Content Overview 
- Summary
- Tell The Doctor Everything That He Or She Needs To Know
- Be Open And Honest With Your Doctor
- Ask Everything You Need To Know
- If You Are Asked A General Question, Answer It Precisely
- Use Medical Terms Whenever Possible
- Be Sure You Understand What The Doctor Tells You
- If You Ask Questions About Research You've Done Or Information You've Learned, Give The Doctor A Copy Or The Citation
- Learn What To Do If You Have Additional Questions
- Let The Doctor Know What You Hope To Accomplish In The Meeting
- Keep The Playing Field Level
- Don't Expect The Same Relationship With All Your Doctors
- Be Proactive
- Do What You Are Comfortable With To Make Yourself An Individual To The Doctor
- Expect The Best From Your Doctor
- If You Are Age 65 or Older, Watch For Doctors Who Think About Your Age Before Your Symptoms
- Learn How To Deal With Problems That May Arise In Meetings With Doctors
- At The End Of The Appointment, Recap What Happened. Ask Where To Learn More. Keep Your Other Doctors To Date
- If You Are Grateful To Your Doctor, Show It
- Do Not Avoid Sensitive Subjects
How To Maximize Limited Time With Your Doctor
If You Are Asked A General Question, Answer It Precisely
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Too often there is miscommunication between doctor and patient because the same general words mean something different to each person. It is better to be overly detailed than to be too general. If you are getting into too much detail, the doctor will let you know.
To provide an example: If you are asked about your appetite, you may say it is much improved. To the doctor, that is likely to mean that your appetite is normal - like his or hers is. However, let's say that you were only able to eat a few spoonfuls at meal time. Now you are able to eat a half a meal, twice a day. If the doctor asks about your appetite and you say it is "much better," the doctor may hear that you are eating normally. If you stated the facts instead of your perspective, the doctor would know what is actually happening and can make suggestions.
As another example: Say you were only able to walk up and down the stairs once a day. Now you can do it three times a day, but are still too weak to leave the house. If the doctor asks about your energy, to say it is "okay" would mislead the doctor. It is better to describe what you can and cannot do so your true condition is understood.