Q's Health News

One thing I hear frequently as a nurse when visiting with patients is, “I’m going to talk to my doctor about getting off of some of these medications!”

Well… okay, but (1) Why do you want to stop medications if they are controlling your chronic health condition? And (2) What lifestyle changes have you made in order to convince your Primary Healthcare Provider (PCP) to discontinue or stop a medication?

This really starts with you! No PCP is just going to say, “Okay, yeah, let’s just stop that medication which is controlling your high blood pressure.” Not going to happen… YOU need to prove to your PCP that you are making positive lifestyle changes. Once you’ve started making lifestyle changes, then you can discuss with your PCP about making a plan to possibly stop a medication. (I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again) NEVER stop taking a medication without first consulting with your PCP!

When starting out making changes, it’s best to make a plan and set goals. In nursing school, we were taught to get a SMART goal. If you Google SMART goal setting, you’ll find a few variations on what SMART stands for, but it’s essentially the same. “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-focused, and Time-bound.

Just saying, “I’m going to lose 4 pounds this month” will not hold me accountable for anything. HOW am I going to accomplish this goal? Instead, I need to use the SMART goal template and write a goal. One way to lose weight is to be consistent with exercise. My SMART goal for the month of August, 2017: I will exercise for 30 minutes, 5 days of the week; this will include 2 days of cardio and 3 days of weights. This goal is specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused and timely.

Try setting your own SMART goal. Set it on anything you want to improve in your life. It could be to improve your eating. For example: for one week, I will eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. You may also want to drink more water. A goal for that could be: for one month, I will drink 64 ounces of water every day. Don’t set too many goals at once, try to set one or two and once you’ve achieved those, create a new goal.

Remember YOU are in control of your health! Your PCP is just there to help you. Once you’ve started making positive lifestyle changes, then make an appointment to talk with your PCP about making medication changes.

You can find me at Dahl Memorial Healthcare Association or if you’d like you can email me at [email protected]. Thanks for joining me this month!