Home » Health & Wellness » Thyroid Disease » Communicating With Your Healthcare Provider

Communicating With Your Healthcare Provider

© Keri

The symptoms of thyroid dysfunction can range from mild to severe. The big problem is that they mimic other disease processes. In today's managed care system, healthcare providers (doctors) rarely have the time to sit down and hear the whole story before making a diagnosis. They tend to focus on the first complaint and treat that.

If you go to the office complaining of fatigue and sleeplessness, she may focus on that symptom and decide that you're depressed. If your blood pressure is high, she may prescribe medication for that. If you complain of anxiety and tremors, she may decide that you are suffering from stress and prescribe tranquilizers. The literature is full of stories of misdiagnosis that have gone on for years before someone ordered a thyroid panel.

So, how do you get your provider to listen to the whole story? First, please don't expect her to be able to magically determine by looking just what your problem is. Be willing to give the information needed to give her some clues. Before you go for an office visit, you need to have the story straight yourself.

Be a good reporter; find a way to keep track of when the problem occurred, what you were doing, where you were, and how it happened. I'm not a good journal keeper, but for those of you who are, keep a record of how you feel each day. For those of you like me, make a note on your calendar of significant events. Consider writing yourself a letter describing your symptoms.

When you make the appointment, tell the receptionist that you have several issues that you would like to discuss. Sometimes, that will get you a few extra minutes scheduled. The day before the appointment take time to gather your thoughts. List your concerns in order of importance and take it with you for reference. Plan what you want to say. If you feel threatened by the thought of confrontation, consider writing a brief letter noting your concerns and give it to the nurse to include with your chart for the doctor to read before or during the visit.

If this is your first visit to this doctor, take copies of all previous diagnostic test results with you. If you don't have copies, contact the doctor that ordered the test or the facility that performed the test and request that copies are sent to you and to the new doctor. With this information, she should be able to form an initial opinion and determine if any further testing should be done without the expense of unnecessary repetition.