Your healthcare provider is the best resource to help you take control of your migraines. He or she should work closely with you to find the most effective treatment plan. It is critically important for you to communicate as fully and clearly as possible with your healthcare provider – it’s the only way to make sure he or she truly understands what’s working for you and what isn’t.
Unfortunately, all too often, healthcare providers and their patients misunderstand each other. For instance, a healthcare provider trying to reassure a person with migraines may say: “You don’t have any serious medical problems” which the patient takes to mean: he or she thinks I’m faking the seriousness of my headache pain.
Try these simple steps to help you and your healthcare provider understand each other’s point of view from your very first visit.
1. Stay focused on the most important questions. At your first visit, your healthcare provider will ask for a lot of information – about symptoms, other illnesses, family history and headache triggers. You need to answer carefully and thoughtfully: this is very important information that will help your healthcare provider make a correct diagnosis and determine the right treatment for you. Be patient and provide the necessary information. Ask the most important questions you have at this first visit. You may have other questions too but don’t try to get them all answered during the first visit – you can ask them at your next visit.
2. Learn as much as you can about your headaches. The more you understand about your type of migraine, the better the quality of the information you will be able to provide to your healthcare provider.
3. Share your concerns and reactions.
First, if you don’t understand something, ask your healthcare provider for clarification. Also, check to make sure you heard correctly: rephrase what your healthcare provider has told you to make sure you grasped it correctly. Do not accept something the healthcare provider says if you don’t agree: be as clear and forthcoming as possible.
4. Learn as much as you can about your treatment plan. Before you leave the office, be sure you understand exactly what your treatment plan is – you may want to ask for written instructions or write them down yourself right then and there. Be sure to provide feedback to your healthcare provider on how well your treatment plan is working and any concerns you have about it. Remember your pharmacist will be able to help answer questions about your medicine, too.
This checklist will remind you to ask your healthcare provider important questions about your medication:
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What is the name of the medication I have been prescribed?
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What kind of medication is it (e.g. a triptan, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), an ergotamine derivative, an antidepressant)?
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Why did you select this medication for me?
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How does it work?
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What are the side effects associated with this medication
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Will it interact with any of the other medications I take?
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How often do I take this medication?
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Are there any special dosing instructions with this medication (e.g. must it be taken with food/without food)?
5. Build an open and trusting relationship with your healthcare provider. Your relationship with your healthcare provider will be built over time. Successful headache treatment depends upon being as clear as possible about your condition, your treatment and your concerns and by following your healthcare provider’s recommendations and providing feedback.
Additionally, since migraineurs usually see their healthcare providers on an on-going basis, be sure you like the way he or she treats you. Are they knowledgeable, understanding and helpful? Are they interested in your condition? If the answer is “no”, don’t hesitate to switch to a healthcare provider you feel more comfortable with and who will work to help you. You may want to think about seeing a headache specialist.
Here are some other do’s and don’ts to ensure you are communicating effectively with your healthcare provider:
Do
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Visit the National Headache Foundation Web site, www.headaches.org, for more information about communicating effectively with your healthcare provider.
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Make appointments specifically for your migraines: both you and your healthcare provider will feel rushed if you bring up your headaches at the end of a visit for something else.
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Provide him or her with as much information as possible about your migraines (You can read about keeping migraine diary in the Taking Action section of this module.)
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Because it is sometimes hard to remember everything you want to say, write out all the questions you have for your doctor before your visit.
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Take notes during your appointment because sometimes it’s hard to remember everything your doctor has said.
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Follow the treatment plan recommended by your healthcare provider: make notes about the response you get to share at your next visit. (If you have medication-related side effects, call the office.)
Don’t
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Minimize the symptoms of your migraine or how much it affects your life.
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Put up with a healthcare provider who is impatient or uninterested in your condition (especially one who says “it’s all in your head”).
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Skip appointments.
(Source: National Headache Foundation patient brochure: A patient’s guide to migraine
prevention and treatment.)
