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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYour family doctor or general practitioner is likely to refer you to a dermatologist for diagnosis and treatment of Sweet's syndrome. If tests reveal an underlying condition, you'll also be referred to the appropriate specialist, such as a gastroenterologist or oncologist.
Because appointments can be brief and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it can help to be well prepared. Here are some tips to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Write down all your signs and symptoms — even those that seem unrelated to your rash. Sweet's syndrome can be a sign of several illnesses, so it's important that your doctor know all of your symptoms. Include key personal information, such as major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of all medications, including vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter drugs, that you're taking. Even better, take the original bottles and a written list of the dosages and directions.
- If possible, take 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.
If you have symptoms of Sweet's syndrome, questions you may want to ask include:
- What might be causing my rash?
- What tests do I need to confirm the diagnosis?
- Is this condition temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- What are the alternatives to the primary treatment approach that you're suggesting?
- I don't like the idea of taking steroids. Are there other medications you can prescribe?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- What if I just wait to see if my signs and symptoms go away on their own?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did your symptoms start?
- Did they come on suddenly or gradually?
- What did the rash look like when it first appeared?
- Is the rash painful?
- What, if anything, makes it better?
- What, if anything, makes it worse?
- Were you sick before the rash started?
- Do you have other symptoms that started about the same time?
- What medications do you take?
- Farhi D, et al. The neutrophilic dermatoses. Dermatology Nursing. 2008;20:274.
- Moschella SL. Neutrophilic dermatoses. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html/. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Sweet's syndrome: A dermatologic condition associated with fever and frequently confused with an infectious process. In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennet's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00052-7--s0060&uniq=193269557&isbn=978-0-443-06839-3&sid=978680989#lpState=open&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06839-3..00052-7--s0060%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-443-06839-3. Accessed April 5, 2010.
- Cohen PR. Sweet's syndrome — A comprehensive review of an acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases. 2007;2:34.
- Franks AG Jr. Skin manifestations of internal disease. Medical Clinics of North America. 2009;93:1265.
- Colchicine: Drugdex Evaluations. Micromedex Healthcare Series. http://www.micromedex.com. Accessed April 5, 2010.
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