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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a digestive disorders specialist called a gastroenterologist or to an emergency department if your symptoms are severe.
It's a good idea to come well prepared to your appointment so that you can make the most of your time with your doctor. Here's some information to help you get ready and an overview of what to expect.
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. For example, your doctor may ask you to restrict your diet or stop taking certain medications to prepare for tests that are commonly used to diagnose pseudomembranous colitis.
- Write down any symptoms you're 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 your key medical information, including the names of all medications that you're currently taking or that you've taken in the last month or so. Your doctor will also want to know about other conditions for which you've recently been treated, including any procedures or hospitalizations.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes 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.
Prepare a list of questions to ask your doctor, ordered from most important to least important, in case your time with your doctor is limited. Some basic questions to ask your doctor about pseudomembranous colitis include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms?
- Are there any other possible causes for my condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- Is there anything I can do to prevent a recurrence of this condition?
- If my symptoms do recur, what treatment options will be available?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing me?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home 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:
- In the last several weeks, have you taken antibiotics, had a surgical procedure or been hospitalized?
- Is anyone at home sick with diarrhea, or has anyone at home been hospitalized in the last several weeks?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with diarrhea related to C. dificile or antibiotics?
- When did you first begin experiencing signs and symptoms?
- Have your symptoms stayed the same or gotten worse?
- Are you having abdominal pain?
- Do you have diarrhea? Is there blood or pus in your stools?
- What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
- What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?
- Are you being treated for any other medical conditions?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting for your appointment, drink plenty of fluids and stick to bland foods. Ask your doctor if you should switch to a liquid diet before your appointment.
