If you're one of the millions of Americans who is living with
diabetes, asthma, heart disease, depression, or another chronic
illness, one way to gain better control of your illness is by working
with your doctor.
A survey sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, Chronic Care in America ,
identified five steps that may positively influence your success in
managing chronic illness:
Get a prescription for information: Ask your doctor for
more information about your condition and educate yourself by seeking
information you can trust. Read, check out the Internet, or talk to
others with the same condition.
Be aware of depression: You
may be at risk for becoming depressed. Be on guard for symptoms and see
your doctor at the first sign of loss of energy, poor appetite, trouble
sleeping, and other signals you may need help. Depression can be
treated and managed.
Make your doctor a partner in your
care: Work as a team. Don't leave the doctor's office confused or
unclear about anything. Be honest with your doctor, ask questions, and
make sure you both understand what you're talking about.
Take
action immediately after your diagnosis: put together an immediate
action plan with your doctor, including necessary lifestyle changes.
Waiting seldom helps, and can increase health problems.
Make a healthy investment in you: Most long-term conditions require
changes in your diet, exercise, and other daily activities. Work with
your doctor and set goals for change. Then, work toward those goals.
