Tips for working with your Doctor when you have an autoimmune disease

• Seek a health care provider who is familiar with your condition and who will listen to and address your concerns.
• Provide complete, accurate medical information.
• Make a list of your questions and concerns in advance.
• Be honest and share your point of view with the health care provider.
• Ask for clarification or further explanation if you need it.
• Talk to other members of the health care team, such as nurses, therapists, or pharmacists.
• Do not hesitate to discuss sensitive subjects (for example, birth control, intimacy) with your doctor.
• Discuss any treatment changes with your doctor before making them.

This advice comes from National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) Information Clearinghouse National Institutes of Health