Do You Have The Best Doctor For YOU?

 

This post is going to be a bit different than previous ones, but really hits home to me!  Time to get a little personal…  just over two weeks ago, I went through a scary labor, yet having the right doctor proved critically important!  You never know when you will be faced with a life altering decision that needs to be made in an instant.

My story goes a little like this… I had had a healthy 37 weeks of pregnancy and in a flash, I was having sharp pains in my upper right abdomen.  I called my obstetrician that evening, and though I hadn’t had any symptoms of anything in all of the previous check-ups, she wanted to be safe and asked me to go to labor and delivery to get labs and an ultrasound done.  My husband and I got in the car and started driving, and though I started feeling better mid-way there, my doctor had told the hospital that I was on my way, so I felt as though we should still go and at least get a green light that we were in the clear.  I mean… there couldn’t be anything wrong, right?!  I had just worked out that morning, ran errands all day, and had even gotten my hair done!  Upon arriving at the hospital, the pain had completely subsided and I was feeling like I was “that girl” who panicked when it wasn’t necessary.  At this point, I sat there cracking jokes with the nurses while they pulled blood to run labs.  Shortly after, I was carted off to get an ultrasound of my abdomen. 

In just the 45 minutes that we were gone, everything had changed!  Upon returning to our room, our nurse immediately told me that my doctor was going to be calling me on my cell phone and I needed to answer.  At that moment I knew something was wrong.  When Dr. Ho called, I could sense a distinct change in her tone.  This was a doctor that was so laid back throughout my pregnancy with a sense of ease in her voice at all times.  During this phone call though, she had a no BS, business tone.  I knew it wasn’t good news.  She immediately asked if my husband was there and said to put him on speaker phone.  I instantly felt a flood of panic and she proceeded to tell us that I had a very serious condition called HELLP Syndrome.  All I could think of was that there was something wrong with the baby.  She then clarified that the baby was fine, but that it was me that was in danger.  She proceeded to tell us that my liver enzymes were skyrocketing, while my blood platelets were crashing.  She suggested an emergency c-section because the only way to reverse this was to get our baby out right away. 

Long story short, my body was rejecting my placenta and thought it was toxic, causing my other organs to go crazy.  In this very moment, it was CRITICAL that I had the utmost trust in my doctor, and thank goodness I did!  With all the confidence in the world, my husband and I could tell her that we trusted her judgement and would do whatever she thought was the right thing to do.  Her response was, “I’ll be there in 10 minutes and they’ll be prepping you for surgery.”  Just like that, my 37 weeks of smooth sailing pregnancy came to an abrupt halt, and we had to make a potentially life altering decision in a split second.  Two weeks later, I’m happy to report that mama and baby are both just fine!

 

 

 

Yes, you need to be your own advocate when it comes to your health, but you also have to be confident in the professionals that help make decisions when it comes to critical health issues.  Not everyone’s needs are the same, and there is someone for everyone.  They key is to find the best fit for YOU!

 

 

5 Things To Look For When Choosing The Best Doctor 

 

1. Ask around.

The first step to finding a great doctor is to talk to your family and friends about who they use and who they think are great doctors in your area. When narrowing down the search, a recommendation from someone you trust is a great way to identify a highly skilled, helpful physician. Though, remember, every person is different, so it is still up to you to do your homework and see if they are right for you.

2. Make sure you’ve got coverage.

Now that you have narrowed down your search, check whether they work with your health plan. Check and see if they are in network or out of network. Most plans charge more if you see a doctor outside your network, and some won’t cover out-of-network care at all, so it’s important to research this and rule out ones that will not apply.

3. Keep your needs in mind.

Every person has unique health needs, and those needs change as people age. Because of this, it’s imperative that you narrow down what your needs are and look at doctors that specialize in your area of interest.  You may have different doctors for different needs.  For example, a family care doctor for your general checkups, a pediatrician for your children, and someone who specializes in sports medicine if you are a serious athlete with sports related injuries.  

4. Trust your gut!

I can’t stress this one enough!  The doctor that you choose is going to help solve problems that you have and be an important advocate for your health. It’s critical that you trust him or her and feel comfortable asking questions.

The American Academy Of Family Physicians suggests that after your first appointment, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Do you feel at ease with this doctor?
• Did you have enough time to ask questions?
• Did he or she answer all your questions?
• Did he or she explain things in a way you understood?

If something seems off, trust your gut and look for a new doctor!

 

5. If you call with a question about your care, does a doctor or nurse return the call promptly?

Your needs and questions are important and you should feel as though you can get a response to them in a timely manner.  You should get an answer to your questions within 24 hours and hopefully in the same day. 

 

 

10 days post emergency c-section… thanks to Dr. Ho and her team!

 

 

 

 

Don’t ignore your intuition when you are choosing the best doctor for you

 

I have found that if you ever feel uncomfortable with the professionalism, and/or knowledge of the doctor you choose, you need to make a change and find someone in which you have the utmost confidence.  My story is a prime example of this.  I can’t thank Do. Ho enough for being so proactive!  She was relaxed and showed confidence in her knowledge through out my pregnancy, but when needed, took a decisive stance and was proactive.  I trusted her!!!

 

If you have a great doctor that you would recommend to others, tell us who they are, what city and a little about them in the comments below.  Let’s share recommendations!

 

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