When you go to the doctor do you..

[sunlver]

I am a Primary Care Provider. For routine check-ups & medication refill visits, I prefer for an adult to come alone. The majority of times if a friend or family member comes with a patient, they do all of the talking. They either say that what the patient is telling me isn't true or they want to tell me about their problems. If there is a serious problem, it helps to have family with them. I think if you go with another adult, you should be there for support only & try to let the patient actually be the patient.

Thats how my husband is, the one who always wants to do the talking..even disagreeing at times with the dr, it is so embarassing

 

[disfan07]

At 20 I have a very strict rule about my mom going with me. I have multiple chronic medical problems and she likes to tag along to some of the appointments but my rule is, she either stays in the waiting room or she comes into the room but the minute she says anything she has to leave.

I have had to apologize to my doctors (mainly my internist and pulmonologist) more than once for something she has said and it is truly embarassing. She doesn't like my internist and she's not exactly subtle about it so when I am in the hospital and my internist shows up to do rounds, my mom is not allowed to be there.

So now, she usually either just doesn't come or doesn't come in with me.

The only one that she always goes to with me is my neurosurgeon but that is because it is much more serious than any of the other things we are dealing with but I still have my rule that she is not allowed to say anything unless I give her permission. I don't want to have to apologize to more doctors.

I have an amazing ability to remember what is said at doctors appointments and in reality, having another person with me has very rarely been beneficial.

 

[aprilgail2]

I've never understood people who want someone else there for routine office visits but I'm fiercely independent.

...

I feel the same- I can put my big girl panties on and go to the Dr by myself, no need for company! My mom is 82 and I wouldn't even go in with her-when they are done the Dr will come out and tell me anything there is that I need to know about what is the problem, other than that she deserves her privacy in there!

 

[heatherwillmom]

I have had to ask family members to step out of the room before, usually for being so detracting that the patient can't answer my questions which could be dangerous. I have had women bring their small child & their mother to watch the child. It's great that they have someone to watch the child, but they should wait in the waiting room. Recently, I have had this happen twice that I had to ask the grandmother to take the child to the waiting room because they were basically destroying my exam room. I have a computer in each room to do our records on & she was letting the child play with it which shut down our system. I've had children going through the supplies in the cabinets & drawers as well as playing with the expensive equipment. I like to have a family member if there is some serious going on or if it is an elderly, forgetful person. Many doctors offices are starting to not allow anyone but the patient in the room unless it is a minor. I know a lot that are doing this now.

 

[Rora]

I always bring my mom or my DH when they're available just so there's an extra set of ears to listen to things and to keep me company during long waits!

 

[Micca]

I don't think I've had anyone accompany me to a doc apptmt since I was a child. If I was going for something serious I would ask DW to come along.

 

[cristit14]

The only time anyone has come with me was when I was pregnant, DH came to a few of them. If I had something serious going on, it might be different though.

 

[sunlver]

I feel the same- I can put my big girl panties on and go to the Dr by myself, no need for company! My mom is 82 and I wouldn't even go in with her-when they are done the Dr will come out and tell me anything there is that I need to know about what is the problem, other than that she deserves her privacy in there!

I think you hit right on the head for me, its a privacy issue. I am a very private person. I know its hard to believe since Im married and have 3 kids, but I am very private person. I never lie about anything, expecially my health. Like I said earlier, if I were to hear bad news, I want to hear it first.. For me, I have to process it first, before I tell other people.Thankfully, I havent had to hear bad news, except when I was going through a series of miscarriages ....

Back in Sept I had a very bad case of tendonitis in my shoulder, where I couldnt even drive. My husband did come with me, only because I couldnt drive safely. I remember we were sitting in the waiting room, and when they called my name, he got up to go with me, I told him he could wait in the waiting room...I guess for me, if roles were reveresed, I would never go in there with him, UNLESS he asked...So my frame of mind is, if I dont ask you to come into examining room with me, then I dont want you in there

Also sometimes I like to ask my own questions without a 3rd party there. I prefer one on one with the dr. I also tell my husband what was dicussed, but I just prefer my privacy.

 

[onelilspark]

I go by myself for anything routine. For a while I was at the Dr's office a lot trying to find a preventative for migraines. Nothing I couldn't handle on my own.

The only time in recent memory that I didn't go alone was because I had some kind of muscle spasm in my neck and litterally couldn't turn my head. I didn't feel safe driving. So my boyfriend came to drive me, he stayed in the waiting room though. Good thing he came because then I needed a CT Scan at the hospital. Again, didn't come back with me, just there to drive.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Always alone. The only time I would bring anyone to an appointment with me is if the doctor advised it - and of course, I'd be panicking between the time I was told that and the time of the appointment!

 

[locolala]

For most visits, I just have DH wait in the waiting room (we only have one car and I don't like his car, so he drives me lol). For neurology appointments I have him come back, because I have to get in a gown and my doctor is a male. I feel more comfortable having him back with me. All OB appointments (save one, he was in a class so my mom took me) have been with him in the room. He helps me remember the various symptoms I have and any questions, since my mind has completely disappeared and I can't remember anything these days.

 

[englishteacha]

My husband has gone with me into the exam room when I've been really sick, and also when I had an unknown medical issue. It was to comfort me and to provide an extra set of ears. He's a good advocate for me. When I go alone (physical, a sinus infection, etc.), I always bring a list of questions so I don't forget. My DH doesn't do well with bloodwork so I sometimes go with him (they always have to stick him several times! Poor guy!). When either of us have been do specialists, we always go with the other person. (when I had to meet with a surgeon, for instance, or when DH had to see the opthomologist for an eye injury). We could go alone, but as we live in a rural area, we often work errands and other things into our days when we see a doctor so we aren't making two trips.

When my father was aging, and then became ill, not only did Mom go to the doctor with him but one of us went, too. When you're getting a lot of info it makes sense to have extra ears.