Asking Questions

Comfort and doctors' offices don't usually go hand in hand. In the waiting room you spend your time flipping through a fishing magazine from 1997 and straining to hear your name being called. You finally get into the room and somebody takes your vital signs, and you wait some more. When the doctor or nurse comes in, they are often in a hurry and asking you a lot of questions, using that medical language in which vomiting is known as 'aspiration', preventative care is 'prophylaxis', diarrhea is 'unformed movements', and when they ask a dose of a medication, do you say 10mg three times a day or 30mg? Because your last doctor wrote down 10mg PO TID on the prescription but the list from your pharmacy says thirty milligrams daily by mouth. Your doctor apologizes for running behind, they had a couple of emergency cases earlier and thanks you for waiting so patiently. It'll be a late night for them, once they finish clinic they are going back to the hospital to check on other patients and then they are getting ready for the grand rounds presentation they are giving tomorrow at 7:30am. You get the check up, medication refills, your flu shot, see you in three to four months. Six months. Maybe at your next annual physical.

Did you ask any questions?

Most people don't. The staff is friendly yet busy, and you don't want to waste their time with something that's sort of been bothering you but it isn't a big deal really. Your hands get really splotchy sometimes when it's cold but you forgot to bring in the picture you took when it happened, it can wait til next time. Maybe it's an embarrassing question and there's more than one person in the room. Maybe you've been having trouble with pooping, sex, unsightly rashes. But the doctor is busy so maybe you'll wait to see the specialist. It's intimidating to ask questions using words a doctor doesn't. We all try to make what our bodies do sound more polite. But the truth is, a fart is a fart whether you call it flatulence, passing gas, tooting or whatever.

So either the doctor isn't addressing your questions, or you aren't asking them. In the first case, let your doctor know that you need more information. If they don't give it to you, or they brush you off, find a new doctor. You deserve answers. If you are uncomfortable asking questions, don't be. Make yourself ask even if it's painful to do so. These are medical professionals you're asking, and when you work in a doctor's office, your daily life revolves around bodily fluids, bodily smells, bodily noises. Don't be embarrassed. If you are really very uncomfortable, there are some very informative, very medically graphic shows out there about people confronting similar issues. Embarrassing Bodies comes to mind. It's a British show so the informative websites are geared towards a UK audience, but if these people can talk about their problems on tv, you can talk about them with your doctor. Please ask questions. It might be nothing, or it might be a sign of something you need to get checked out. You might just get the answer you're looking for. But you'll never know if you don't ask.