4 Things You Should Always Be Honest About When Talking to Your Doctor

It’s your doctor’s job to figure out what’s wrong with you so he can recommend the right course of treatment for your ailment. He toiled years of medical school just to be able to heal people so you should be able to trust his competence.

But half of his job’s success lies on the stuff that you tell him. During consultation, your doctor will ask questions regarding your lifestyle and your feedback will make a huge difference in your treatment.

So whenever you talk to your doctor, always, ALWAYS be honest with the following information:

1) Your age

A lot of us fudge a little when it comes to our real age; we may subtract a few years off the real number when filling out forms or talking to the doctor. If you are guilty of this, stop it, at least when you’re consulting with your doctor. Your age is crucial to the kind of treatment your doctor will prescribe for you. There are certain medications and procedures that are not best for older age groups.

2) Your diet and alcohol consumption

If you’re having trouble keeping off the unwanted pounds and maintaining a healthy weight range, your doctor has the right to know your food habits. Having too much or too little of certain food items can affect your overall health. Your doctor should be able to help you in choosing which food to avoid or add in your diet.

Same goes for alcohol consumption. Too much will affect your liver’s health, among other things. Aside from organ conditions, your drinking habits will also help your doctor decide if you can take surgery or if he needs to resort to other modes of treatment.

3) Your medications

Say the doctor prescribed medication for you. You come back after a week or two because you’re not feeling well enough. Your doctor will ask you if you’re taking the meds in the prescribed amounts or intervals. You have to be truthful whether you have followed it or not; the doctor has to know if the meds prescribed are or aren’t working for you. In this case, he may have to modify dosage or change meds entirely.

4) Your sexual history

Don’t be shy or defensive when your doctors ask questions. He needs to know when was the last time you had sex, how many sexual partners you’ve had, if you ever engaged in unprotected sex, or if you ever had sexually-transmitted diseases. Your sexual history may play a huge factor in your overall health, especially if you’re dealing with fertility issues.