Going to the Doctor? Use Your “BRAINS” to Remember What to Ask
At least once a month, I end up in conversation with somebody who had a truly awful experience at the doctor’s office. A common refrain is, “I felt so rushed, I couldn’t even remember what I wanted to ask the doc!” Another is, “I still don’t fully understand my options.” UGH I KNOW.
In 2020 I thought I was going to become a birth doula. I did not become a birth doula. (You can read more on that here.) HOWEVER. Training gave me a ton of tips and resources to use with folks across reproductive health (including birth control and periods)!
One of those tools: BRAINS. 🧠 This acronym can help you remember exactly what questions to ask when you’re getting rushed, pressured, or confused by your medical professional. Work your way through each letter and you’ll get a clearer idea of your options and the effects of the treatment/test/whatever they’re recommending:
B: What are the Benefits?
R: What are the Risks?
A: What are the Alternatives?
I: Check in with yourself: What’s my Intuition saying right now?
N: What would happen if I do Nothing?
S: Sit with it. 99%+ of decisions are not emergencies. You could have minutes, hours, days, or weeks to come to a decision.
This works for birth control. Tests. Treatments. Medications. This is YOUR body, and you deserve to ask all the questions you need to make an informed choice. BRAINS helps you ground into those questions when the exam room is feeling chaotic.
(I wish I could help you with insurance. If only.)
Over time, I’m importing my entire body of work related to menstrual cycles and reproductive health here: