1% Thursday: Make the call – find a new doctor.

This week, make the call you know you’ve needed to make for a long time.  Find a new doctor.

There are a lot of reasons why people put up with a doctor or specialist.  I mean that doctor that you’ve been seeing for a while – but you know you’re not happy with them.  They don’t listen, maybe.  Or all they want to do is try the latest drug on you – they’re not willing to explore other options.  Or maybe they’re even too nice – they’re not willing to tell you what you know you really need to hear.

Why do we put up with it?  Well, sometimes we’re just not aware of someone near our area who is better, and time and/or financial constraints are keeping us from making the switch (of course, imagine the financial benefits of getting those migraine or cluster attacks under control!).

But a lot of the time we just don’t want to take the risk.  What if the next doctor is worse?  Or we just don’t want to bother – all the same questions all over again, getting to know someone new, explaining again…

I understand your hesitation.  But putting up with a doctor who is not moving your treatment forward is simply not worth it.  Why wait 5 more years to change?  Yes, you may need to do a little research.  Maybe even try a specialist or two before you’re happy.  But the long term benefits are enormous.

"I just don’t have the emotional stamina to do it right now!" – all right, explain your situation to a friend.  Have them do some research for you.  But take the step.  It’s the beginning of the new year, this is your week to make a change that will make a big difference in the months to come.  Don’t put it off.  Make the call.

For more resources, read Finding a Good Migraine Specialist

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better.  Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge.  Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!