by Joyce Good Henderson

Created on: September 01, 2011

Whether you have an appointment with your primary care physician, or a specialist, preparing in advance can help both you and the doctor. Your preparation should include understanding what the doctor needs from you and what you can expect from your physician.

What you can do to prepare:

 * List whatever symptoms you are experiencing, even if you think they may be unrelated to the major reason for the appointment. Record your symptoms in order of the most serious, bothersome or worrying first. Also, include concerns you have about potential problems, such as a family history of osteoporosis, or cancer, or Alzheimer’s.

 Doctors are, by nature, problem-solvers. Most of the time, they will want to tackle the first problem first, resolve it, then go on to the next problem. If you have more than one problem or concern to discuss with your doctor, make sure the most pressing, most serious, or most bothersome is the first one on your list. You may not have an opportunity to get beyond that problem in one visit.

 * Write down personal information you’re doctor needs to know, such as any changes in your general health or diet, weight loss or gain, sleep disturbances, lifestyle changes, recent injury or surgery, illnesses, and travel, especially to other countries.

* List all of your medications, including over-the-counter, vitamins and supplements. Copy the name of the medication straight from the bottle label so you get the correct spelling. Several medications have similar names and your doctor needs to know exactly what you take, especially when you have more than one physician giving you prescriptions. Following the name, write the dosage amount, for example 5 mg, and how many times a day you take the medicine. Some doctors request that you bring all of the bottles with you so that they can get the exact information.

* Consider the questions you need answered. When you have your questions written in a notebook, you won’t forget them, but, more importantly, you can write down the answers right there. If you are anxious about the appointment, consider having someone come with you to write the answers so that you can focus on hearing the answers and asking new questions as they arise.

Try not to put the doctor on the spot. When you report you are dizzy, for example, there are many causes for dizziness. Asking the doctor what is causing your dizziness may elicit a shrug. Most of the time, the doctor will want to perform some tests before

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