When you were first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you probably had a lot of questions for your healthcare provider (HCP). And that's a good thing. Questions lead to answers, which lead to knowledge and information, which can lead to sound treatment decisions.
So given all that you have to gain, why not come to your next appointment prepared to ask all of those important questions? It's one of the smartest things you can do when it comes to guiding your present and future care.
Here are some of the questions you may find useful to ask your HCP.
On my prognosis
- How active and severe is my arthritis?
- How is it likely to change in the future?
- What's my risk of permanent joint damage?
- What should I do to control my related risk of cardiovascular disease?
On exams and testing
- What blood tests am I getting and what do they reveal?
- How often do I need joint X-rays?
- What did my last X-rays reveal?
- When should I come back for a follow-up visit?
On my treatments
- Is my current treatment doing a good job of controlling the disease?
- What can I do to protect myself from medication side effects?
- What should I take for acute flare-ups?
- Are there other treatments (such as disease-modifying drugs, surgery, or clinical trials) that might be right for me?
- Would physical therapy help improve my pain and other RA symptoms?
- Are there any complementary therapies that might help?
On new medications
- How do I take my medicine and how does it work?
- Does it replace what I'm currently taking?
- If there are potential side effects, how should I handle them?
On staying well
- How often should I rest and what should I do if I have trouble sleeping?
- What kinds of exercise are safe to do?
- What can I do to make everyday activities easier?
- What vaccinations should I get?
- Is there a special diet I should follow or certain foods I should include in my diet to help reduce inflammation and improve my RA?
- Could tobacco be excerbating my RA symptoms? What tools or strategies would you recommend to help me quit smoking?
