Preparing for an appointment

You may start by seeing your primary care provider. Or, you may be referred to a specialist in skin disorders (dermatologist) or kidney disease (nephrologist).

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment.

What you can do

When you make the appointment, ask if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as fasting before having a specific test. It's also a good idea to bring a family member or friend with you because it can be difficult to remember all of the information from your appointment.

It's also helpful to make a list of:

• Your symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment
• Key personal information, including major stresses, recent life changes and family medical history
• All medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, including the doses
• Questions to ask your doctor

For calciphylaxis, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:

• What's likely causing my symptoms?
• Are there other possible causes for my symptoms?
• What tests do I need?
• Is my condition likely temporary or long lasting?
• What treatment do you recommend?
• I have other health conditions. How can I best manage these conditions together?
• Are there any dietary restrictions I need to follow?
• What's my prognosis?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you several questions, such as:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Have your symptoms been continuous or do they come and go?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• Does anything seem to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen your symptoms?