What to Bring to Doctor Appointments

It’s crucial to go to your doctor appointments as prepared as possible. Unfortunately, we have to be our own advocate even when we feel awful. To me, this means having a list of illnesses you have, a list of medications you’re taking (prescriptions, supplements, etc.), a list of questions to ask your doctor during the appointment, researching endometriosis and treatment options (or the illness and treatment options you are going to see the doctor about), a list of your symptoms, a list of tests or procedures you think would be helpful in getting you closer to the answers you need to feel better, what treatments you have tried that didn’t help, specialists you’ve been to, as well as any other information you think would be helpful.

​Here is an example of what I took with me to my doctor appointment regarding endometriosis before I had my hysterectomy in 2014:

Current illnesses
• Endometriosis
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Osteoporosis
• Vitamin d deficiency
• Interstitial cystitis

Medications
• Progesterone cream
• Biest cream
• Metformin
• Vitamin d 5000 units
• Probiotic

Questions
• What do my blood test results mean?
• Based off of what I’ve tried for treatment of endometriosis, what treatment options do I have left to try?

Symptoms
• Irregular periods
• Heavy periods
• Pain all the time that worsens with period
• Increased pelvic pain with standing
• Ovarian cysts
• Can’t wear tampons because of pain

Possible tests and procedures
• Bone scan due to Lupron and bone pain
• Excision surgery

Treatments already tried
• Birth control (Ortho Tri Cyclen, Natazia, Necon, Seasonique)
• Lupron
• Ablation surgery (2010, 2012, 2013)
• Colonoscopy (2010)
• Celebrex, Cymbalta
• Percocet, Ibuprofen, Tylenol 3, Ponstel
• Pelvic floor physical therapy
• Bio identical hormones
• Gluten free/dairy free diet

Specialists
• Gynecologist
• Urologist
• Gastroenterologist
• Pelvic floor physical therapist

It is okay to question what your doctor is telling you. It’s your body and your right to refuse a treatment you don’t want to put into your body.

You can find out more in my books Living with Endometriosis: The Complete Guide to Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Options and Living with Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Complete Guide to Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment Options.

Take care,
💛Samantha