Questions you should ask your doctor

Sanchala had been bleeding heavily for 2 weeks. When she consulted a gynaecologist, she was given an injection, which would apparently stop the bleeding. It is three months now and Sanchala has not had a period since taking the injection. She feels bloated and has mood swings. She visited another gynaecologist who asked her what injection she had been given.Sanchala had absolutely no idea. She pulled out her old prescription and found out, to her dismay, that she had been given a hormonal contraceptive injection, which can postpone periods by 3 months.And Sanchala is actually trying to conceive!

Saisha had a fever of 102 degrees. Her family physician gave her an antibiotic because he suspected typhoid. 2 weeks later Saisha found out she was pregnant. She is now terrified that the medication may have had a deleterious effect on the developing fetus.

These two young women have made a cardinal mistake. They not only did not find out what medication they were being given, they also assumed that they had no right to ask. Remember that being a good patient means asking the right questions. Very often, you might be under stress because of ill health and may want to leave the decisions to your doctor. Of course it is all right to have faith in your doctor but your responsibility is primarily to yourself.

Let us take the case of Sanchala. When she was offered an injection to ‘stop the bleeding’, she should have asked what injection was being given and what its side effects were. The doctor could have informed her that she was giving her an injection that would stop periods for 3 months. Since she did not, if Sanchala had asked before taking the injection, she would have got the answer and been better prepared.

Saisha, on the other hand, was not using any contraception and was trying for a pregnancy. She should have told her family doctor. This way an antibiotic that could potentially harm the fetus would have been avoided.