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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. If your doctor suspects you may have a liver problem, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in the liver (hepatologist).
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 for your appointment. 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. 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, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Take any relevant medical records, such as records of any tests you've had that relate to your current condition.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all the information provided 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 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 nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is causing fat to build up in my liver?
- Is the fat in my liver hurting my health?
- Will my fatty liver disease progress to a more serious form?
- What are my treatment options?
- Will losing weight or changing my diet reduce the amount of fat in my liver?
- What can I do to keep my liver healthy?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What Web sites do you recommend?
- What will determine whether I should plan for a follow-up visit?
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.
- Feldstein AE, et al. Fatty liver disease. The American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/fld.asp. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
- Fatty liver. American Liver Foundation. http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/fattyliver/. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
- Reid AE. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115719609-2/0/1389/588.html?tocnode=51641781&fromURL=588.html#4-u1.0-B1-4160-0245-6..50087-1_3674. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/nash/index.htm. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
- Preiss D, et al. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: An overview of prevalence, diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment considerations. Clinical Science. 2008;115:141.
- Torres DM, et al. Diagnosis and therapy of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Gastroenterology. 2008;134:1682.
- Sheth SG, et al. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed Jan. 6, 2009.
- Moschen AR, et al. Nutrition in the pathophysiology and treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. 2008;11:620.
