Cancer Care
Preparing For Your Visit With The Doctor

If you are seeing your doctor because of a new condition, you should first prepare at home for your visit. Keep a log or diary of any new or disturbing symptoms, even if they seem unrelated to the primary concern. If you don't write them down, you may remember only those symptoms you actually feel when you are seeing the doctor.

Consider in advance the questions you would like to ask your doctor or what special information you would like from your doctor. Write these down.

Bring your questions and your symptom diary with you. You might type or write these legibly and even make a copy to give to your doctor. Bring a list of the medications you take or the bottles themselves.

Don't hesitate to bring someone else along with you to your appointment. Give a copy of your questions to this person so that he or she can remind you what questions to ask. Introduce this person to your doctor, telling your doctor that you appreciate this person's presence during the consult.

Ask your doctor for permission to tape record your visit so you can review your doctor's explanations and answers to your questions after you get home. At the very least, you--or the person you bring--should take notes of what your doctor says. This will help you remember the discussion.

Tell your doctor that you have some questions that are very important to you that need to be answered. Start with the most important question. The answer you receive may change the order or nature of the other questions you want to ask. Stay face to face with your doctor and ask your questions in a relaxed manner. Listen carefully, and note the answers as well as any other questions that these answers may raise.

Ask your doctor to make a full and understandable explanation of his or her diagnosis of your condition as well as various treatment options and their consequences. Ask for his or her recommendations for treatment and for the final prognosis.

Make decisions for a specific treatment when you are ready and feel comfortable with your decision. If you have any doubts about your diagnosis, the recommended treatment and your prognosis (with or without the recommended treatment), remember that you can always get a second opinion. Always consider a second opinion as a possibility if you feel at all uncertain about these issues. Tell your physician or the clinic nurse that you would like a second opinion and ask for the names of other recommended specialists.