| "body"> | | | | In many instances the tests are indicators; those |
| If you've been diagnosed with a chronic or | | | | things you need to look into further but not |
| life-threatening illness it's not unusual to routinely get | | | | necessarily a health threat. The lab results can be the |
| lab work done to check numerous health indicators. If | | | | springboard for conversations with your medical |
| you thought waiting for the results from diagnostic | | | | team. Understanding the implications of the lab results |
| tests were torture then you haven't waited by the | | | | is more important than the number. If the lab results |
| phone or computer waiting for the latest results on | | | | indicate the treatment regimen isn't working that's a |
| your current status. The test results are not only the | | | | big issue. If the lab results indicate that a secondary |
| gauge of how the treatment is working, but for | | | | condition results from the medication, then although |
| many it's the barometer of how they're feeling. | | | | inconvenient you haven't been condemned to poor |
| Ever wonder how you would feel if you didn't know | | | | health. |
| the test results? What would happen if you were | | | | It's important to keep up with your lab work because |
| feeling well and you were told that the numbers | | | | it's part of your medical treatment. You have to |
| were good even if they weren't very good? Would | | | | remember that the numbers are indicators. They are |
| you do anything differently? Would you feel any | | | | conversation starters about how to maximize the |
| worse just because you were told the numbers | | | | treatment protocol. The hope is that you become |
| weren't good? The placebo effect is our response to | | | | conscious of the impact your lab results have on |
| news often used in pharmaceutical trials. It's not | | | | your emotional and physical health. Speak with your |
| uncommon to find that the patient receiving the | | | | doctor about your reaction to your numbers so as a |
| placebo responds even though not receiving a | | | | team you can decrease the negative impact of the |
| therapeutic medication, but the mind can impact how | | | | numbers. Remember that how you feel is as |
| the body responds and the opposite is true. | | | | important as the numbers. Your medical provider |
| Are you capable of receiving the lab results and not | | | | should couple the lab results with proof of your |
| use them as an indicator of how the body is feeling? | | | | health and that's based on how you're living your life! |