When seniors talk about their health, for some reason, it is easier for them to just lie about it or not tell anything at all. What they don’t know is that some of these littlest things are considered by doctors as important red flags when it comes to your well being so it is really important for you to mention them everytime you visit your doctor! By doing so, you prevent misdiagnosis from happening and your doctor will be able to give you better treatment than have him second guess things.
#1: Your smoking habit. Smoking is bad and seniors are not encouraged to continue smoking – healthy and otherwise. Seniors know this too but as they would simply put it, what difference does it make if they continue doing so? In return, they just keep on smoking – lessen it 2-3 sticks a day to remove guilt – then just lie about it when asked by their doctors. Some who admit the nasty habit to their doctors, try to trick their doctors into believing that they are on their way to weaning when in fact they don’t have any intention of doing so. One stick or ten, you just have to tell your doctor – they need to know about it. Smoking affects your blood circulation and put you in risk of forming blood clots which can clog your arteries. Smoking can also alter your treatment, bringing about unexpected drug reactions. Only your doctor can understand and foresee these reactions if told.
#2: Your stress levels. When you talk to your doctor, make it a point to express your current stress levels. A lot of bodily reactions these days are connected to stress. Just recently, my doctor found out that my incessant coughing has nothing to do with my lungs but it was brought about by an allergy – an allergy triggered by stress. So does my friend’s tummy ache – which was diagnosed as ulcers. So the next time your doctor is up for a chat, do a little rundown of the things that have been bothering you, just don’t burn your doc’s ear about it.
#3: Vitamins, supplements and other medications, herbal and otherwise, that you are taking these days. Sometimes when we refer to something as “natural”, we are quick to assume that it’s not worth telling your doctor when in fact, even the kind of food you eat, is something that should be taken note of. Fish oil for one is a blood thinner so if your doctor happened to be prescribing a medication to do exactly as such, you are doubling your recommended dose for thinning the blood.
#4: Your sex life. Just because you’re old doesn’t mean you are safe to have sex and/or invincible in acquiring sex related diseases. I say that this is the time when you should be more cautious about your sexual relations and be more aware of what going on “down there”.
#5: Your eating habits. Or more so, the kind of diet you are engaging at the moment or planning to engage in the near future. Even the slightest shift in your appetite should be reported as it is an indication of what’s going inside your body.