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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause a low platelet count may not cause symptoms, the problem is often discovered when you have a blood test for another reason. If your doctor thinks you might have ITP, you are likely to have further blood tests that require drawing a small amount of blood from a vein in your arm. You are also likely to be referred to a doctor who specializes in blood disorders (hematologist) for further evaluation and treatment.
Appointments, even with specialists, can be brief, and there's often a lot of ground to cover, so it can help to be well prepared. Here are some tips to help you get ready for your appointment:
What you can do
- Write down all your symptoms — even those that seem unrelated to your current problem. Include key personal information, such as major stresses or recent life changes.
- Bring a list of all medications, including vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter drugs, that you're taking. Even better, bring the original bottles and a written list of the dosages and directions.
- If possible, bring along a family member or friend. It can be difficult to absorb all the information provided to you during an appointment. The person who accompanies you may remember something that you forgot or missed.
- Write down questions that you want to ask your doctor. Don't be afraid to ask questions or to speak up when you don't understand something your doctor says. Start with the problems that concern you most. If you run out of time, ask to speak with a nurse or physician's assistant or leave a message for your doctor.
Questions you may want to ask include:
- What tests are needed to confirm the diagnosis?
- Is this condition temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- What will happen if I do nothing?
- What are the possible side effects of the treatments you're suggesting?
- How can I avoid those side effects?
- What kinds of alternative treatments exist?
- Can you refer me to a Web site or other source so I can learn more about this condition?
- ITP: Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/blood/113.html. Accessed July 31, 2008.
- What is idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Itp/ITP_WhatIs.html. Accessed July 31, 2008.
- George JN. Treatment and prognosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 31, 2008.
- Rodeghiero F. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: An old disease revisited in the era of evidence-based medicine. Haematologica. 2003; 88(10):1081-1087.
- Stasi R, et al. Management of immune thrombocytopenic purpura in adults. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2004;79(4):504-522. http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/pdf%2F7904%2F7904r.pdf.
- Bussel JB, et al. Eltrombopag for the treatment of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;357(22):2237-2247. http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/357/22/2237. Accessed July 31, 2008.
- Rodeghiero F. First-line therapies for immune thrombocytopenic purpura: Re-evaluating the need to treat. European Journal of Haematology. 2008; 80(69)(suppl):19-26.
- Newland A. Emerging strategies to treat chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura. European Journal of Haematology. 2008;80(69)(suppl):27-33.
