Get the best results from your GP

Prima online 25.07.2008

How to prepare for your visit to the doctor

doctor with patient The less confident you are with your GP, the shorter your appointment will seem – and the more likely you’ll be misunderstood. Yet, with a little careful planning, it’s easy to talk to doctors clearly and confidently. And this will boost your self-esteem, too

Know your body
Keeping track of what’s normal and what’s not will give you the information you need when taking a problem to your GP.
● Note down your daily toilet habits, changing energy levels and emotional wellbeing.

● In the shower, check your body for lumps and moles. Ask your partner to check areas you can’t reach.

● Monitor changes to your menstrual cycle.

● Use the scales once a week to monitor your weight.

● Keep up to date with your cervical smear tests and contraceptive check-ups.

● If you suspect you have an allergy, keep a check of what you eat and when, as well as the symptoms you experience.

Do your homework

If you notice anything new or different, keep a short diary of symptoms, or jot down dates to help you keep track of a problem. Before your appointment, condense your notes down to the main points to discuss with your GP.

Take a deep breath

● If you’re nervous about an appointment, yogic breathing will help calm you down. Inhale slowly to the count of eight, feeling your abdomen rise before your chest. Then exhale slowly through your nose.

● Simple reflexology can also banish nerves. Press your thumb into the soft centre of your opposite palm, pushing it in and out about 20 times per minute.

● If your stress is really acute, Bach’s Rescue Remedy (£5.95 for 20ml from Holland & Barrett, 0870 6066605) can help calm you down.

Ask the right questions

In the heat of the moment, a list of questions will keep you on track, and you’re less likely to come away feeling none the wiser. You want to know:

● What caused the problem?

● How is it normally treated?

● What can I do about it?

● Are there any long-term effects?

● Is there anything I can do to prevent it happening again?

● If you don’t understand something, ask your doctor to explain it another way, or perhaps ask for a book or leaflet on the subject. And never be afraid to ask a ‘silly question’ – it may be causing you more anxiety than anything else, in which case it definitely merits an answer.

Be assertive, not aggressive

● You may have been biting your nails about the consultation, but GPs get anxious, too. A lot of their professional magazines now offer advice on coping with the ‘well-informed and demanding’ patient. Just knowing this gives us a sense of power. But the rapport between you will be better if you can avoid being bullish. Saying ‘I’ more than ‘you’ sounds less intimidating. Say: ‘I have three questions,’ so your GP knows what’s coming. And, even if you’ve read up about your symptoms and have a pretty good idea what they could be, try not to bombard your doc with a textbook diagnosis. You may end up learning nothing new if you come across as knowing it all already.

Confidence boost of the day

● Repeat a positive mantra in your head. For example: ‘I can do it! I am great!’ It works by squeezing out the ‘space’ for negative thoughts.

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