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Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

You're likely to start by seeing your primary care doctor or a general practitioner.

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:

  • Consider your smoking triggers. List the circumstances when you're most likely to reach for a cigarette. In what situations has smoking become a ritual? Are there any situations when you're less likely to smoke?
  • Write down any physical symptoms you've had that may be related to smoking, and for how long.
  • Write down key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
  • Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
  • Write down questions to ask your doctor.

Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions ahead of time 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 nicotine dependence, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

  • Do you think smoking could be causing or worsening my other health problems?
  • Is there still time for my health to benefit from quitting smoking?
  • What treatment options seem most likely to help in my case?
  • What should I do to start getting ready?
  • Can you refer me to a specialist who can help me stop smoking?

In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment.

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. Some questions your doctor may ask include:

  • How many cigarettes do you smoke each day?
  • Do you feel like you need to smoke more than you used to to get the same effects?
  • Do you have any symptoms or health problems that you suspect are related to smoking?
  • Do you smoke around others?
  • Do you have any lifestyle limitations related to smoking, such as difficulty playing sports or trying other physical activities?
  • Has smoking caused any problems at work or in your relationships?
  • Do you have any physical health problems such as heart disease or diabetes?
  • Do you have any mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety?
  • Have you tried to stop smoking? If so, what worked? What didn't work?
  • What are your biggest obstacles to stopping smoking?
  • What motivates you to stop smoking?
  • Will your loved ones support your effort to stop smoking?
  • Have any of your close friends and family also expressed concern about your drinking?
Tests and diagnosis Complications
References
  1. Nicotine. NIDA for Teens. http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/drnida/drnida_nic1.asp. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  2. Questions about smoking, tobacco and health. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/TobaccoCancer/QuestionsaboutSmokingTobaccoandHealth/questions-about-smoking-tobacco-and-health-intro-and-background. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  3. Rigotti NA, et al. Patterns of tobacco use and benefits of smoking cessation. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  4. Cigarettes and other tobacco products. NIDA. http://www.drugabuse.gov/infofacts/tobacco.html. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  5. Renard SI, et al. Management of smoking cessation in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  6. Sackey JA. Smoking cessation counseling strategies in primary care. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  7. Smoking and how to quit. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/quit-smoking/parents/. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  8. Leone FT, et al. Behavioral interventions in tobacco dependence. Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice. 2009;36:489.
  9. Hatsukami DK, et al. Tobacco addiction. The Lancet. 2008;371:2027.
  10. Parents who quit smoking when their kids are young may have a big influence on whether their offspring will quit smoking in young adulthood. The Society for the Study of Addiction. http://www.addictionjournal.org/viewpressrelease.asp?pr=26. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  11. Nicotine dependence. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Sept. 15, 2010.
  12. Hurt RD (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Oct. 12, 2010.
  13. Hurt RD, et al. Treating Tobacco Dependence in a Medical Setting. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2009;59:314.
DS00307 Nov. 23, 2010

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

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