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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases you may be referred immediately to a doctor who specializes in hormonal disorders (endocrinologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do to prepare for diagnostic tests.
- Write down all of the symptoms you're experiencing. Your doctor will want to know about anything that is causing you discomfort or concern, such as headaches, vision changes or discomfort in your hands, even if those symptoms seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any changes in your sex life or, if you're a woman, in your menstrual cycle.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Take along old photographs that your doctor can use to compare against your appearance today. Your doctor will likely be interested in photos from as far back as 10 years ago through the present.
- Take along a family member or friend, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For acromegaly, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Other than the most likely cause, what are possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- What treatments are available for this condition? Which approach do you recommend that I try first?
- How long will I need treatment before my symptoms improve?
- With treatment, will I go back to looking and feeling as I did before I developed symptoms of acromegaly?
- Will I have long-term complications from this condition?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in depth. Your doctor may ask:
- What symptoms are you experiencing, and when did they first appear?
- Have you noticed any changes in how you feel or how you look? Has your sex life changed? How are you sleeping? Do you have headaches or joint pain, or has your vision changed? Have you noticed excessive sweating?
- Does anything seem to improve or worsen your symptoms?
- How much would you say your features have changed over time? Do you have old pictures I can use for comparison?
- Do your old shoes and rings still fit? If not, how much has their fit changed over time?
- Have you ever had colon cancer screening?
