Your Tips on How to Get Off to the Best Start with a New Specialist

....there are web sites in USA and Canada I have used where we can type in the name/s of our meds and find out if there is a possible interaction, as well some sites give information on food (I think we have all been warned about eating grapefruit with some meds.)
Husband on many meds as he has diabetes and open heart surgery in November... pages and pages from Pharmacy about warnings etc. etc. and its really overwhelming, and a pharmacist who says oh that's just for insurance purposes for manufacturer etc. There have been so many pages we don't always read them yet last week I did and one - Candesartan(Cilexetil)/Atacand the information page says "limit potassium containing foods - bananas, oranges, avocados tomatoes, potatoes and fried fruits." WE had no idea.
Also the 20 meds he is on ALL have alternative names (as has Candesartan) and the drug name on the pill bottle may not be the same name as on the list given him by attending doctor in the hospital. Not complaining, but it is very very confusing.
A few months ago I told a doctor I was taking Rivotril and he didnt know what that was - its Clonazepam and I think in USA Klonapin. I don't know if anyone else is confused or concerned but I am and with many new meds with exes XX and zeds ZZ and lengthy names, similar names, even medical personnel have to take a second look.
Glad we have these meds to help us but single meds or taking multiple meds, might be a good idea to have someone review them or even, if we can, do it ourselves. As an example, a visiting nurse noticed he had been given FOUR blood thinners on discharge (old meds already on and new meds).. from which he could have bled to death. Had she not noticed.... well, hate to think what could have happened... just to say, without wanting to upset anyone, might be a good idea to double check prescription, over the counter, "natural" remedies and even home remedies to make sure they don't add to our woes? J.

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@lacy2 I have a small notebook that goes with me to each appt, to take notes, jot down vitals, etc. In the front of that is a pocket where I have a paper listing all my medications and supplements. Importantly, there is a date at the top showing "as of". If there is a change, I make it on there, and the date something was changed. I separate the OTC things and Rx drugs. On another paper is a list of major medical procedures, flu vaccines, shingles/pneumonia shots, for quick reference. And, I keep a list of all my husband's medications in my purse, in case there is an emergency.

Having a pharmacist you can trust is critical. A few years back, before I did mail order, my pharmacist was a dr from South Africa, and was a pharmacist here in the States. David was awesome, and alerted me to several potential issues with medications and OTC alike. I miss him.

Glad your visiting nurse saw the potential errors and health emergencies!
Ginger

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Ginger you are awesome, I do the notebook thing, LARGE notebook for my husband, smaller notebook for my brother. It just keeps my thoughts organized. Especially if there is a risk of any bad news that could derail them.

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@auntieoakley Hi, my friend! Jotting comments and notes down is important. In these days when you cannot have a second person along to also hear what is said, I can ask questions and write things down.

I also have "my bag". There are several polystyrene folders that can be tossed in: Older office visits/note up to 2018, miscellaneous forms, biopsies/scans/reports/CDs to 1/16/19, cancer center and nephrology, biopsies/scans/reports from 7/2019 forward, lab results 7/2017 forward. Inside each folder is a chronological listing of what is there, to be able to grab it easily if needed. I recently [with help from my techno-husband] created an Excel spreadsheet, each year a new page, of blood test results, for quick reference. Okay, perhaps overkill, but it has been good to have these along when queried.
Ginger

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...good ideas. I wish I knew Excel, just use Word. What happened was I left my dr of 20 yrs and had new younger dr. for 2.5 yrs and he left town so have no doctor. I now use a clinic where i see a nurse and then a doctor on computer screen. Thing is, I now have files all over the place, from previous two gp's, and the clinic, and specialists and at age 77 with lots of physical issues and mental health visits to therapists, plus dental, chiros etc. over the years I find it a bit overwhelming... have lots of copies and notes but its "finding" the ones I need! Also I go to local hospital emerge clinic. So if I need, for instance, a result of a urine test result, could be in any file.. as the hospital does their own tests; clinic has a lab right next door; there is another lab I use as no appointment needed; and previous tests could be on family dr. file or ???
I sort have put myself in a corner. I was mentioning this to someone who said oh the hospital can get copies of any of your tests you have done elsewhere but they CANNOT. If the clinic is closed for weekend, or doctor on vacation, type thing, who is going to find the info on my file... it has not been shared with hospital you see. I am all for centralizing ALL my health records...I think its to my benefit, having seen various doctors and specialists. So I am trying to be the central record keeper but its too much paperwork. Ugh

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...good ideas. I wish I knew Excel, just use Word. What happened was I left my dr of 20 yrs and had new younger dr. for 2.5 yrs and he left town so have no doctor. I now use a clinic where i see a nurse and then a doctor on computer screen. Thing is, I now have files all over the place, from previous two gp's, and the clinic, and specialists and at age 77 with lots of physical issues and mental health visits to therapists, plus dental, chiros etc. over the years I find it a bit overwhelming... have lots of copies and notes but its "finding" the ones I need! Also I go to local hospital emerge clinic. So if I need, for instance, a result of a urine test result, could be in any file.. as the hospital does their own tests; clinic has a lab right next door; there is another lab I use as no appointment needed; and previous tests could be on family dr. file or ???
I sort have put myself in a corner. I was mentioning this to someone who said oh the hospital can get copies of any of your tests you have done elsewhere but they CANNOT. If the clinic is closed for weekend, or doctor on vacation, type thing, who is going to find the info on my file... it has not been shared with hospital you see. I am all for centralizing ALL my health records...I think its to my benefit, having seen various doctors and specialists. So I am trying to be the central record keeper but its too much paperwork. Ugh

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@lacy2 I have a small notebook that goes with me to each appt, to take notes, jot down vitals, etc. In the front of that is a pocket where I have a paper listing all my medications and supplements. Importantly, there is a date at the top showing "as of". If there is a change, I make it on there, and the date something was changed. I separate the OTC things and Rx drugs. On another paper is a list of major medical procedures, flu vaccines, shingles/pneumonia shots, for quick reference. And, I keep a list of all my husband's medications in my purse, in case there is an emergency.

Having a pharmacist you can trust is critical. A few years back, before I did mail order, my pharmacist was a dr from South Africa, and was a pharmacist here in the States. David was awesome, and alerted me to several potential issues with medications and OTC alike. I miss him.

Glad your visiting nurse saw the potential errors and health emergencies!
Ginger

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@sunnyflower My husband has had a rude awakening recently. For the last 30 years, his insurance was through Kaiser Permanente. He enjoyed having drs under one location, for the most part, and dedicated hospitals. Everyone took their time with him, and he received excellent care before, during, and post-kidney transplant. Now we have moved where he doesn't have access, and had to source out [basically I did the research and let him make final decision] new providers. His new nephrologist also runs a dialysis unit. My husband had to find out the hard way that to this Dr, the more patients seen in a day, the more he can bill, so appts are very brief. Fortunately he is very healthy and has no problems.
Ginger

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@gingerw, Unfortunately, your husband's rude awakening sounds very like my most recent visit with my nephrologist who insists on using a specifc lab for tests and not allowing me lab results until following her visit.

When I told her at my last visit what had occurred at the lab...no temp taken, no sanitary wipes provided, no anti-bacterial soap, and the biggest alarm: no mask worn until tech finally sat to draw blood, she replied: "That was unfortunate." Unfortunate? I should have reported the lab same day to the local health dept!

When asked if she would order next labs at the hospital/clinic all other labs are done, she responded: "We have a special arrangement with this lab and I prefer it". Really???? Hard to believe but True! Third chance for her to provide some guidance; three strikes, she's out and waiting for referral to new neph!

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