23 - Dealing with Doctors and Drugs

Summary

To maintain the highest level of your four reserve factors it is necessary to know how to interact with the medical profession and the medications they prescribe. It is also valuable to understand and appreciate the perspective of clinical research. As patients, we have the right to have our story and voice heard, to be treated like human beings. Our stories are an important part of who we are. Many people are exceptionally passive in their pursuit of medical care and will accept whatever negligence, avoidance, or abuse they receive. It’s up to us to be a powerful advocate for our own welfare and insist on having medical professionals listen to our stories and attend to our needs. Ways to choose physicians are discussed. Also reviewed are how to manage your medications, vaccines, and how to lower the risk of medical errors. Guidelines are presented on the advantages and dangers of participation in clinic research. It is necessary to be an active participant in your own care and fierce in the pursuit of what’s best for you.