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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor or a general practitioner.
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. Here's some information to help you get ready, and what to expect from your doctor:
- Consider your drinking habits. Take an honest look at how often and how much you drink. Be prepared to discuss any problems that alcohol may be causing.
- Write down any symptoms you've had, including any that may seem unrelated to your drinking.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, 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 ahead of time 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 alcohol abuse or alcoholism, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- Do you think I drink too much or show signs of alcohol abuse or dependence?
- Do you think alcohol could be causing or worsening my other health problems?
- Do you think I need to cut back or quit drinking?
- What is the best course of action?
- Do I need any medical tests for underlying physical problems?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- 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 spend more time on. Some questions your doctor may ask include:
- How often do you drink?
- How much do you drink?
- Do you have any family members with alcohol problems?
- Do you ever feel you're not in control of your drinking?
- Have family members, friends or co-workers ever suggested you need to cut back or quit drinking?
- Do you feel like you need to drink more than you used to to get the same effects?
- Have you tried to stop drinking? If so, was it difficult and did you have any withdrawal symptoms?
- Have you had legal problems or problems at school, at work or in your relationships that may be related to alcohol use?
- Have there been times that you have behaved in a dangerous, harmful or violent way when you've been drinking?
- Do you have any physical health problems such as liver problems or diabetes?
- Do you have any mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety?
- Do you use illegal drugs?
- Gold MS, et al. Screening for and diagnosis of alcohol problems. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Kelly JF, et al. Alcohol-related disorders. In: Stern TA, et al: Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier. 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/192040318-6/0/1657/241.html?tocnode=57542852&fromURL=241.html. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- FAQs about alcohol. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- FAQ for the general public. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/FAQs/General-English/default.htm. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 31, 2010.
- Helping patients who drink too much: A clinician's guide. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/Practitioner/CliniciansGuide2005/guide.pdf.
- Alcohol dependence. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Common questions about diet and cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_3_2X_Common_Questions_About_Diet_and_Cancer.asp. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Gold MS, et al. Psychosocial treatment of alcohol abuse and dependence. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Warne D. Alcoholism and substance abuse. In: Rakel D. Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elseveier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/192038080-3/0/1494/129.html?tocnode=54115695&fromURL=129.html. Accessed March 29, 2010.
- Make a difference: Talk to your child about alcohol. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/MakeADiff_HTML/makediff.htm. Accessed March 29, 2010.
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