Build a Personal
Health Journal (part 1)
Look both ways before
crossing the street. Don’t speak to
strangers. Back up your computer hard
drive…. Some wisdom is meant to prevent a
problem later, as is today’s column.
Today’s wise words
suggest developing a Personal Health Journal
now, to help you solve a future diagnosis
mystery, or to help you get the right
diagnosis and treatment sooner than you
otherwise might.
There are two
kinds of records you’ll want to pull
together. Both your family health history,
and your individual medical history can be
invaluable when you begin to experience
symptoms. Assemble them now, keep them in a
notebook or binder, and make sure they stay
current.
Begin with your
family health history. Gather information
about blood relatives only: parents,
grandparents and siblings. Don’t bother
recording their names. To maintain their
privacy, include only their relationships to
you, and the mental or physical health
problems they have been treated for. And
don’t worry about steps, halves or adopted
relatives since they are not genetically
related to you.
When a health
problem crops up, and you need to visit your
doctor, share your Journal. The idea is to
identify trends or genetic traits among your
family members that may affect your own
health. From heart disease, to certain
cancers, to Alzheimer’s, stroke, alcoholism
and many others; what your family members
have suffered or died from can steer you and
your doctor toward the right decisions about
tests, screenings, preventative measures or
treatments if you begin to develop symptoms,
too.
Your individual
medical history is also important. It will
help you remind your doctor when past
medical events could possibly affect a
future diagnosis. If you broke your ankle
when you were young, it may suggest a
diagnosis of arthritis later in life, or if
you know you are allergic to penicillin,
then it could explain a drug reaction today.
Even if you have
seen the same doctor your entire life, that
doesn’t mean that doctor will have all your
records, nor does it mean they will be
easily accessible. Taking the time now to
pull them together will prevent treatment
delays later.
For now, just make
a list of the times you’ve needed medical
care that might affect your future health.
In the next Every Patient’s Advocate column,
we’ll talk about how to get copies of your
records from your doctor to round out your
Personal Health Journal.
(This is part 1 of 3.
Link here to
part 2
or
part 3.)
© 2006 Trisha Torrey
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