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Understanding You A guide to talking with your doctor about PMS and PMDD

Preparing for your visit

There are a couple of things you can do to prepare for a visit with your doctor and ensure you come away satisfied with the consultation.

1. Track your symptoms. Your Body Diary is a free, easy-to-use tool that can help you track your symptoms.
2. If you feel you may need to have a lengthy discussion with your doctor during your appointment, let the receptionist know you will require a longer consultation time when scheduling it.
3. Some women find it difficult or embarrassing to discuss their menstrual cycle with their doctor. If you are feeling uncomfortable, just let the doctor know at the beginning of your consultation.
4. Bring a list of the points you want to discuss and don’t be afraid to take notes as you get answers. If you have started to fill out Your Body Diary, make sure you print out your report and take that with you as well.
5. Ask the most important or difficult questions first to ensure you there is enough time in your consultation to talk through the response in the appropriate level of detail.
6. If you are seeing a new doctor, they may wish to see copies of your past medical records from other doctors. You can either call up your previous doctors yourself and get a copy of the records or provide contact information of your previous doctor to your new doctor and they can obtain a copy of your records.
7. It’s normal to feel a little embarrassed when you’re talking with your doctor about your sexual health. However, it’s important to give the doctor as much information as possible and give honest responses to the questions they ask you to ensure they are making an accurate judgment on the best treatment option for you. Some points you may want to raise with your doctor are:
   1. Any current medication your taking;
   2. Your family history including any physical or mood related conditions – if your unsure about this, ask your family members;
   3. The specific emotional and physical symptoms you experience each month and when in the month the symptoms occur. If you’ve started to fill out Your Body Diary, show the doctor the print out;
   4. The way in which the symptoms are impacting your daily activities or your relationships;
   5. The current contraception you are using including any specific brand names.

At the end of your consultation your doctor may suggest a treatment option for you. If you are prescribed a treatment, make sure you ask any questions you have about the therapy. Some questions you may consider asking include:

1. Why have you chosen this particular therapy/medication for me?
2. Are there any side effects I should look out for?
3. What effect is this therapy/medication going to have on my symptoms? i.e. will I notice a big change or only a small change?
4. How long will it be before I notice a change?
5. Can you recommend any lifestyle changes I could make to help improve my condition?
6. When should I return for my next visit?

Chapter 5