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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYour first appointment will likely be with your primary care physician or a gynecologist.
Because appointments can be brief, and it can be difficult to remember everything you want to discuss, it's a good idea to prepare in advance of your appointment.
What you can do
Before your appointment, you might want to write a list answering the following questions:
- When did your signs and symptoms begin?
- Do you have occasional menstrual periods or no periods at all?
- Have any other women in your family had this problem?
- What medications and supplements do you take regularly?
- Have you ever had an abdominal or pelvic surgery?
Questions you might ask your doctor include:
- What might be causing my problem?
- What tests do I need?
- What treatments are available?
- Do you have any informational brochures on this topic?
What to expect from your doctor
Questions your doctor may ask include:
- Are you sexually active?
- Could you be pregnant?
- How much distress do your symptoms cause you?
- Have you experienced unexplained weight gain or weight loss?
- How often and how intensely do you exercise?
During your appointment, speak up if you don't understand something. It's important that you understand the reason for any tests or treatments that are recommended.
- Rebar RW, et al. Abnormalities of the reproductive years: Amenorrhea. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed March 18, 2011.
- Amenorrhea. National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/amenorrhea.cfm. Accessed March 18, 2011.
- Martin V, et al. Amenorrhea. In: Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed March 18, 2011.
- Heiman DL. Amenorrhea. Primary Care. 2001;36:1.
- Lobo RA. Primary and secondary amenorrhea and precocious puberty: Etiology, diagnostic evaluation, management. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed March 18, 2011.
- Mishell DR. Family planning: Contraception, sterilization and pregnancy termination. In: Katz VL, et al. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1524/0.html. Accessed March 18, 2011.
- Welt CK, et al. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment of secondary amenorrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2011.
- Welt CK, et al. Etiology, diagnosis and treatment of primary amenorrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 21, 2011.
- Gallenberg MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 23, 2011.
- Hysteroscopy. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp084.cfm. Accessed March 21, 2011.
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