Positive? How are you feeling?

January 2007     View PDF     En español

Working with your doctor

The best way to get quality health care is to work in partnership with your provider. And good communication is the key.

This can be challenging when doctors see many patients and keep to tight schedules. Still, no matter what kind of insurance you have (or don’t have) and how little time you have to see a doctor, you have the right to quality care.

Many women have several providers including their primary care doctors, prenatal specialists, gynecologists, therapists, dentists, etc. For each, there are things you should expect and offer. Much of the responsibility rests on you, but it gets easier as they become part of your health care routine.

Lack of money should never prevent you from getting the health care you need and deserve! If you can’t find what you need, ask for help as there may be resources and options available.

Your Doctor Should …

• Know about HIV
• Respect and listen to you
• Talk in a way you understand
• Answer questions respectfully
• Describe all your options
• Explain benefits and risks of tests and medications
• Offer referrals

You Should …

• Expect to be treated with respect
• Be willing to learn about HIV and helpful resources
• Listen actively and ask questions
• Prepare for appointments by writing down questions, in order of importance
• Write down answers
• Know your limits
• Keep your paperwork (you may need it later!)
• Keep a list of therapies you take and review them with your doctor at each visit
• Keep a record, for your files, of therapies you’ve taken before and why you stopped taking them. Highlight the names of meds you stopped because of allergic reactions
• Bring your tracking records (CD4+ cell count, viral load, weight and menstrual cycle history) with you to your appointment and fill in new information
• Never give up!