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Preparing for your appointment

By Mayo Clinic staff

Appointments can be brief, so it's a good idea to be prepared to make the best use of the time allotted.

What you can do

  • Write down a detailed description of your symptoms, including any triggers that may have precipitated your faint.
  • Make a list of all your medications, including vitamins and supplements.
  • Write down questions to ask your doctor, including what types of tests you might need and what treatments might be helpful.

What to expect from your doctor
Questions may include:

  • What were you doing just before you fainted?
  • What signs and symptoms, if any, did you experience before you fainted?
  • Have you ever fainted before?
  • Have you recently started taking a new medication?
  • Have you ever experienced a head injury?
  • Has anyone in your family died suddenly from heart problems?

During the physical exam, your doctor will listen to your heart and take your blood pressure. He or she may also massage the main arteries in your neck, to see if that causes you to feel faint.

DS00806

Aug. 8, 2008

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