What to expect when changing treatment?

As the disease progressed, I went through several medical treatments or alternative health protocols. 

Each time, I went through different phases and it would have been useful to know them beforehand, to not let emotion dictate certain decisions! 

I am sharing with you today the 4 phases that I have observed when taking a new treatment or following a new health protocol:  

Stage 1: Hope and commitment 

The first phase is the hope and commitment needed to take the first step. Accepting a new treatment means believing in it, committing to its schedule and doing everything possible to make it work for you. To illustrate, if I commit to a three-month naturopathic treatment protocol, I commit financially to the purchase of food supplements, food and follow-up sessions, and at the same time, to be rigorous but also available for the changes that this generates. 

If I buy everything I need and take my pills every other day, I am self-sabotaging. If I have a migraine and don’t take my medication on time, as recommended, but a few hours too late, that’s also a way of not giving myself all the resources.  

Stage 2: Effort and patience 

The second phase is the effort phase. Investing without seeing results is a thankless and mentally difficult phase. It is essential to be surrounded and supported, and to remember why you are doing all this. This phase requires patience. 

For example, researching why this solution might work, reading things that support this idea, listening to podcasts on these topics. Having people close to me, cheering me up, listening to me, or helping me by facilitating certain tasks allows me to be patient waiting for the first results. 

Stage 3: Satisfied or refunded 

The third phase has two sides. Either we see results and feel boosted. Or you don't see results and you question the treatment. We question our commitment, and disappointment sets in. To deal with this, I'll give you some advice at the end of the article. Keep in mind that we are all unique, so sometimes it takes a little longer to find the treatment that suits us. 

Stage 4: Letting go or giving up 

The fourth phase also varies depending on the results observed. It can be that moment when we say to ourselves "I'm better now" and we relax our efforts, we aspire to "reward" ourselves in the short term. You stop enforcing the schedule.

The other possibility is that you no longer feel in agreement with the treatment: 

- The health protocol is too heavy, restrictive and does not or no longer corresponds to my values, 

- Continuing it over the long term is not an option, 

- The impact on daily life is ultimately greater than living with certain symptoms of the disease.  

Even more, in the need for the pain to stop, we have accepted fairly heavy treatments, and by having fewer symptoms, we are no longer sure we want to use these products, drugs, or protocols.  

This is very emotional for me. Indeed, I have accepted subcutaneous injections and now I see that I procrastinate to go and get my medication from the pharmacy, that I dread the arrival of the nurse, I secretly hope that she will have forgotten about me, or I feel like suggesting that we postpone our appointment. 

So, what do we do when doubt creeps in or when we doubt our treatment? 

My advice for clarifying our treatment choices.  

Here’s what I’ve done every time I changed treatment:

-          Surround yourself and share your fears or discomfort with your medical team, 

-          Do not make any decisions without the advice of your medical team, 

-          Continue the treatment until you have made a reasoned and conscious decision,  

-          Ask your loved ones to remind you why you started, what the objectives were and renew the commitment to yourself, 

-          Observe what has concretely happened (improvement, side effects, impact on daily life) and note down your feelings and thoughts, 

-          Remember that once you have discussed the benefits and risks with your medical team, you are the only one in charge. 

As the disease is not linear, neither is your level of motivation. With an improvement in your health, you can sometimes consider with the doctor to adjust the treatment. At other times, perseverance and courage are needed.  

Is it just a time when we need to be re-motivated or is it time to change treatments or protocols? 

You can record the symptoms in the Vik app to remind yourself of your progress and discuss them with your healthcare professional. 

Meanwhile, renew your patience and remember your long-term strategy. 💕For more information on how to live better as a patient, download the Vik for your disease.