How Not to Be My Patient: A Physician's Secrets for Staying Healthy and Surviving Any Diagnosis

by Edward T. Creagan, Sandra Wendel

The facts are clear.
If you want to be healthy for life:

-Learn to talk so your doctor will listen.
-Understand every diagnosis—and realize that you can survive bad news.
-Follow Dr. Ed’s 8 simple commandments for living well—and you’ll live long enough to cash in your 401(k).
-Separate hype from hope, especially with perplexing medical headlines and confusing Internet information.
-Get insight into what your doctor wasn’t taught in medical school.
-Combine the best of traditional and complementary treatments.

Dr. Edward Creagan has been treating very sick patients for more than 30 years. This book is not just about lifestyle choices, although these are important aspects of Dr. Creagan’s healthy living plan. It is about using your precious minutes in the exam room (the average doctor visit is about 16 minutes), forging the right kind of relationship with your care providers (because that world is changing quickly), and understanding and using the health care system—instead of having the system use (and often abuse) you.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

314 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Edward T. Creagan, M.D., F.A.A.H.P.M., is a professor of medical oncology at the Mayo Clinic Medical School. He holds the endowed chair as the John and Roma Rouse Professor of Humanism in Medicine. Most recently, he was named Outstanding Educator from the Mayo Clinic School of Continuing Medical Education and has received the Distinguished Mayo Clinician Award—Mayo Clinic’s highest honor. He completed an elected term as President of the Mayo Staff.

Dr. Creagan was the first Mayo Clinic consultant board certified in hospice and palliative medicine. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Dr. Creagan received his medical training at New York Medical College and earned graduate degrees in internal medicine and oncology at the University of Michigan and the National Cancer Institute before joining the staff at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he has endured over 37 Minnesota winters. He is also board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology.

He is a researcher and author of over 400 scientific papers and has given 1,000 presentations throughout the world, including his home state of New Jersey. His columns on health, wellness, and the mind-body connection have appeared in Midwestern newspapers. He tweets @EdwardCreagan and @AskDoctorEd and blogs on MayoClinic.com, Mayo Clinic’s online website for consumer health information, where Dr. Creagan is associate medical editor, He is the editor of the book Mayo Clinic on Healthy Aging.

An avid marathoner and golfer, father of three sons, grandfather of two incredible boys, Dr. Creagan and his wife, Peggy, live in Rochester, Minnesota.

Reviews

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard the index is top-notch!

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the first reading, I felt like the book was directed at cancer patients, and somewhat dry. On my second reading of it, I found it more engaging; it is about how to live regardless of a medical diagnosis.

This was the first time I saw the Stages of Change in writing. I first learned about them when jogging alongside a mental health worker, and was delighted when I finally found them listed. Here they are:

        Stages of Change
by University of Rhode Island’s Cancer Prevention Research Center (James O. Prochaska, Pd.D.)

    Precontemplation
The How-you-gonna-get-‘em-off-the-couch stage.  Many people never move forward from this stage.
    Contemplation
You’re waiting for that magic moment.  You want to change (stop smoling, lose weight, wear sunscreen, cut back on alchol use), and you’re thinking seriously about it.
    Preparation
You have decided to take action within the next thirty days.
    Action
You are practicing the behavior changes you thought about and prepared for.
    Maintenance
You continue to work at practicing your new behavior, but it’s not a struggle any more. ... Some people simply remain in this stage.
    Termination
Temptation no longer rears its head.  No way will you ever smoke again.  Fried food, forget it.  Buckle up without thinking about it.  You’re a regular in the Monday and Thursday aerobics class.  This is the final step in true behavior change.

[Victoria Haugen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book, I just turned 50 and I found it very useful and enlightening, it's almost scary to know too much, but it's eye-opening. I have been really thinking about making some changes (not drastic, mind you, but steps in the right..er direction haha), and this really nice timing. I enjoyed the writing, the information, and the narration. There's a lot of information, but I found it easy to listen to and understand :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Good, solid advice from a down to earth Doctor. He spoke to me in a straight forward, understandable way, that encouraged as well as cautioned. I enjoyed his examples which kept my interest but overall had to take small bites and think about each piece of advice. This is not a book to read in one sitting but rather absorb over time then reread as a guide/reference. Thanks Dr. Creagan, you help to empower me to be a partner in my health care and healthy lifestyle.

[Gwendolyn Plano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Creagan's notable background in oncology provides the foundation for the medical recommendations in his book, How Not To Be My Patient. The book held my attention to the last page, and from my limited background, I'd say it is "right on".

I was moved by Dr. Craegan's genuine care for his patients, and I was impressed by his advice for living a healthy and full life. I recommend this book to all.

[Josiah]

This copy received for free courtesy of GoodReads FirstReads program!