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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or primary care provider. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment you may be referred immediately to a doctor who specializes in conditions affecting the female reproductive tract (gynecologist).
Here's some information to help you prepare 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 to prepare for common diagnostic tests.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Make a list of your key medical information, including any other conditions for which you're being treated, and the names of any medications, vitamins or supplements you're taking.
- Consider questions to ask your doctor and write them down. Bring along notepaper and a pen to jot down information as your doctor addresses your questions.
For vulvodynia, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What could be causing my symptoms?
- What tests do you recommend?
- What types of treatments are most likely to improve my symptoms?
- How long will I need to be treated?
- Is this condition permanent or temporary?
- When might I expect to experience relief from my pain and discomfort?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
- Do you have any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
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.
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. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing your symptoms?
- Have your symptoms changed over time?
- How often do you experience pelvic pain?
- How severe is your pain, and how long does it last?
- Where is your pain located? Does it always occur in one place?
- Would you describe your pain as sharp or dull?
- Does your pain come in waves or is it constant?
- Can you anticipate when the pain is coming?
- Is your pain usually triggered by a specific event, such as intercourse or exercise?
- Do you feel pain during urination or a bowel movement?
- Does your menstrual cycle affect your pain?
- Does anything make your pain better or worse?
- Does your pain limit your ability to function? For example, have you ever had to miss school or work because of your pain?
- Is your pain causing difficulty in your marriage or other important personal relationships?
- Have you recently felt down, depressed or hopeless?
- Have you recently lost interest in things you once enjoyed?
- Have you ever had pelvic surgery?
- Have you ever been pregnant?
- Have you ever been treated for a urinary tract or vaginal infection?
- Have you ever been touched against your will?
- What do you think is causing your pain?
- What treatments have you tried so far for this condition? How have they worked?
- Are you currently being treated or have you recently been treated for any other medical conditions?
- Boardman LA, et al. Benign vulvovaginal disorders. In: Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008:625.
- Stewart EG. Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of generalized vulvodynia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2009.
- Vulvodynia. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp127.cfm. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Haefner HK, et al. The vulvodynia guideline. Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease. 2005;9:40.
- Harlow BL, et al. A population-based assessment of chronic unexplained vulvar pain: Have we underestimated the prevalence of vulvodynia? Journal of the American Medical Women's Association. 2003;58:82.
- Stewart EG. Treatment of vulvar pain syndrome. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 18, 2009.
- Self-help tips for vulvar skin care. National Vulvodynia Association. http://www.nva.org/patient_services/Self_Help_Tips.html. Accessed May 18, 2009.
