Preparing for an appointment

If someone close to you is diagnosed with hepatitis A, ask your doctor or local health department if you should have the hepatitis A vaccine to prevent infection.

If you have signs and symptoms of hepatitis A, make an appointment with your family doctor or a primary doctor.

What you can do

Because appointments can be brief and there's often a lot of information to cover, it's a good idea to be well-prepared.

• Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. When you make the appointment, find out if there's anything you need to do in advance, such as change your diet.
• Write down your symptoms. Include those that seem unrelated to the reason for your appointment.
• Write down key personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
• List medications, vitamins and supplements you take.
• Consider taking a family member or friend along. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
• Write down questions to ask your doctor.

Listing questions for your doctor can help you make the most of your time together. For hepatitis A infection, some basic questions to ask your doctor are:

• What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
• Other than the most likely cause, what are other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
• If I have hepatitis A, what can I do to keep from infecting others?
• Should people close to me receive the hepatitis A vaccine?
• Can I continue to work or go to school while I have hepatitis A?
• What are the signs and symptoms of serious hepatitis A complications?
• How will I know when I can no longer spread hepatitis A to others?
• Are there brochures or other printed material I can have? What websites do you recommend?

Don't hesitate to ask other questions you have.

What to expect from your doctor

Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, including:

• When did your symptoms begin?
• Do you have symptoms all the time, or do they come and go?
• How severe are your symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to make your symptoms worse?