Staying Healthy
Afraid to visit the doctor?
You're not alone if medical anxiety is endangering your health.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Even after many years of seeing Dr. Daniel Sands, a primary care doctor at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Maggie could best be described as a reluctant patient. "She was deathly afraid of doctors and hospitals and very anxious every time she came in, but knew she had to sometimes," Dr. Sands recalls.
But Maggie's hesitancy cost her dearly, preventing her from getting care that might have kept her healthier and stronger. She skipped vaccinations against illnesses that could worsen her chronic lung disease. And although she had terrible arthritis in her knees, she refused to even consider joint replacement surgery to make her more comfortable and mobile.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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