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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 psychiatrist.
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.
- 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 key personal information, including any major stresses or recent life changes.
- Make a list of your medical information, including other physical or mental health conditions with which you've been diagnosed. Also write down the names of any medications, vitamins, supplements or other natural remedies you're taking.
- 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.
- 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 schizoaffective disorder, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Other than the most likely cause, what are possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- How will you determine my diagnosis?
- Is my condition likely temporary or chronic?
- What treatments do you recommend for this disorder?
- What are the side effects of medications commonly used for this condition?
- How long will it take for medications to noticeably improve my symptoms?
- If the first medication we try isn't effective, what will you recommend next?
- Would talk therapy help me? If yes, should my family participate?
- How much improvement can I expect if I follow your recommended treatment plan?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Are there any restrictions that I need to follow?
- 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:
- Do you have close relationships with family members? How about friends?
- Have you recently felt depressed, hopeless, fatigued and disinterested in things that you normally enjoy? If yes, how long would you say those symptoms lasted?
- Have you recently felt euphoric and extremely optimistic, with increased energy and a belief that you can accomplish anything? If yes, how long would you say those symptoms lasted?
- Have you noticed a change in your appetite or in your need for sleep, either positive or negative?
- What other symptoms have you noticed? Are they continuous, or occasional?
- When did you first notice these symptoms?
- What do you suspect is causing your symptoms?
- Have your family members or friends expressed concern about your behavior?
- Has anyone suggested that you see or hear things that don't exist?
- Do you ever feel that you're being watched, or that people are out to get you?
- Have you ever felt that you could influence other people and events through your thoughts?
- Have you ever thought about harming yourself or others? Have you ever actually done so?
- Have any of your close relatives been diagnosed or treated for mental illness?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting for your appointment, ask friends or family members if they have felt concerned about your behavior. You'll also want to find out about your family's medical history, including any history of mental illness. If you have fantasies about hurting yourself or someone else, go to an emergency room or call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
- 1. Schizoaffective disorder. National Alliance on Mental Illness. http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedPage/TaggedPageDisplay.cfm&TPLID=54&ContentID=23043. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008.
- 2. Schizoaffective disorder. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch202/ch202d.html. Accessed Oct. 22, 2008. - 3. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association Publishing; 2000.
- 4. Schizoaffective disorder. In: Sadock BJ, et al. Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005:1533.
