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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffSeek emergency care for anyone who is at risk of hyponatremia — due to prolonged athletic activity, an underlying medical condition or use of the drug Ecstasy — and develops severe signs and symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, confusion, seizures or lost consciousness.
Call your doctor if you are at risk of hyponatremia and are experiencing nausea, headache, cramping or weakness. Depending on the extent and duration of these signs and symptoms, your doctor may recommend seeking immediate medical care.
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 or instructions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there are any steps you should be following to encourage recovery. For example, your doctor may recommend limiting water intake until you are seen by a medical professional.
- List any symptoms you or your loved one has been experiencing, and for how long.
- Write down key medical information, including other medical problems for which you are being treated and the names of all medications, vitamins, supplements or other natural remedies you are taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if you are the one with symptoms of low blood sodium. Someone who accompanies you can help soak up the information and provide support if you need immediate medical care.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
For hyponatremia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- Do I have hyponatremia?
- How severe is the condition?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- Do I need to be hospitalized? For how long?
- How soon do you expect my symptoms will begin to improve?
- Am I at risk of long-term complications?
- How can I prevent a recurrence of this condition?
- Are there changes I should make to my fluid intake?
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
Being ready to answer your doctor's questions may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:
- What are your symptoms?
- When did your symptoms begin?
- Have your symptoms been getting any better or worse since they first developed?
- Have your symptoms included any mental changes, such as feeling confused, agitated or depressed?
- Have your symptoms included any behavior changes?
- Have you had nausea, vomiting or diarrhea?
- Have you felt faint, had seizures or lost consciousness?
- Have you had a headache? If yes, has it gotten progressively worse?
- Have your symptoms included weakness, fatigue or lethargy?
- Have you been diagnosed with any other medical conditions?
- What medications are you currently taking?
- Do you use recreational drugs? If yes, which drugs?
- Rose BD. Diagnosis of hyponatremia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Gibbs MA, et al. Electrolyte disturbances. In: Marx JA, et al., eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/139569939-5/845288330/1365/382.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02845-4..50128-1_6348. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Rose BD. Causes of hyponatremia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Rose BD. Treatment of hyponatremia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Weinberg MS, et al. Disorders of sodium homeostasis. In: Ferri FF. Practical Guide to the Care of the Medical Patient. 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/139569939-3/0/1417/921.html?tocnode=52510185&fromURL=921.html. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Drezner JA, et al. Environmental influences. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/139569939-6/845288600/1481/481.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2467-5..50043-9--cesec21_2481. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Ferrante MA, et al. Endogenous metabolic disorders. In: Goetz GD. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/139569939-7/845289096/1488/324.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3618-0..10038-4_2905. Accessed May 26, 2009.
- Campbell GA. The agony of ecstasy: MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and the kidney. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2008;3:1852.
