Medicine is a ‘TEAM SPORT’
After reflecting on what she’s heard in the last year, Dr. Trisha Pasricha wants her patients to know a few things.
1
Our health isn’t all determined by the big moments
Preventive health comes down to the innumerable micro-decisions each of us make every day. Bacon at breakfast may be another inconsequential food in your week, while a lifetime of eating processed meats can tip the scales between colon cancer and health.
Those smaller moments can have a butterfly effect you can’t always foresee. One patient of mine agreed to adopt his relative’s dog three years ago — mainly because he felt lonely and wanted companionship. Despite being a self-described “couch potato,” he’s since been easily hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines every week because he started taking his dog for runs around the neighbourhood. In addition to the mental health benefits, he’s no longer prediabetic.
How would his trajectory have been different if he had never adopted a pet, if he had hired a dog-walking service instead or decided to play fetch instead of joining his dog on a run? Where would his health be in 10 years if he had developed diabetes?
Our tiny daily decisions add up. Healthy choices made even some of the time are better than unhealthy choices made all of the time.
2
Everyone is frustrated with doctor’s appointments
A recurring theme I heard (and lived) last year was about how doctors are always running late. These frustrations drive your physician nuts, too.
Here are two tips to maximize time with your doctor:
Come 15 minutes early to your visit. That means you’re checked in, paperwork is filled out and vitals are checked, so that when your appointment officially starts, you spend more of your allotted time face-to-face with your physician and not getting your height measured.
Plan your story ahead. Lead with your most pressing problem and get the timeline of your symptoms straight with as many specifics as possible (it makes a big difference to your doctor if your cough has been going on for several months instead of for two weeks).
3
Don’t be afraid to talk about embarrassing health issues
The semantics of our bowel habits were an unexpectedly steaming hot subject of debate among my readers. Some weren’t sure if it was even OK to say “poop” aloud. (For the love of bidets, yes, I give you my permission.) I perform colonoscopies every week, so believe me when I say that words such as flatulence or farting won’t make me blush.
More importantly, don’t let embarrassment keep you from getting the help you need.
For example, as many as 80 per cent of people on an SSRI, a kind of antidepressant, experience sexual dysfunction as a side-effect, but about half of people who stop their SSRI for this reason don’t discuss why with their physicians. If you tell us the real reason, we can do a better job of trying to help you.
4
Talk to your family members about their medical history
Many of my patients don’t know what their grandparents died of, if their brother has an autoimmune condition or how old their uncle was when he was diagnosed with cancer. These details affect how your doctor thinks about the right tests for you.
For instance, if you knew that your aunt and grandmother both had breast cancer diagnosed in their 40s, your doctor may recommend you undergo genetic testing for breast and ovarian cancer. But if you didn’t know about your aunt’s history because no one talked about it, and you weren’t sure how old your grandmother was when diagnosed, it’s possible your doctor would just recommend regular mammograms.
Talking about our medical problems can feel uncomfortable. But explain that it’s important for your health and that of other loved ones in the family to know.
5
Your doctor is cheering for you Literally. When I see pathology results come back showing one of my patients is cancer-free, I cheer out loud — yes, by myself, in front of my computer. My co-residents and I used to highfive when we saw a patient’s hemoglobin A1C — a measure of glucose control — come down after months of making adjustments in our primary care clinic. We’ve been known to do a happy dance in the hospital call rooms when patients get offered a lifesaving organ transplant.
Medicine is a team sport. Patients don’t always see what happens behind the curtains, but your wins are the very best parts of our day.