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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor may suspect you have factor V Leiden if:
- You have a family history of the disorder
- You've had two or more blood-clotting incidents, especially if you're younger than 50
- You're a woman who's had recurrent miscarriages or unexplained pregnancy complications
Your doctor may refer you to a specialist in genetic disorders (geneticist) or a specialist in blood disorders (hematologist) for testing to determine whether the cause of your blood clots is genetic, and specifically, whether you have the factor V Leiden mutation. 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 to know 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 your health history, including your history of blood clots. Also include any family history of blood clots or known factor V mutations.
- 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, you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. It can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you 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 factor V Leiden, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
If your doctor recommends genetic testing, questions to ask the genetic specialist include:
- How accurate is this test?
- What are the risks of the test?
- What information will come out of the test?
- What will a positive or negative result tell me?
- Might the results of the test affect my ability to obtain health insurance?
- Is an uncertain result possible, and what would that mean?
- What are my options for treating the disease if a mutation is found?
- What other family members might be affected?
- How do I broach the subject with them?
- Could this disorder affect my children before they're grown? Should they be tested?
- What measures are in place to protect my privacy?
- How often have you performed the test?
- How experienced is the lab in performing this test?
- How long will it take to get results back?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment any time you don't understand something or need more information.
