effects of the drug while the actor is laughing and laughing, while dancing (for some reason). The narrator will return with clear instructions. [the medication].. “

However, talking to your doctor about medicines can be a bit annoying, especially if you drop in at the doctor’s office under the brand name you heard on TV, but there’s no real clue as to what it is. How is it supposed to work? After all, they are people with years of education and experience.is it OK for you suggest they Do you want medicine?

It teeth have understoodHowever, there is no guarantee that you will get the medicine.It may be okay, that too. Let’s see how to talk to your doctor about drug options.

Don’t be afraid to take medicine with your doctor

If you have symptoms and do your own research, you are not a doctor, so if you are interested in medicines, you may be worried that your doctor will dismiss you.To be clear, they Might be so Doctors are humans, and prejudice against medical care is definitely a problem, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t argue for yourself.You may not be a medical professional, but you the Your own body expert.

Dr. Yoni Friedhof, Associate Professor of Home Medicine, University of OttaMr. wa said he realized that patients “may be cautious about suggesting to their doctor that they have a medicine that they think they should take or want to try.” This can come from negative experiences with past health care providers and a sense of embarrassment about coming out and saying that they need medicine.

Dr. Joseph Thomas, a hospitalist in New York, agreed: If you have a question, if you have a question about getting started, yes, definitely pick it up. “

According to Friedhof, the conclusions are: “People who want to talk to a doctor about something should ideally be able to talk to a doctor, no matter what it is. The job of a doctor is very easy. Our job is It’s about informing people about treatment options and the risks and implications of doing and not doing things, but never making decisions about your own treatment. “

Doctors work Listen to your concerns and answer your questions, so you have all the right to share them.

If your doctor says no to your medication, ask a follow-up question

Has anyone ever told you, “God answers all our prayers, but not always” yes “?”But they are not gods).. They can’t make management decisions about your treatment, and —Also, unlike God—They are available for follow-up questions when they give you a “no”.

“There is no doubt that people will bring out medicines that are not always appropriate,” Friedhoff said.You are not a doctor, so you may not know that certain medications do not work for your condition or are not advisedIt is possible at this point in your treatment. You may not be aware that you do not meet the clinical criteria for a particular prescription, or you may not be covered by insurance. That’s good; you’re not a doctor here, so how can you find out? The doctor’s job in this situation is to explain it all to you. “I can explain that, hopefully in a way that doesn’t upset the patient,” said Friedhoff, a good doctor.

If your doctor says you don’t meet clinical criteria, ask why and what options you have. conduct Qualified. Freedhoff recommends, for example, asking which criteria to use when determining the suitability of a drug, and Thomas may have insights that doctors can share about your particular tolerance. I pointed out. The heart of your visit to the clinic is your health, your body, and your life. You should be able to ask as many questions as you need until you have a solid understanding of your treatment.

Consider a second opinion

I’m not saying that you should fly from doctor to doctor until you find someone who agrees with your self-diagnosis, but if you have a doctor available in your area, you can definitely talk to someone else. I can do it.

Finding a new doctor can be a solution to many problems beyond the fact that the current doctor is not prescribing a particular medicine. As Freedhoff said, “If you have a doctor and are reluctant to discuss medication and treatment options, it discusses your relationship with your doctor or the fact that you are not. It should be a sign that you need it. Feel comfortable, find out why, get over it, or hire a new doctor. “

Thomas added: “Unfortunately, I’ve heard too many stories about patients being fired by doctors. [saying things like] “Oh, that’s why you shouldn’t go to Dr. Google” or something like that. Will occur, And that’s what I think I and others in my profession should be discouraged. When people raise these questions, it’s usually because they want to engage in their health and do their best to make them better and feel better. “

look? There is a doctor there who wants to talk and listen. No matter what treatment you choose, you should be confident in sharing the truth about your symptoms and what you are experiencing.If your doctor is negative, does not answer your question, or shows signs of prejudice, you should always Feel free to visit other places.

Reasonable in these conversations

All of that Said, I have reasonable expectations here. If you are receiving inadequate treatment, or if your doctor is very negative, you will certainly push back and defend yourself, but use your judgment.If the doctor tells you that you are not a candidate for something and you seem willing to have a continuous conversation about what Maybe … Work for you and listen to their voice.

“Is there a bias in health care? There is no doubt,” Friedhoff said, but sometimes the drug doesn’t work, and it’s not due to prejudice. “It is worth respecting the fact that there are clinical standards for prescription drugs.”

Remember that doctors are not God, as we have established. conduct It has training and insights that most patients do not have. Thomas points out, for example, that while the media has raised important awareness of monoclonal antibodies as part of the treatment of COVID-19, patients may not be aware that they do not work well with the latest mutants. bottom. There are many things you can find through your own research, and you should feel the power to bring them all out, but you have more expertise here than the average journalist or marketer. Open to learning new things from doctors.

“At this point, medical care is a team effort between doctors and patients, so it’s worth these discussions,” he said. “It wasn’t a patriarchal relationship that was once decades ago.” So it doesn’t hurt to ask.