How do I express myself to the rehabilitation professional?

To give you the best help they can, rehabilitation professionals need to have a clear and full picture of your challenges.  But it’s not always easy to explain everything perfectly when you’re on the spot.  You might want to sit down before your meeting, and work out exactly what you want the rehabilitation professional to know.  In working out your explanation, think about:

  • Are the challenges you face constant, or do they come and go?
  • Do the challenges change based on the time of day?
  • What have you tried to cope with the challenges in the past, and did it work?
  • Is there anything that makes these challenges worse?  Is there anything that makes them better?

Managing multiple healthcare providers

Many HIV+ people are already familiar with the challenges of coordinating multiple doctors’ visits, and adhering to a medication schedule.  You can add your rehabilitation service visits to your current system.  If you do not have a system yet, or if you want to improve your current system, consider these tips:

Visit tracking

  • You can put future visits into a calendar (paper or electronic) to ensure you do not forget any.
  • Some people have found it helpful to keep a record of past healthcare appointments, to give themselves a review of how their health has changed over time.  This can be as simple as a notebook where you write down each visit:
    • name of clinician
    • date
    • reason for visit
    • steps taken at visit
    • any medications, supplements, or treatment suggested
    • how you felt about the result
  • This visit record is also a good place to jot down any questions or concerns between visits.

Medication tracking
You can find medication trackers on the Internet.  Simply type the phrase “medication tracker” into a search engine like Google.  You can download your favorite, or use them to make your own.

Important
Some over-the-counter medications and supplements, and naturopathic treatments can interact with prescribed medications in negative ways.  Please consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting any OTC medications or supplements.
  • Most medication trackers include:
    • name of drug
    • dosage
    • what time you take it 
    • how you should take it, such as with food
    • how it makes you feel
    • when you started the medication
    • the last time the dosage changed
    • when you need your next refill
    • which doctor prescribed it
  • You should include supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) medications in your tracker.
  • You should bring a paper copy of your medication list to all healthcare and rehabilitation service appointments.  Your healthcare professional might need that information.
  • You can keep an electronic copy in a word processing or spreadsheet file for easy updating.
  • If you have a smart phone, there are several apps that can help you track your medication.  Some will also remind you when it is time to take your next dose.

Other trackers