Speak Up For Your Health

Many medical condition aren't life-threatening – but they can be life-altering. An injury, infertility, or sometimes, something as simple as a medication can be a barrier to to the life you imagined for yourself. How do you re-imagine a different future and not only survive, but thrive? Dr. Herman Williams survived a cardiac arrest when he was 31. But being an orthopedic surgeon was no longer poss...

Roxane has been on a nine month journey with pancreatic cancer and now has only days or weeks to live. She explains why she chose to get aggressive treatment early on and later decided to stop treatment and transition to hospice. Roxane's story and optimistic outlook are uplifting because she is living every moment...while she's dying. Key Takeaways Use every living moment wisely. Even if you're g...

Is obesity a mental health issue? Is it “right” for people to take the new obesity drugs if they aren’t obese but simply want to lose weight? This episode is not a patient story, but the perspective and experience of a clinical health psychologist who specializes in eating and weight-related issues. Dr. Robyn Pashby talks about the vicious shame-blame cycle of obesity and how patients have autonom...

Doctors often talk about the medical complications associated with obesity, but it's rare to hear from patients about their experience with this condition and how hard it is to navigate through the healthcare system. In this episode, Joe shares his story about finding the right medical care (including the use of weight loss drugs) and losing over 100 pounds.  Links Survey of medical school deans a...

Listening to guest's stories taught Archelle even more about how to advocate. Key takeaways from the first 10 episodes of Speak Up For Your Health. Links Email: speakupforyourhealth@gmail.com Instagram:  https://instagram.com/speakupforyourhealth Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakupforyourhealth

Is childbirth a natural event for moms to direct...or a medical situation for doctors to control? Georgia, a labor and delivery nurse, had the experience to know how she wanted to deliver her own children, but it took a few rounds of advocating before she got it.  Links:  https://www.who.int/news/item/15-02-2018-individualized-supportive-care-key-to-positive-childbirth-experience-says-who https://...

A new cancer diagnosis often comes with shock, fear, and then dozens of micro-decisions. They range from “Do I need a second opinion?“ to “Is there something less aggressive we can try first?” And, for some, "This isn't the treatment response we expected, now what?" Some patients weigh in on every decision; others defer to their doctors. At age 42, Susan was diagnosed with breast cancer and weighe...

Each year, 400,000 hospitalized patients experience some type of preventable harm – and this does not include the near misses that don't result in a negative event. In Part 2, Kris kept a close eye on Dave's care even though he was stable, and she didn't hesitate to ruffle some feathers when preventable harm made her lose trust.  Key Takeaway: Keep advocating throughout the entire hospital stay. W...

Do health care "miracles" actually exist? Or, are they the result of quick action and persistent advocacy? Kris and Dave, both 53, were enjoying their favorite TV show when Dave had a sudden cardiac arrest. Kris' choices - in that moment and during the next 2 months – determined Dave's fate.  Key Takeaway: Plan, Do, Act Get CPR certified. Studies consistently show that people who live in communiti...

The complexity of the healthcare system often results in miscommunication, difficulty obtaining medical records, and delays in care. Kelsey shares her frustrating experience when she had a bout of abdominal pain but finally broke through the bureaucracy to get the surgery she needed.  Key Takeaway: Escalate You have a right to all your medical records including immediate access to your test result...

What would you do if an activity that gives you an incredible amount of joy is also the root cause of your serious injury? How do you explain to your surgeon that you really, REALLY want to get back in the ring and you want him to support you through it? This is the challenge that today's guest was able to navigate. Amanda's story begins with debilitating pain and ends with how she is balancing he...

Advocating for the medical care you want doesn't always translate into getting the medical care you need. This is what Lynn learned (the hard way) when she developed a rash and kept asking her doctor to prescribe medications that would "fix it".  Key Takeaway: Sometimes Less Medical Care Is More Adverse drug events cause approximately 1.3 million emergency department visits each year. (CDC) Over 1...

Medicine is a science and an art, and this means that doctors can have vastly different recommendations about how to treat a condition. This is the situation Brigid faced when she was admitted with a wildly abnormal heart rhythm. Whose advice did she follow? How did she decide?  Key Takeaway: Know the WHY Record conversations with your doctors, PAs, and nurses practitioners - especially if you are...

Vicki was really, really sick after her cancer surgery. Her doctor – arrogant and dismissive – wasn't listening to her symptoms. Fear, combined with anger, gave Vicki the courage to stand up to him.  Key Takeaway: Confront arrogance. If anger is the trigger for finding your voice, try to quickly turn that anger into preparing for your medical visits. Know WHY. If your healthcare provider wants to...

A young college student needed contraception. She'd done her research, was sure about her preferences and adamant about what she wanted. Her doctor agreed but almost made a mistake that would have resulted in long-term side effects.  A few years later, she was just as adamant about her pregnancy delivery preferences.  Key Takeaway: See Something…Say Something •  Advocacy starts with knowledge. Ask...