Monthly Archives: September, 2018

DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP: WHEN DOES ONE CROSS THE LINE?

Openness and trust in communication with your doctor is the key to diagnostic success. Like all other relationships, the one between a physician and a patient requires time to build.

Patients usually build stronger relationships with doctors they have been seeing for a while. For example, if you are getting pregnant through IVF, expect frequent appointments with your obstetrician-gynecologist. This will undoubtedly make you get closer.

WHEN DO YOU CROSS THE LINE?

Every doctor knows how important it is for the patient to be calm and to talk freely about their symptoms. Every patient should feel comfortable asking all sorts of questions about their health. This means that the doctor is doing a good job.

No matter how wonderful your relationship with your doctor is, remember that you should keep it professional. This means that calling your doctor outside of working hours for no good reason is completely unacceptable.

Contrary to  popular belief, doctors do not live in their office. They, like everyone else, have family, children and need adequate rest time. High demands and stress at the workplace cause many young doctors to be diagnosed with severe illnesses. According to many studies, medical professionals are among the most commonly diagnosed with depression.

EMERGENCY OR NOT REALLY?

Many late night calls to the doctor can be avoided by teaching patients which situations are truly urgent.

Emergency cases require immediate intervention. For example, a pregnant woman suddenly gets severe abdominal pain and a vaginal bleeding. If the situation is not immediately taken under control, there is a risk for both the mother and the fetus.

Nonemergency means that the solution to your problem can be delayed. Typically, such problems do not appear overnight, or at least the doctor’s appointment can wait until the next day- for example, joint pain or a cough.

Panic can easily cloud one’s judgment. If you are unable to tell if your case is an emergency or not, it is always better to call your doctor.

WHAT IS A BABY SHOWER AND WHAT ARE ITS BENEFITS

Celebrations in honor of the baby and the future mother have been known to the world for centuries. The latest trend is from the US – the so-called baby shower, which is gaining popularity in Bulgaria.

HOW IS A BABY SHOW ORGANIZED

Most often the organization is done by a close friend of the pregnant woman – future mother deserves some rest after all. In the US, the party takes place several weeks before the baby is born.  Bulgarians, however, are painfully superstitious about celebrating an event that hasn’t yet taken place. If this is your case you can combine trend and tradition. Just do the baby shower on the 40th day after birth, as the custom says.

Usually only women are invited. Food includes mostly desserts and soft drinks as the celebration is often held at daytime. Many bakeries offer specially decorated biscuits and cakes. Of course, you do not have to stick to these “rules” and you can make your celebration as unique as yourself!

WHAT TO EXPECT

Although most of us associate baby showers with lots of gifts, they are not just for that. Their idea is to create a cozy atmosphere where the pregnant woman can get valuable advice on the baby’s birth and motherhood by more the experienced than her.

Of course, gifts are the other key element of the celebration. We all know how expensive a child is to take care of. To avoid duplication, you can make a list of what you need. For convenience, you can use online shopping sites’ wishlists.

Many future mothers also include various games in the program. Some guess who the baby will look like, others compete who will put a diaper on a doll the fastest – having fun is important especially during the worrisome weeks before delivery.

GIFTS IDEAS

A practical gift or a nice memory? The most important thing is to have a high quality. It is popular in Bulgaria to buy the newborn gold jewelry –  a good investment and always in fashion. You do not have to do it, especially if your budget doesn’t allow it or the family has more urgent needs. If you are not sure what to buy, a gift card, money or just asking is your safest choice. ORIGINAL GIFTS FOR NEWBORNS

READING MEDICINE ONLINE

All of us have googled their symptoms in search of quick answers. The Internet says we’re dying, while the doctor says it’s just a cold. Who is right? Reading medicine today is more accessible than ever. And whether it is dangerous or rather useful depends on the attitude of the reader.

Curious patients are a blessing. It is extremely enjoyable to work with a person who is interested in their health and wants to learn more. This helps with patient understanding and their active involvement in the therapy. We have several tips that will make your reading more successful:

1. EVERYONE CAN WRITE AN ARTICLE

Internet is accessible to all. You cannot know who is hiding behind a nickname or what their knowledge or intentions are. Be extremely cautious while reading and take everything with a grain of salt. This applies mostly to non-professional groups, forums and blogs.

Most health and care establishments have an official website with reliable and accessible information. We advise you to stick to them. Our articles are written by people who work in the medical field and are always double checked by a medical doctor. If you notice any inaccuracies, however, we kindly ask you to let us know.

2. LOST IN TRANSLATION

There are people who translate scientific papers with the best of intentions. The problem is that medical texts are challenging even for an experienced translator. It is very easy to make a mistake which completely changes the meaning of the text. If you speak a foreign language, we advise you to read the original text.

3. INTERNET WON’T REPLACE YOUR DOCTOR

Reading medicine online should not give you the confidence to self-treat, however easier it may be. If it was that simple, doctors would not study literally their whole lives. Each patient has individual needs and the choice of the most appropriate therapy is an art that is mastered by years of experience.

If you are interested in reproductive medicine, do not be afraid to ask us questions. We are also open to new ideas for articles that will be useful to you. You can always share your suggestions by sending us a Facebook message.