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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou may first see your primary care doctor. However, you'll likely be sent to the hospital for immediate treatment. At the hospital, you'll probably also see a doctor who specializes in neurology (neurologist) or infectious diseases.
What you can do
- Bring any medications you take with you, and let your doctor know about any vitamins or supplements that you're taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor. Although you may not have time to write down questions before your first appointment, write down any questions you want to ask at your follow-up appointments.
For botulism, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- How did I get botulism?
- Will I have any lasting problems?
- What types of side effects can I expect from treatment?
- Are there any dietary restrictions that I need to follow?
- How can I prevent this from happening again?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions any time you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- Have you or your child eaten any canned food recently?
- If your infant is ill, has he or she consumed honey?
- Did anyone else eat the food suspected of making you ill?
- Pegram PS, et al. Botulism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 29, 2010.
- Botulism. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/botulism_gi.html. Accessed Feb. 4, 2010.
- Botulism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec14/ch178/ch178c.html. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Sobel J. Botulism. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2005;41:1167.
- Abrutyn E. Botulism. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2867436. Accessed Feb. 3, 2010.
- Follow-up to the February 8, 2008, early communication about an ongoing safety review of Botox and Botox Cosmetic (Botulinum toxin Type A) and Myobloc (Botulinum toxin Type B). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/DrugSafetyInformationforHeathcareProfessionals/ucm143819.htm. Accessed Feb. 5, 2010.
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