What should I ask my doctor about my diagnosis and treatment?
ACS Answer
Don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions. Asking questions shows you are eager to learn and ready to take an active role in your treatment. Doctors and nurses are good sources of information when you have medical questions. Other members of your health care team such as your pharmacist, dietitian, social worker, physical therapists, and radiation therapists have different areas of expertise.
Write down your questions ahead of time about your type of cancer, treatment, side effects, and any limitations of normal activities you will have during treatment. If there isn't enough time during your appointment for your doctor to answer all of your questions, ask when a good time would be to finish your conversation or ask about other resources to answer these questions.
Here are some questions your doctor can usually answer for you:
- What's wrong with me? What do I have? What is my diagnosis?
- What treatment do you recommend?
- Are there other treatments?
- What are the benefits of these treatments?
- What are the risks?
- What medicines are you giving me? What are they for?
- How should I expect to feel during treatment?
- What side effects, if any, can I expect to have?
- Are you or others in your practice involved in clinical trials of new treatments?
- How can you be contacted after hours?
- Who will see me when you are on vacation?
- Who else will be on my health care team?
- May I bring someone with me to my appointments?
- What is the best time to call you if I have a question? Can I email my questions to you?
If you need more details after your doctor answers a question, say so. Sometimes it's even helpful to ask the question again in a different way. Unless you tell your doctor that you don't understand something, they will usually assume that you do. There's nothing wrong with not understanding the first explanation; just ask for another.
Remember that it's hard to listen well and understand complex information when you are anxious or afraid. Even if the doctor is very thorough, you may not hear or remember what is being said. There are several ways you can make sure that you remember everything your doctor tells you accurately:
- Take notes to help you recall what your doctor says.
- Ask if you can tape record your talk for later review.
- Try to have a family member or friend there with you. They can remind you of questions you want to ask and help you remember later what the doctor said.
- If you want to learn more about your cancer treatment, ask your doctor to suggest some reading materials. If you feel comfortable doing so, learning more about your treatment can also help you become more actively involved in it.
When you get instructions from your doctor, write them down in detail. Make sure you understand them before you leave the office. Then follow them exactly. You may also want to keep written notes on your day-to-day health questions and concerns. Bring the notes with you to appointments to help you remember what you wanted to tell your doctor.
Above all, your doctor should take your questions seriously. He or she should be interested in your concerns and not make you feel rushed. If your doctor does not respond this way, bring it up at your next visit. Though it may be difficult to do so, the relationship may suffer if these concerns remain unspoken.
Related Resources
Get more information on talking with your doctor.
Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.
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