Questions for
your doctor
By Ben Jonas Goedeke · 2 min read · checked against its sources
It is easy to forget your questions once you are in the room. Pick the ones that fit and write them down.
About the diagnosis
"Does my record fit PMDD, or something else?"
"Should anything be checked to rule out other causes?"
About the options
"What would you suggest trying first, and why?"
"How long before we know whether it is working?"
"What side effects should I look out for, and what do I do if I get them?"
About what comes next
"If this does not help, what is the next step?"
"Could I see someone who knows PMDD well?"
Keep tracking after the appointment. A few more months of notes show whether a change is making a difference.
Keep the record your doctor needs. Tideline is a period and mood tracker for iPhone: write one sentence a day, and after two cycles it puts the week before your period next to the week after it starts. Free to track, no account.
Get Tideline on the App Store
Keep reading
Sources
- IAPMD: Steps to diagnosis
- ACOG: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists: Managing premenstrual syndrome (PMS)