用英文和醫生溝通:新醫生看診前的五行病史卡與對話練習
用英文和醫生溝通不必從零開始。本文教你用五行情病史卡、藥物與副作用問句、兩段診間對話,以及十分鐘練習,讓新醫生快速掌握你的長期病況。

目錄
十一年氣喘病史,只要知道該用哪六句話,就能濃縮成六句;但多數學習者不知道。於是看診方向失焦:他們描述今早的咳嗽,醫生問的問題預設了一段沒人提供的病史,而處方只根據一半的事實寫成。
這就是當病情已久、醫生卻是新的時候,用英文和醫生溝通的方法:一張五行病史卡、想不起藥名時可用的說法、關於劑量與副作用的提問、兩段對話,以及十分鐘練習。
為什麼新醫生需要的是這些年,而不只是今天
從未見過你的醫生沒有病歷,也不記得你上次的處方。藥物核對要從詢問病人取得的病史開始,記錄藥名、劑量、頻率與途徑,並同時寫下學名與商品名。
NHS 的指引說得很清楚:寫下你最重要的兩、三個問題,帶著所有藥物的清單,並註明症狀何時開始、什麼會讓症狀加重。門診時段通常只有一次十分鐘預約,所以先講五件事:病名、你得這個病多久、你吃什麼藥與多少劑量、上次檢查、你的誘發因素。醫療人員可以打斷一份清楚的清單;但沒有人能整理一團混亂。
五行病史卡
寫在紙的一面,五行,放在手上而不是包包裡。
| 行 | 要寫什麼 | 要說什麼 |
|---|---|---|
| 診斷 | 舊醫生使用的病名 | I was diagnosed with asthma. |
| 從何時開始 | 年份,以及是否改變 | I have had it since 2014, and it was stable until last winter. |
| 藥物與劑量 | 藥名、強度、多久一次、如何服用 | I take one puff of a preventer inhaler twice a day. |
| 上次檢查 | 檢查名稱、時間,以及數值 | My last lung function test was in March and it was normal. |
| 誘發因素 | 什麼會引發急性發作,什麼有幫助 | Cold air and running set off my cough. |
任何有數字的地方都寫上數字,而且自己用英文寫這張卡,就算寫得很糟也一樣:親手寫會把順序固定在記憶裡。
想不起藥物的英文名稱時
用一句話說出這個缺口:I am not sure how to say the name in English, but I have it written down.
然後遞出紙張或藥盒:寫下來的名稱勝過發音。Here is the box. This is what I take.
如果你只有讀音,就拼出來:It starts with an L. L-E-V-O-T-H-Y-R-O-X-I-N-E.
如果沒有名稱,就描述物品:It is a small white tablet with a yellow stripe. 多數處方錠都有壓印碼,藥師可以從壓印、形狀與顏色辨識沒有標籤的藥品。
分別說出商品名與學名:The box says Euthyrox, but the pharmacy calls it levothyroxine. 請帶著每一個容器,包括滴劑、藥膏與吸入器。

詢問劑量調整、副作用與下次檢查
先講事實:My dose is 100 micrograms a day. Is that still the right dose for me?
說出副作用開始的時間,這樣才能查證:Since the dose went up in June, I have had trouble sleeping, about three nights a week. Could that be the medicine?
問間隔,而不只是問檢查:When should I have the next blood test, and who will call me?
最後覆述確認,因為是非題只會得到一個「是」:So I take half a tablet on Mondays and Wednesdays, and the full tablet the other days. Is that right?
長期病況的第一次看診
- 醫生:
Good morning. What can I do for you today? - 你:
I have moved here from another city, so I need a new doctor for my asthma. I have had it since 2014. - 醫生:
And what are you taking at the moment? - 你:
One puff of a preventer twice a day, and a reliever when I need it. Here is the box. - 醫生:
Any flare-ups lately? - 你:
Two in three months, both after running in cold air. My last test was normal. - 醫生:
I will prescribe the same inhaler. Do you know how to use it? - 你:
Could you watch me do it once? And can I check I understood: same inhaler, two puffs a day, review in six months.
回診調整藥物
- 醫生:
How have the last three months been? - 你:
Better in the daytime, but I have had a dry cough every night since we increased the dose in June. - 醫生:
Every night? - 你:
About five nights a week. The leaflet lists a cough as a side effect, so I wanted to ask. - 醫生:
It does. We could try a different inhaler rather than a lower dose of this one. - 你:
What would change, and how long before I know whether it is working? - 醫生:
Two to four weeks. Keep the reliever, and tell me if the cough has not gone. - 你:
So I start the new inhaler tomorrow, keep the reliever, and the blood test is in eight weeks. Could you write that down?

進診間前的十分鐘朗讀練習
默讀這張卡不是練習;出聲說出來才是。
- 第一、二分鐘:把整張卡出聲讀兩次,不要停下來修正任何字。
- 第三、四分鐘:憑記憶依序說出五行,只要漏掉一行就從頭開始。
- 第五、六分鐘:只出聲讀第一段對話中你自己的台詞。
- 第七、八分鐘:用手機錄六十秒,聽聽看自己在哪裡停住。
- 第九、十分鐘:說出你必須問的三個問題,然後說這句補救用語:
Sorry, could you say that again more slowly?
數字要照看診時的說法完整唸出來:one hundred micrograms、seven point one、two puffs twice a day。如果某個字還是想不起來,就從卡片上讀出來。第一次看診時看著卡片讀是很正常的。
常見問題
當我打電話到診所用英文預約看診時,我該說什麼?
準備同樣的五行,並在問題開始前先說:I am calling about my asthma. My name is Ana Ruiz, and my date of birth is the third of May, 1990. 問清楚你正在和誰說話,以及對方能安排什麼。把時間覆述回去,聽不清楚的字絕不要猜:I am sorry, the line is not clear. Could you repeat the appointment time?
我該如何用英文向新醫生說明我的藥物和劑量?
每次都使用同一個三部分句子:藥名、強度、時間表。I take levothyroxine, 100 micrograms, one tablet every morning before breakfast. 然後補充你忘記服藥時怎麼做,以及你已經停用哪些藥,因為預設你完全遵從醫囑的醫生,會誤判下一次檢查。

