What to Do When You Disagree With Your Doctor
You love your doctor (hopefully). But there will come a day when you don’t see eye to eye. Having questions or concerns doesn’t make you a bad patient—but not talking about it, might. Here’s how to do it.
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You want a mammogram...
...but your doctor says it's unnecessary.
Divergent guidelines have led to great confusion surrounding preventive care. In 2009, a federal panel issued new guidelines that say that most women should begin regular mammograms at age 50, while the American Cancer Society still recommends annual mammograms starting at age 40. Guidelines for cervical cancer screening vary as well.
Ask your doctor which guidelines he or she follows and why, and what the pros and cons of a screening test are. If you decide you still want the test, it's OK to insist, Janecek says.
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