5 Actions of an Empowered Patient

5 Actions of an Empowered Patient

Are you an empowered patient?  I wasn’t always one.  But looking back, this was one of the most important skills I had to learn to improve my health!   So, what IS an empowered patient?

When I first began to have symptoms of hypothyroidism, I went to my general practitioner and described what my symptoms were.  The doctor asked a few questions, performed some lab tests, diagnosed me with hypothyroidism, and prescribed Synthroid.  There was NO discussion about what might be causing the symptoms, in fact the doctor indicated that the cause was unknown.  I walked out feeling grateful that the doctor had a quick diagnoses and an easy solution.  I followed his recommendations without further thought to the original symptoms and why they were there.  Later, I discovered that this simple solution really wasn’t a solution.  I continued to have all of the symptoms.  With more time, the symptoms even got worse!   My general practitioner then referred me to a specialist, an endocrinologist.  After reviewing my case, performing a few more tests, the endocrinologist shrugged his shoulders and had nothing more to add or suggest.  At this point, because the doctors didn’t have more to offer, I essentially gave up and decided I’d have to ‘put up’ with my symptoms for the rest of my life. 

In this example, I was not being an empowered patient.  I gave all my power to the doctor the second I entered the doctor’s office.

So what 5 actions did I need to take to become an empowered patient? 

1.    I sought advice from professionals who can heal the physical, emotional AND spiritual aspects of disease.  Seek the advice of many professionals or a team of professionals.  Consider general practitioners, specialists such as an endocrinologist or functional doctor, holistic professionals, and a life coach.

2.    I sought advice from online, books, and the most recent research.  Started with google!  Online searches can lead to books and other research related to your disease.  Check out facebook.  A great resource on facebook is patient-to-patient advocate groups.  Fellow patients offer the solutions THEIR providers suggest. 

3.    I kept a journal of what is going on in your life.  In hindsight, it would have been helpful if I was keeping track of what I was eating, what symptoms I was experiencing, what stresses were happening in my life, and anything else that may seem relevant.  The journal would hold patterns or clues to suggest physical solutions as well as emotional and spiritual solutions to the problem. 

4.    I asked a LOT of questions.  I came to understand that when I visit a doctor or health care practitioner, I need to be prepared for a discussion, a problem solving exercise.  As an empowered patient, I do NOT expect to diagnose my condition on my own. I understand that I need help to figure things out, but I also understand that I am the most important person in the room. If I don’t understand what I’m hearing, I keep asking questions. If the recommendation doesn’t feel right, I say so and explain why.  If the practitioner in front of me is uncomfortable or indignant of questions or takes the questions personally, they may not be the best person to consult.

5.    I made decisions that were right for ME.  In the end, I personally, had to figure out which solutions might apply to me.  I was faced with professionals who did not have the ‘complete’ solution to my problem but many times presented themselves as having the only answer.  While doctors may know THE body, I know MY body.  In my experience with hypothyroidism, I came to learn that everyone is different, hypothyroidism expresses itself differently in each person, and the solution for each person is very different as well.

What’s the point? The key trait of an empowered patient is the ability to advocate for themselves, to ask questions until they understand their options including the pros and cons of each, and make a treatment decision based on what makes the most sense for them, at that time.  Eventually the empowered patient comes to a decision of the best way to be treated, the one that works for the present circumstances.

So are you an empowered patient? If not, will you begin today?

Kelly Robbins is a Life Coach with Guiding Light Success Systems, Inc.    For more answers and resources, come join our supportive community on Facebook at Hashimoto's: Harbors of Healing Page  or visit Kelly’s blog at Hashimoto's: Harbors of Healing website