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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you have indigestion, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred directly to 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. Here's some information to help you get ready, 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, such as restrict your diet.
- 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 or 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 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 indigestion, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What's the most likely cause of my symptoms?
- Are there other possible causes for my symptoms?
- What kinds of tests do I need? Do these tests require any special preparation?
- Is my condition likely temporary or long-lasting?
- What treatment do you recommend?
- Are there any side effects to that treatment?
- What are the alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any dietary restrictions that I need to follow?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
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 points you want to spend more time on. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been continuous or intermittent?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- What do you eat and drink in a typical day?
- How have you been feeling emotionally?
- How much alcohol do you drink?
- Do you use tobacco? If so, do you smoke, chew, or both?
- Are your symptoms better or worse on an empty stomach?
- Have you vomited blood or black material?
- Have your stools turned black?
- What medications — including over-the-counter medications — are you taking?
- Longstreth GF. Approach to the patient with dyspepsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 5, 2011.
- Indigestion. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/indigestion/Indigestion.pdf. Accessed March 5, 2011.
- McQuaid KR. Gastrointestinal disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al . Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2011. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6395. Accessed March 5, 2011.
- Hasler WL. Nausea, vomiting, and indigestion, In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Online. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2863966. Accessed March 5, 2011.
- Dyspepsia. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/sec02/ch007/ch007c.html. Accessed March 5, 2011.
- Graham DY, et al. Clinical practice: Diagnosis and evaluation of dyspepsia. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. 2010;44:167.
- Camilleri M, et al. Current medical treatments of dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome. Gastroenterology Clinic of North America. 2010;39:481.
- FDA drug safety communication: Possible increased risk of fractures of the hip, wrist, and spine with the use of proton pump inhibitors. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213206.htm. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Longstreth GF. Functional dyspepsia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 9, 2011.
- Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. March 14, 2011.
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