Applying Self-Management to Your Daily Life
Communicating with your healthcare team
Explaining what you are feeling and experiencing in a clear and effective way with your doctor and healthcare team can improve your care.
Your healthcare team may include a rheumatologist, nephrologist, along with a nurse practitioner and/or physician assistant.
Giving detailed information to your healthcare team will help you work together to answer important questions about your disease, such as:
- Is your medication working?
- You may want to use your physical symptoms tracking journal or log and your list of medications when talking to your provider.
- What challenges do you face that are affecting how and when you take your medication?
- Do you understand the warning signs that your disease may be getting worse?
- Do you have lifestyle habits that may worsen your disease?
Giving detailed information to your healthcare team will help you work together to answer important questions about your disease, such as:
- Is your medication working?
- You may want to use your physical symptoms tracking journal or log and your list of medications when talking to your provider.
- What challenges do you face that are affecting how and when you take your medication?
- Do you understand the warning signs that your disease may be getting worse?
- Do you have lifestyle habits that may worsen your disease?
For more information, download our:
EMPOWERED Self-Management Booklet
Making the most out of your appointments
Proper planning will help you get the most out of each healthcare provider appointment. There is a lot of information to cover in each appointment. There may be times that you feel rushed or that you feel your concerns are being dismissed. Your healthcare team wants what is best for you and your health. However, the topics that your healthcare provider wants to focus on may not always be the same as yours. For example, maybe the discussion is focused on medication and lab results, but you are having a really difficult time with fatigue, headaches, stress, or swelling in your feet.
The following are some important topics to discuss:
- New or worsening symptoms.
- Medication issues (e.g. following dosage instructions, dealing with side effects, managing multiple medications, using over-the-counter pain medicines safely).
- Insurance coverage and prescription costs.
- Daily living challenges (e.g. stress, fatigue, and nutrition).
Self-management goal setting for communicating with your healthcare team
Here are goals related to managing communication with your healthcare provider you can set and work toward:
Use your journal or log to monitor symptoms (see the Physical Symptoms section of the Applying self-management to your daily life handout) and note medication side affects you experience and bring it to all appointments.
- Write down one or two main issues that you want to discuss during your visit.
- Prepare a short and specific statement or question for your provider that describes what is most concerning to you.
A word from doctors who treat lupus nephritis
Other Resources for Communication with Your Healthcare Team
( Note: These are all external web resources )
Appointment Prep Guide
Step by step guide developed by GlaxoSmithKline to help you prepare for your next appointment with your doctor.
Lupus Impact Tracker
Simple worksheet developed by GlaxoSmithKline to help you rate how lupus is affecting your life and share with your doctor.
Lupus Symptoms Reference Kit (including Lupus Journals)
The Lupus Symptoms Reference Kit is provided by GlaxoSmithKline for free via mail. The kit includes a series of journals designed to help you organize your feelings about lupus, build confidence, and improve how you communicate with your doctors, friends and family.
My Lupus Log
Smartphone app developed by GlaxoSmithKline for Android to help you track and monitor your symptoms so you can better communicate how you are feeling with your doctors.
Lupus Checklist
Printable checklist created by GlaxoSmithKline to help you track and monitor your symptoms so you can better communicate how you are feeling with your doctors.
Lupus Action Plan
Printable action plan created by GlaxoSmithKline to help you manage your lupus.