What Do You Ask Your Doctors When Interviewing Them?

[kyodells]

I am looking for a new primary care physician. Mine has no background in Celiac Disease (thus taking almost a year to diagnose) and doesn't have the time/inclination to learn or partner with me. I know I want more than I will probably find: an expert in Celiac who can partner with me to figure out which things are Celiac-related, which are vitamin deficiency related, etc. I am basically self-prescribing right now. I go into the doctor and say I want them to check this or that, and they do it. This is at least better than where I was a year ago, but still... I KNOW I'm not an expert (although I'm learning fast) and I'd like to find someone.

What questions would you recommend I ask when I interview new doctors? Here's what I have so far:

1) What is your experience with Celiac Disease?

2) What is your experience with auto-immune disorders?

3) What is your view on homeopathic remedies? (which is important to me)

4) What is your view on nutrition-focused medicine? (which will likely get me fluff answers, but that really is the key for me)

My nutritionist (best money ever spent!) has significant experience with Celiac Disease, so that's been helpful, but she can't advise on the other things - particularly the rashes I have (not the Celiac kind, but likely auto-immune in nature.)

[kittty]

Honestly, getting a diagnosis in a year is actually very good. Most people with celiacs aren't diagnosed for many many years. I'm still not officially diagnosed, but it's been over a decade struggling with doctors and trying to find out what was wrong with me. It's not going to be easy to find a PCP with a specialization in something like celiacs, because they are usually general practitioners and aren't focused on specific diseases. They leave that up to the specialists. And most MDs are just not trained in homeopathic medicine, and insurance companies often don't cover that aspect of medicine either.

If your doctor got you tested for celiacs and suggested that as a possible cause for your problems, then that doctor is already better than any I've ever seen. Part of your treatment will be self-study, and exploring on your own, and that goes for any disease. You will have a better understanding of your body than any doctor ever will.

Anyway, my advice is to stick with the doctor you have now, explore resources on your own, and take information to her/him that you find. At least she/he's willing to give you tests when you ask for them.