No one wants to take a prescription drug if they don’t have to.
But no matter how carefully you watch your diet—no matter how dedicated you are to exercising and taking care of your health—there may come a time when you need a medication.
If you and your doctor have made the decision that now is one of those times, do you know what the most important question you can ask him is?
The #1 question you should ask your doctor
Most people have no idea.
Asking about the drug’s track record is a great idea. Checking on the medication’s side effects is certainly important, too.
But neither are the #1 question you should ask your doctor BEFORE you fill that prescription.
Click on the video below to find out the answer…
Video Transcript
Hey everybody. It’s Dr. Levitt here, and I’m at the office where just yesterday I saw a patient whose case I want to share with you now. And I want to use his story to illustrate a point and to raise a question, a question that is rarely, rarely asked in conventional medical doctor visits.
So here’s the story.
This was a young man, he was about 36 years old, and he came to me with widespread complaints. He had complaints in his gastrointestinal system, with his respiratory tract, his muscles and joints and bones. He’s got a lot of different problems.
And one of the things that came out during its history was that he had been on Nexium, a proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux, for over 18 years. He had initially had this heartburn problem nearly twenty years ago. He went to a doctor, the doctor prescribed this medication and the medication worked like a charm. His heartburn symptoms went away, and he’s basically been on this medication ever since.
Now when he came to see me I asked him a number of questions, and it became increasingly clear to me that I was concerned that, perhaps, some of his current problems were related to adverse effects or side effects of the long-term use of this particular medication.
[The 1 question you should ALWAYS ask your doctor]
We’re not going to get into that story in detail now, but those medications can be associated with all sorts of problems if they’re taken for too long. In this case that he had been on these medications for nearly 20 years.
So what was the question that this young man should have asked his doctor way back in the day when he was 18 years old?
He should have asked, “So doc, what do we do if it works?”
[Have an action plan to follow if the drug works]
This is a really important question that is rarely asked. Now this can apply to proton pump inhibitors like acid reflux drugs, or blood pressure, or cholesterol or any other type of medication or procedure. What we do if it works?
You want to develop a plan, or an action plan, if you’re going to go on a medication that doesn’t just involve being on a medication for the rest of your life. Especially if that medication has not been studied for long-term use, like in this case,
So be advised, when you have a medical problem and it’s treated with a pharmaceutical treatment, it’s really important to ask your doctor—and do your own research—about what you’re going to do if that medication or if that works.
Do you intend to be on this for a week? For a month? For a year? For 10 years? For
the rest of your life? And are there any alternatives to the long-term use of a particular medication?
Make sure the next time you get a prescription for a drug, any drug, ask the doctor, “What do we do if it works?”.
Take care.
- Knowledgeable
- experienced
- Professionalism
- Kindness, caring, compassion
- Open-minded about alternative medicine
- Friendly (dare we even say…cool?)
Well, you’ve come to the right place. HealthierTalk is proud to introduce you to Dr. Joshua Levitt… a man who actually checks all the boxes, and more.
Dr. Joshua Levitt is a naturopathic physician who is widely known for his expertise in treating both common and complex medical problems. In practice, Dr. Levitt draws on his broad knowledge of the science of both conventional and natural medicine and the art of combing the two into a “best of both worlds” treatment strategy. He has over 15 years of direct clinical experience using a unique blend of nutritional therapy, herbal medicine, and physical medicine to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions. His patients and his readers praise him for the ability to educate, motivate, and inspire them with stories and advice that helps them help themselves. In addition to his work as an author, Dr. Levitt owns and runs a private practice in Connecticut, where he is also a clinical preceptor for the Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Levitt’s unique perspective was informed by an education that includes a degree in physiology from UCLA, a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the prestigious Bastyr University, formal residency training in integrative medicine in Seattle, and experience with thousands of patients.
Dr. Levitt is also the author and creator of several popular books, and many articles and videos, which all demonstrate his passion and commitment to bringing information and products to you that can help you achieve your health and wellness goals. You can see more from Dr. Levitt at UpWellness.com.
Latest posts by Dr. Joshua Levitt (see all)
- The supplement mistake that could harm your thyroid - July 28, 2016
- From pain to deformity 3 reasons to toss the high heels - June 16, 2016
- Does ear candling really work to remove ear wax? - May 27, 2016
