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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 when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a digestive disorders specialist called a gastroenterologist.
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 in advance. For example, you may need to avoid solid foods in the day leading up to your appointment.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Your doctor will want to know how many watery bowel movements you're having each day and whether there is any blood in your stools.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes. Also include a detailed description of your typical daily diet, including whether you usually use caffeine and alcohol.
- Make a list of your key medical information, including other conditions for which you've recently been treated. Write down the names of every prescription and over-the-counter drug you are currently taking or have recently taken, including antibiotics and any vitamins and supplements. Also mention if you have been hospitalized in the last few months.
- 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 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 collagenous colitis or lymphocytic colitis, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Are there any other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- Do you think my condition is temporary or chronic?
- What kinds of tests do I need? Will I need a biopsy?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- If the first type of treatment doesn't improve my symptoms, what will you recommend next?
- Is there anything I can do to prevent a recurrence of this problem?
- Am I at risk of long-term complications from this condition?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- I have these other health conditions. Do I need to change the treatments I've been using?
- 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:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- How many loose bowel movements are you having each day?
- For how long have you been experiencing frequent diarrhea?
- How severe are your other symptoms, such as abdominal cramping and nausea?
- Has there been blood in your stools?
- Have you lost any weight?
- Have you traveled recently?
- Is anyone else sick at home with diarrhea?
- Have you been hospitalized or taken antibiotics in the last few months?
- What medications are you currently taking?
- What do you eat in a typical day?
- Do you use caffeine or alcohol? How much?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting for your appointment, your symptoms may be improved by making simple changes in your diet. Try reducing the amount of fat and dairy products that you eat and eliminating caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods. Also avoid foods that you've noticed cause you to develop gas or diarrhea. Common culprits are carbonated beverages, beans, and many raw fruits and cruciferous vegetables.
- Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/collagenouscolitis/. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Collagenous Colitis and Lymphocytic Colitis. Merck Manual. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec09/ch126/ch126d.html. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Dietrich CF. Lymphocytic and collagenous colitis (microscopic colitis). http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=inflambd/5666. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Wall, Geoffrey C. Pharmacotherapy for Microscopic Colitis. Pharmacotherapy. 2007;27(3):425-433.http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/555432_1. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
- Colitis: A cause of persistent diarrhea in older adults. Mayo Clinic Health Letter.Vol. 25, No. 3, March 2007.
- Antidiarrheal Medicines: OTC Relief for Diarrhea. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/855.html#ArticleParsysMiddleColumn0010. Accessed Aug. 12, 2008.
