The need to closely cooperate with your doctor will lead to a better management of your high blood pressure. In order to be better prepared for your incoming doctor’s appointment, you can follow some of the tips listed below.
Have a spouse, friend or family member accompany you to your appointment
Bringing along someone close to you may help provide support and help you remember important information that you may have forgotten or inadvertently omitted that can help the doctor correctly diagnose and treat you. Your companion can also be there to write down all the important notes while you confer with your doctor enabling you to fully concentrate on your conversation with your doctor.
Come prepared with your medical records
If possible, you need to bring all your past medical records to your appointment. Your doctor will review all of them to better assess your condition. The medical history should consist of the medical procedures you have undergone in the past. These can include past surgeries and treatments, all the health problems you’ve experienced before and your family’s medical history.
Bring a notebook to list down information in your appointment
During your appointment, your physician will shed important information that you may need to remember and follow. The best way not to forget them is to write down every important information your doctor will tell you. You can then follow exactly your doctor’s instructions. If you bring along someone with you, he or she may be the one writing the important things you’re doctor is saying whilst you talk to your doctor. When talking to your doctor, you need to be clear enough in order for the doctor to exactly understand what you’re saying. Furthermore you need to likewise fully understand all the information the doctor relates. If you do not understand what you’re doctor’s telling you, you may ask him to rephrase the information he’s giving until you fully understand everything he says.
Talk to your doctor openly about your problem
If your physician has established that you have high blood pressure, the next step is to figure out ways with your doctor to remedy the problem. Some of the aims to better control your blood pressure and keep it at a normal level are to:
- Determine if your blood pressure is always at a normal level. This will mean taking constant measures to prevent it from spiking up.
- Talk with your physician about the antihypertensive drugs that effectively control your condition and monitoring their side effects to regulate or prevent those side effects as well.
- Cooperate with your physician if your treatments are ineffective so that changes need to be made.
To help you ask the right questions to your doctor. Below are some of the queries whose answers might give you a better understanding and insight to your blood pressure problem.
- What blood pressure range should I normally strive for?
- What are the current readings of my blood pressure?
- What medications will best address my hypertension? What side effects would I expect from them?
- What other medications can I take if the recommended ones do not effectively work for my condition? Are there generics for these medications you prescribe
- What other approaches should I try to help better manage my high blood pressure?
- What test should I undergo?
- What foods should be eaten or avoided to help with my blood pressure?
- What types of physical activities are safe or advisable for my health?
- Do I need regular appointments to better manage my condition?
- With my other health problems, what approaches are best in properly handling all my conditions?
- Do I need to consult with a heart specialist?
- Do you have printed materials about my condition I can bring at home?
- Are there websites that provide the best sources of information for my high blood pressure?
Other questions you may have that are not included in the above list should also be asked to your doctor.
Besides answering your questions, your physician will also ask you questions that need to be answered by you as truthfully and honestly as possible. Some questions may require you to ponder their answers and so you need to take your time in answering them properly.
Some questions your doctor may ask can include:
- When was your last blood pressure check up? What were your blood pressure readings during that time?
- Are you a smoker?
- Do you drink alcohol? How many times in a day do you drink?
- What foods do you eat?
- Do you exercise?
- Do you have family members living or dead that suffer or have suffered from heart diseases, hypertension or high cholesterol?
Synoma Wellness Centre
2150 Alt. 19, Suite B
Palm Harbor, FL 34683
Phone: (727) 785-5950
www.palmharboracupuncture.com