Is Your Endocrinologist Really Listening To You?

Living with type 2 diabetes means seeing multiple specialists to help manage it. Though not required, people living with type 2 diabetes may opt to see an endocrinologist to better manage living with it. An endocrinologist can conduct blood tests, prescribe and adjust medication and provide nutrition advice.

Communication with your doctor is key to your diabetes management plan. Your endocrinologist needs to know all the information about how you’re managing type 2 diabetes. If you’re seeing an endocrinologist, how can you tell if they’re listening to you? Here are some key questions to ask yourself:

• • Watch Your Endo’s Body language. Does your endo look you in the eye and seem engaged in the conversation by nodding or leaning forward?
  • Listen to Verbal cues. When you explain your concerns about your health, does your endo repeat them verbatim or paraphrase them to display understanding about your issues? Do they give verbal cues like “sure,” or “I see,” and ask clarifying questions?
  • Look for Empathy. This is one of the most important aspects of communicating with your doctor. Is the specialist empathetic to you and your situation? Your endo should show an effort to understand your perspective from a humane and personable standpoint—not just clinical.
  • Display of Partnership. You are the number one person on your healthcare team. Any provider you choose to work with should treat you as a partner in your treatment plan. When you offer research-based suggestions to improve your diabetes management regimen, does your endo take them seriously or make you feel stupid for saying anything? If the latter, this is a display of apathy. It’s a sign your doctor cares more about their way of treating you than caring about how you want to be treated.

What Should I Do if my Endo Isn’t Listening to Me?

If you’ve asked yourself the questions above and the answers aren’t positive, then talk to your endo about how you want to communicate. Are they receptive? Then start building or improving your relationship based on what you’ve discussed. If not, then it’s time to find a new endo. At that point, you may want to contact your primary care doctor for a referral or use your health insurance company’s website to find another endo who may be a better fit for you. You deserve to have the best healthcare team around you.

As someone who lives with type 2 diabetes, finding a provider who hears your concerns about managing it daily is one thing. Finding a provider who actually listens to you and works with you to address them is another. One of the critical aspects of meeting with specialists remembering you are an active player on your healthcare team. In fact, you are the main player, which means your voice is the most important. You should be able to trust your endocrinologist to at least take every concern and suggestion about your health seriously, even if they may seem trivial to them.

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