Anne Rosales, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 at the age of 56. She shares how shifting her mindset about her role in treatment discussions made a powerful difference in how she approaches clinical spaces

So I am a big proponent of taking charge of your own healthcare. And that really starts with a mindset of, “You are partnering with your medical team.”

So MS is a really tough diagnosis. It doesn’t have a cure. It has uncertain things happen. It’s really easy to feel overwhelmed, to feel powerless. And yet, developing a mindset of, “You are going to take charge and do your best to be the healthiest person you can, you’re gonna work with your medical team,” really puts you in the driver’s seat. It makes such a difference.

And so, talking with your doctor, you may have to kind of give yourself a little pep talk to talk with your doctor about something that you think could be a little controversial.

If you really feel confused and overwhelmed, a good thing is if you can take a trusted friend, or if you’re young, a parent, maybe a spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend. There are just ways that you can boost your self-confidence and also have people maybe there to help you hear things, you know.

Patients only hear about 20% of what their doctor says on average. It’s so great to have somebody else in the room with you just to be able to reflect back on what your discussion was about.