December 1990
PAGE 19Q-Notes
They Want
harmony restored
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strickhouser
704.332.540J
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“a M service piano technician”
MAN SERVANT
PERSONAL & DOMESTIC
ATTENDANT
704/436-2268
PHONE AFTERNOONS
RISE COUNSELING AND
BODYWORK
Individual and Couple Counseling
(Coming Out, Depression, Anxiety, HIV Issues)
MASSAGE — Swedish, Deep Tissue
For Appointment, Call Noel Stypmann
Charlotte (704) 365-1982
Discount Aquariums
PRESTIGE AQUARIUM MAINTENANCE
Aquarium Maintenance & Cleaning
Fresh and Marine
Home and Office
Free Estimates - Free Delivery
RICK HOLLIF1ELD
JEFF MARTIN
704-549-5647
Barbara E. Kaplan, MHDL
Counseling Services
Individual • Couple • Group/Marriage • Family • Child
• Co-Dependency
• Fears
• Violence & Abuse
' Addictions • Sex Therapy
• Self-Esteem • Relationships
’ ACOA • Communication
’ Eating Disorders
N.C. Registered Practicing Counselor
S.C. Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
S.C. Licensed Professional Counselor
(704) 527-2108 « (803) 329-9666
CELEBRATIONS
Singing Telegrams, Balloons
Gag Gifts, Cards
Novelty Candy & Cakes
Boone (704) 264-3307
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Occasions Tastway
Jtozvers & Qifts
Eastway Drive
Charlotte, NC 28205
704-535-0968
704-563-LOVE
In & Out Of State 800-826-2011
We ll donate $2.(X) to MAP/PFLAG for each purchase.
Charlotte Area
Literacy League
NANCY M. CAMPBELL
Executive Director
700 Parkwood Ave., Charlotte, N.C. 28205 / (704) 375-3433
Don Watkins
Cassandra’s
Hair Designers, Inc.
4401 Colwick Road Phone: (704) 366-4617
Charlotte, North Carolina
(3uanl-um
I lealth Pesources
Craig A. Epson-Nelms
PatienI Sei vices CoordinaP'r
7866 Thorndike Rd
Greensboro N.C 27409
(9191 665-0566
(800) 866-0566
EASTCOAST PROTECTIVE SERVICES, INC.
ARMED BODYGUARDS
HOME & BUSINESS PROTECTION
DAVE HUELSENBECK (704) 537-0564
BEEPER 559-1756
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STRICKLER
(/) Eastland Mall 537-0343
Managing
Your Doctor
Continued from page 13
to medications, visits to other doctors, recent
lab tests or x-rays that have been ordered, etc.
Next, the doctor does a physical exam
based on the information from the history.
Again, this may seem awkward, because the
doctor's thought process has shifted; he or
she may not want to talk much while exam
ining you. Some doctors will be able to put
you more at ease during the physical by
keeping up the conversation. Others may
concentrate intently on the exam.
Once the doctor has collected the data
from the history and physical, he or she
makes an assessment, which should take the
form of a differential diagnosis. This is the
stage where he or she considers all the pos
sible causes for your symptoms and physical
signs found during the physical exam.
Finally, the doctor decides on a plan to
determine which of the possible diagnoses is
the correct one and how you should be treated.
You can play a crucial role in the last two
stages: trying to figure out what is causing
the problem and deciding how to treat the
problem.
This is the thinking that the doctor usually
does in his or her own head, or while wnting
in your chart. If you want to be involved in
the process, these are the kinds of questions
you can ask: What are the possible diagnoses
you are considering to explain my symptoms
and physical findings?
What makes you consider each of these
possibilities?
Is there anything else we should be con
sidering?
How will we figure out which of these
possible diagnoses is the correct one?
What tests should we run? How invasive
is each test? How expensive? How accurate?
Are there some tests we should run more
than once (stool samples for ova and para
sites, for example)?
What are the risks and benefits of each
test?
In what order should we do these tests?
What treatments should I consider at each
stage — before we have a diagnosis, and
after we have it figured out?
The most important thing you can do to
help your doctor think through the problem
and to help you feel assured that you are
getting the best possible care is to map out a
plan with the doctor. What will you do first?
If you caimot make a diagnosis after doing
that, then what will you do? Then what?
Than what? You can go through the same
process with treatment possibilities once a
diagnosis has been made.
What are my treatment options? If I try
this and it doesn't work, or the side effects are
too bad, then what could I try? Then what ?
Are there any other medications I can take
with the treatinent that might make the side
effects more tolerable? What side effects
should I expect?
Following Up
Chances are that you will still have
questions when you leave the doctor's office
or later as you think about all the informatiou
you have received. Write your questions and
concerns down and bring them with you to
your next appointment.
Working with an assertive patient can be
threatening to even the most enlightened
doctor. To soften the "threat," try to validate
your doctor and to take his or her needs into
consideration. Find something you like about
what the doctor is doing before you jump into
all your questions and concerns.
Tell him or her that you'd like to talk about
several issues and that you are aware there
may not be time to cover all of them during
this appointment. Ask how much time you do
have, and if you can schedule another ap
pointment soon to discuss the issues which
are not highest priority. Make sure you know
what your priorities are so you can have as
many of your needs met as possible during
each appointment.
Finally, ask yourself what questions you
always seem to have after an appointment.
What ccHisistently frustrates you? Try to take
those questions and frustrations and figure
out how to talk to your doctor about them so
'that you can decide together how best to take
care of all the parts of you.