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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or pediatrician. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a doctor who specializes in conditions of the nervous system (neurologist).
Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.
What you can do
- Write down any symptoms you or your child is 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 you or your child is taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
- Make a video recording, if you have a video camera, of a typical tic to show the doctor.
Preparing a list of questions for your doctor will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important. For Tourette syndrome, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- Is this condition likely temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
- What family and patient support groups are there in my area for people with this diagnosis?
Don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment anytime you don't understand something or need more information.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, including:
- When did the symptoms begin?
- Have the symptoms been continuous or occasional?
- How severe are the symptoms?
- What, if anything, seems to improve the symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen the symptoms?
- Tourette syndrome. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/tourette/default.htm. Accessed Jan. 10, 2010.
- Jankovic, J. Tourette syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Jan. 11, 2010.
- Tourette syndrome fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/detail_tourette.htm. Accessed Jan. 10, 2010.
- Tourette syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=tourettesyndrome/show/print. Accessed Jan. 22, 2010.
- Cavanna AE, et al. The behavioral spectrum of Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 2009;21:13.
- Tourette syndrome: Frequently asked questions. Tourette Syndrome Association. http://www.tsa-usa.org/Medical/Faqs.html. Accessed Jan. 22,2010.
- Conolea CA, et al. The influence of contextual factors on tic expression in Tourette's syndrome: A review Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2008;65:487.
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