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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffCall a doctor if you have diarrhea that is severe, lasts more than a few days or is bloody. If you are traveling, call the U.S. Consulate or Embassy for help locating a doctor. Other signs that you should seek medical attention include a fever of 102 F (38.9 C) or higher and signs of severe dehydration, including dry mouth, muscle cramps, decreased urine output or fatigue.
If you've just returned home from a trip abroad, share that information with your doctor when you call to make an appointment.
Here's some information to help you get ready, and what to expect from your doctor.
Information to gather in advance
- Pre-appointment instructions. At the time you make your appointment, ask whether there are immediate self-care steps you can take to help recover more quickly.
- Symptom history. Write down any symptoms you've been experiencing, and for how long.
- Medical history. Make a list of your key medical information, including other conditions for which you're being treated and any medications, vitamins or supplements you're currently taking.
- Questions to ask your doctor. Write down your questions in advance so that you can make the most of your time with your doctor.
The list below suggests questions to raise with your doctor about traveler's diarrhea. Don't hesitate to ask more questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
- What is causing my symptoms?
- Are there any other possible causes for my symptoms?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- Are there any possible side effects from the medications I'll be taking?
- What is the safest way for me to rehydrate?
- What dietary restrictions should I follow, and for how long?
- How soon after I begin treatment will I begin to feel better?
- How long do you expect a full recovery to take?
- Am I contagious? How can I reduce my risk of passing my illness to others?
- What can I do to reduce my risk of this condition in the future?
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 talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:
- What are your symptoms?
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have your symptoms been getting better or worse?
- Have you noticed any blood in your stools?
- Have you experienced symptoms of dehydration, such as muscle cramps or fatigue?
- What treatments have you tried so far, if any?
- Have you been able to keep down any food or liquid?
- Are you pregnant?
- Are you being treated for any other medical conditions?
- Traveler's diarrhea. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Wanke CA. Traveler's diarrhea. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's diarrhea (turista). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch016/ch016b.html. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Snider CB, et al. Travel medicine. In: Rakel RE, et al. Conn's Current Therapy 2008. 60th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-10/833243685/1621/89.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50046-7_615. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Burakoff R, et al. Gastrointestinal disease. In: Noble J, et al. Noble: Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby; 2001. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/133386890-12/0/959/648.html?tocnode=51449457&fromURL=648.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-00828-3..X5001-8--section10_3188. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Traveler's health: Prevention of specific infectious diseases. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/yellowBookCh4-Diarrhea.aspx. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- First steps for managing an acute outbreak of diarrhoea. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/publications/en/first_steps.pdf. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Norovirus: Q&A. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm. Accessed April 21, 2009.
- Sur DK, et al. Evaluating fever of unidentifiable source in young children. American Family Physician. 2007;75:1805.
