Preparing for an appointment

You'll likely see your family doctor or a general practitioner. 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 restrict your diet.

Make a list of:

• Your symptoms, if you have any, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment, and when they began
• All medications, vitamins or other supplements you take, including doses
• Questions to ask your doctor

For gonorrhea, questions to ask your doctor include:

• What tests do I need?
• Should I be tested for other sexually transmitted infections?
• Should my partner be tested for gonorrhea?
• How long should I wait before resuming sexual activity?
• How can I prevent gonorrhea in the future?
• What gonorrhea complications should I be alert for?
• Are there brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?
• Will I need a follow-up visit?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions.

What to expect from your doctor

Questions your doctor is likely to ask you include:

• Have your symptoms been continuous or occasional?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• Have you been exposed to sexually transmitted infections?

What you can do in the meantime

Abstain from sex until you see your doctor. Alert your sex partners that you're having signs and symptoms so that they can arrange to see their doctors for testing.