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Don’t say these things to your doctor

On Behalf of | Jan 3, 2020 | Doctor Errors |

Avoiding mistakes in many areas of life involves communication. It’s so critical. You have to communicate effectively, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

This is definitely true when you talk to your doctor. That exchange of information is the key to proper treatment. With that in mind, here are a few things you should not say to your doctor:

  • Do not downplay your symptoms. Do not lie. Do not be anything other than 100% truthful. You don’t need to be “tough” for your doctor and act like the pain isn’t that bad. Tell them the whole truth to get proper help.
  • Do not lie about lifestyle choices. Your doctor isn’t there to judge you for drinking or smoking. They just need to know so that they can understand how to treat you.
  • Do not complain about your last doctor. It’s fine to mention why you’re getting a second opinion, but too much drama and complaining just makes the new doctor apprehensive.
  • Do not get too caught up in something you learned online. Doctors don’t mind that patients want to learn, but it’s frustrating for them when a patient trusts some internet source more than the actual doctor.
  • Do not save your biggest concerns for the end of the appointment. Start with them. Give your doctor as much information as you can and give them time to start sorting it out. Remember that symptoms are often connected.

If you do all of this, the unfortunate reality is that a doctor may still make a mistake, and then you need to know what legal options you have.

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