Preparing For Doctors Appointments With IBS
Ever since my IBS diagnosis (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), I have learned a lot about doctor’s appointments. I have been told that it’s all in my head.
I’ve received medication that was all wrong for me because the doctors didn’t listen. I’ve been scammed into buying expensive supplements by alternative practitioners. It’s been a long journey, full of disillusionment about medical professionals, learning to advocate for myself, and coming to terms with the fact that no one knows my body better than I do.
Preparing for medical appointments has become second nature to me. So much so that it didn’t even occur to me that there was any other way to do them. That is until my partner (who rarely needs to see a doctor) recently experienced some pretty bad gaslighting after showing up to a medical appointment unprepared.
Doctors sometimes dismiss symptoms
My partner had been hospitalized due to an allergic reaction to antibiotics a couple of months ago. After that, he was advised to see an allergy specialist. Which he did. However, he did not expect to be completely dismissed by said allergy doctor. First, they told my partner that he did not have an allergy (which, however, had been proven by blood tests at the hospital). Then, they proceeded to give him a dose of that same antibiotic to prove that he was, indeed, fine. When my partner experienced a second, even stronger allergic reaction two hours later, he vowed to never see a doctor again.
In my opinion, this disastrous medical appointment happened because the doctor didn’t ask any questions, and my partner didn’t think to insist on providing the necessary information. He didn’t get to show the reports from the hospital, specify the symptoms he experienced, or even mention that he was hospitalized at all. While my partner knew that his particular allergic reaction was unusual, he failed to make it clear to the doctor. And don’t ask me why he accepted taking that dose of antibiotics. Not even he knows.
How to prepare for a successful doctor visit
But how can situations like these be avoided as much as possible, even for an invisible illness like IBS?
For anyone who might be new to IBS and chronic illnesses in general, here’s what you can do to prepare for a medical appointment.
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View all responsesResearch possible causes and treatments
Research symptoms, possible causes, and tests to know what your doctor might tell you. This way, you're prepared to ask for or refuse certain tests or treatments. This could include refusing medication that might make you sicker (like anything that causes diarrhea for IBS-D), asking for specific tests related to your symptoms, or discussing a certain medication you’re interested in trying with your doctor.
Practice describing your symptoms
This might sound strange, but as an introvert with (social) anxiety, I can get so tongue-tied and unable to express myself clearly in stressful situations. I also live in France without being French, and having to do medical appointments in a foreign language doesn’t make them easier. Therefore, I always practice what I want to say, either to my partner or in my head. It helps me make sure that I get the message across and don’t forget anything important on the spot.
Have someone accompany you
Having a loved one at the appointment with you might not only ease the stress but also make sure that your doctor actually hears you. My partner has been to appointments with me in the past and helped me repeat the things my doctor didn’t hear/listen to. Two brains also think faster than one. Therefore, we often have better outcomes when we go to our children’s appointments together. It’s just easier to think of the right questions and make the right objections when you’re not alone.
Know when to walk away
Some doctors are just not worth your time. If you feel like a certain doctor does not listen even if you try, feels incompetent, or doesn’t have your best interests at heart, just walk away. Throw away any prescription they gave you. And don’t ever go back.
Talk through prescriptions at the pharmacy
Sometimes, doctors don’t take the time to explain prescriptions. And even very nice doctors can end up prescribing medication that is either not necessary or you might not want to take.
For example, I’ll never forget the time I saw a new OBGYN for my first pregnancy and walked out with a handful of prescriptions. The pharmacist just looked at me, asked if there were any issues with my pregnancy (there weren’t), and recommended I throw the prescriptions away immediately. Apparently, the doctor had wanted me to take a bunch of hormones and potentially harmful medications. For no reason at all.
Whenever I’m unfamiliar with something, I always ask the pharmacist to explain what the medication is, how it works, and what the side effects are. If a medication isn’t very necessary but can cause diarrhea, I won’t take it. And if it is necessary, they might be able to recommend something to mitigate the effect.
How do you prepare for doctor’s appointments?
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