#KeepitDangerous! Marathon: 5 Things You Can Do Before Your Doctor’s Appointment To Maximize Your Visit

If you’re the type of person who spends the time leading up to your doctor visits riddled with anxiety, you are not alone. I cannot recall the last time I visited a doctor’s office feeling collected and confident. Alternatively, some may feel so relieved to find shelter against the uncertainty of their ailments that they breeze through the exam, nodding politely, without asking half the questions they want to.

Neither of those scenarios lead to a very valuable doctor’s visit. Health and lifestyle magazines have leaned on “tips for maximizing your doctor visit” articles for years, but what about things you should be doing to prepare before you even get there?

Finding the right physicians

In order to feel like your appointment is valuable, it’s important to first make sure that you are at a facility that’s a good match for you. Visiting multiple doctors until you find one with whom you feel totally comfortable is the first step in getting the most value out of primary care. You need to be in a situation where you feel no embarrassment in full-disclosure. This means honesty about everything from your level of anxiety to your level of carelessness about your symptoms or health. Your doctor’s familiarity with the little nuances that may not be on a chart can make all the difference in making a quick and accurate diagnosis.

Be very clear when scheduling an appointment.

If the person scheduling your appointment is under the impression that you’re stopping in for something simple, there’s a chance they will schedule you in a shorter slot. It’s best to be forthright when making an appointment so your doctor has more information going in and you don’t end up being rushed.

It’s all about lists.

There have been times when I’ve gone to my yearly physical at Piedmont Family Practice thinking “Oh, good. This will be the perfect opportunity to ask about that thing that’s been driving me crazy.” Still, I almost always make it back home and smack myself for forgetting to bring it up. The best solution for keeping track of these issues is by keeping a running list. Every time a health issue arises that isn’t important enough to schedule an appointment for, make a note about it. Even if it passes, it may still be worth asking your physician about. When you’re at your next appointment, bring your list with you. You can ask about everything or prioritize the items that you feel are most important to talk about.

Bring your medical history.

It really is important to have some record of your medical history on you when you go to the doctor, especially medication that you are taking. You can expect for a nurse to grill you about the dosage and frequency of each medication. You want to be able to answer these questions as clearly and accurate as possible. If you think toting a zip-lock bag of pill bottles to the doctor is for The Golden Girls, there are actually apps for your smart phone that help keep track of your medication and medical history.

Use the web (carefully).

Yes, typing your symptoms into Google can take you from an in-grown toenail to death’s door in less than two clicks, but it can also help you inform your doctor about how you’re feeling. If you are able to get your head around the more obvious conclusions from your symptoms based on your research, you may be able to fast forward the conversation you’ll have with your primary care physician.

David Tooley is a freelance blogger who writes for blogs such as Financial Times Digest. He has plenty of experience going to doctor’s visits unprepared, and hopes others will learn from his mistakes.