We understand. It’s easy to forget.
Today’s world is incredibly busy—chances are you had to take time off of work to schedule an appointment with your primary care doctor. When you’re distracted, it’s so easy to forget the questions you meant to ask.
But these are vital questions, and your visit with your primary care physician should be one of your most important appointments. It’s essential to your well-being.
But don’t worry. We’ve compiled a handy list of the top 10 questions you should ask your primary care doctor. This will help you remember what to focus on in order to live a healthier life.
10 Crucial Questions You Should Ask Your Primary Care Doctor
1. What wellness tests should I have?
Primary care doctors near you are concerned not only with treating illnesses, but with helping you live a healthier, more active life. This means that they want to reduce your chances of ever developing a health problem.
Depending upon your family history and previous medical tests, your primary care doctor may recommend tests that monitor your:
- Fasting blood sugar
- Cholesterol
- Liver function
- Blood pressure
- Kidney function
If you are at a particular risk for a disease—especially if it runs in your family—one of our primary care physicians can help you reduce the chances of getting it.
2. How can I eat a more nutritious diet?
We admit it: We could all do better when selecting what to eat. It’s far too easy to fall for a “fad diet” only to find yourself back to square one.
Let our experts help you.
Our primary care doctors have extensive training in nutrition and helping you make healthy choices. Just ask one of them to help you create an eating plan. We’ll also provide follow-up appointments to be sure you have the assistance you need to stay the course.
3. What is the best exercise plan for me?
We love it when our patients are interested in exercise!
Ideally, you should speak with one of our primary care physicians near you to be sure that you start an exercise routine that will be the most beneficial. This is especially important if you have health problems or a previous injury.
We want you to exercise, but we want you to do so safely!
Remember, you don’t have to become an athlete overnight. Often, even moderate amounts of exercise can go a long way toward fighting diseases such as diabetes and high cholesterol.
4. How often should I schedule an appointment?
This depends upon your general health, lab tests and your medical history.
For example, if you have prediabetes, we may suggest that you have your blood sugar tested more often. However, if your lab results look good, then a visit once or twice a year may be all you need.
Our point is there is no one answer. We’ll work with you to determine how often you should schedule an appointment with us.
5. What is my risk of developing heart disease?
Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans. Often, those with heart disease don’t know they have it until they have a heart attack.
This is why it’s so important for us to assess your risk for heart disease—especially if it runs in your family!
6. What are my blood sugar numbers?
Are you thirstier than usual? Do you find yourself going to the bathroom a lot? These could be signs of diabetes.
Millions of Americans have diabetes and don’t realize it. That’s why your fasting blood sugar is always a part of a general wellness exam.
If these numbers are high, we can provide dietary guidelines or prescribe medication that can help prevent prediabetes from developing into diabetes.
7. Can you explain these test results?
We understand—there are a lot of abbreviations. Terms like HDL and LDL and A1C can be confusing to many. That’s why we encourage you to speak with your primary care doctor [link to CMC article on differences between family medicine and internal medicine here: https://cmc-sc.com/news/difference-between-family-medicine-internal-medicine/ ]who will go through it piece by piece with you.
8. What is a reliable internet source for information?
Our doctors are always available to answer all your questions. However, we know it’s always tempting for patients to go online and find information.
And it’s not always accurate.
“Dr. Google” is not a replacement for reliable information from your doctor.
But we know you’re going to check the internet as well. So it’s important that you are using reputable resources.
While we encourage you to speak with your doctor about the best internet resources, following are some general guidelines:
- Look for official sites from national organizations (for example, The American Heart Association, The American Cancer Society, etc.).
- Examine sites from government organizations, which also have accurate information (such as the National Institute of Health, the Centers for Disease Control).
- Be wary of any site that proclaims it has an “instant cure” or you should ”follow this one rule” for good health.
- Use common sense. Ask yourself, “what are the author’s credentials? Does the site look professional and official?” Remember that some authors may exaggerate their expertise and qualifications.
9. I’m concerned about “X.” What precautions should I take? How worried should I be?
Sometimes, what you’re worried about may not be your main health concern.
The goal of a primary care physician is to evaluate your health risks and make recommendations to help you take charge of your health. This means getting the overall picture of your wellness.
10. How does my family history affect my health?
We’re glad you asked that!
If you have a close family member with a chronic disease (like diabetes) you’re much more likely to develop it yourself. While you can’t change your genes, you can take a proactive approach to your health care.
How to Get a Primary Care Doctor
Do you have a primary care doctor? If not, no worries. We’ve established an experienced, compassionate team of healthcare professionals who are ready to serve you.
All you have to do is contact us for an appointment.
Conway Medical Center: The Best Primary Care Doctors Near You
We have several primary care locations throughout the area so you can find one that is most convenient to you.
You can easily find primary care physicians near you in Aynor, Conway, Carolina Forest and Myrtle Beach. You can find contact information for each of these locations conveniently on the primary care section of this site.
