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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you think you have a sexually transmitted disease, such as chlamydia, make an appointment to see your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Appointments can be brief and there's often a lot of ground to cover, so be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information on what you can do to get ready 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, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance.
- 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 all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases?
- Should my partner be tested or treated for chlamydia infection?
- Should I abstain from sexual activity during treatment? How long should I wait?
- How can I prevent chlamydia infection in the future?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What Web sites do you recommend?
- Under what circumstances should I plan for a follow-up visit?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- Do you have a new sexual partner or multiple partners?
- Do you use condoms?
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- What are your symptoms?
- Are you experiencing any pelvic pain?
- Do you have any pain while urinating?
- Do you have any sores or unusual discharge?
- Chlamydia fact sheet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/std/chlamydia/STDFact-Chlamydia.htm. Accessed Feb. 27, 2009.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2006. MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2006;55:1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5511a1.htm. Accessed Feb. 2, 2009.
- Stamm WE. Chlamydial infections. In: Fauci AS, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=2895329. Accessed March 2, 2009.
- Zenilman JM. Genital chlamydia trachomatis infections in women. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 27, 2009.
- Zenilman JM. Genital chlamydia trachomatis infections in men. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Feb. 27, 2009.
- Miller KE. Diagnosis and treatment of Chlamydia trachomatis infection. American Family Physician. 2006;73:1411.
- Miller WC, et al. Prevalence of chlamydial and gonococcal infections among young adults in the United States. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004;291:2229.
