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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, you'll probably then be referred to a doctor who specializes in treating hormonal disorders (endocrinologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and 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
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements that you're taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions ahead of time may help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important, in case time runs out. For hypercalcemia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
- What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
- What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
- What types of side effects can I expect from treatment?
- Are there any alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any dietary restrictions that I need to follow?
- 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 any time 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. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Does anything seem to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- Have you had kidney stones, bone fractures or osteoporosis?
- Do you have bone pain?
- Do you have unexplained weight loss?
- Have family members had hypercalcemia or kidney stones?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting to see your doctor, drinking plenty of fluids may help prevent kidney stones and dehydration. Additionally, any time you have to undergo a medical test that requires you to fast for a set period of time, follow your doctor's instructions closely. Ask if it's okay to drink water during the fast, and don't exceed the fasting time, to lessen your risk of dehydration.
- Disorders of calcium concentration. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec12/ch156/ch156g.html. Accessed April 11, 2009.
- Agus ZS. Etiology of hypercalcemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 10, 2009.
- Hypercalcemia (PDQ) health professional version. National Cancer Institute. Accessed April 11, 2009.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: Calcium. Office of Dietary Supplements http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp. Accessed March 8, 2009.
- Carroll MF. A practical approach to hypercalcemia. American Family Physician. 2003; 67: 1959.
- Bergson EJ. Sestamibi scans and intraoperative parathyroid hormone measurement in the treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism. Archives of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 2004; 130:87.
- Hyperparathyroidism. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://endocrine.niddk.nih.gov/pubs/hyper/hyper.htm. Accessed April 14, 2009.
- Agus ZS. Treatment of hypercalcemia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 10, 2009.
- Nippoldt, TB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Rochester, Minn. April 20, 2009.
