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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffFor mastitis, your first appointment will likely be with your regular health care provider, such as an obstetrician-gynecologist, family doctor or nurse practitioner. For problems related to breast-feeding, you may be referred to a lactation consultant.
What you can do
To prepare for your appointment:
- Take note of all your symptoms, even if they seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Review key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and supplements that you regularly take.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
For mastitis, some basic questions to ask include:
- Will my infection clear on its own, or will I need treatment?
- What can I do at home to relieve my symptoms?
- How might my condition affect my baby?
- Is there any reason why I should stop breast-feeding my baby?
- I'm still breast-feeding. Is the medication you're prescribing safe to take while breast-feeding?
- How long will I have to take the medication?
- What are the chances that the infection will recur? What can I do to minimize my risk of recurrence?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor may ask you questions about:
- How long you've experienced symptoms
- Whether you experience any breast pain and the severity of your pain
- Whether symptoms occur in one or both breasts
- Your breast-feeding technique
- Whether you've had previous breast infections
- Non-cancerous breast conditions. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6X_Non_Cancerous_Breast_Conditions_59.asp. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Dixon MJ. Lactational mastitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Spencer JP. Management of mastitis in breastfeeding women. American Family Physician. 2008;78:727.
- Walker M. Conquering common breast-feeding problems. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. 2008;22:267.
- Breastfeeding: Common concerns. National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/concerns/. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- FAQ on mastitis. La Leche League International. http://www.llli.org/FAQ/mastitis.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
- Dixon MJ. Inflammatory disorders of the breast. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2010.
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