Preparing for an appointment

You'll likely first bring your symptoms to the attention of your family doctor. Depending on your symptoms, you may be referred to specialists in blood diseases (hematology), heart conditions (cardiology) or allergies.

Consider taking a relative or friend along to the appointment to help remember all the information provided.

Here's some information to help you get ready for the appointment, and what to expect from the doctor.

What you can do

Before your appointment, make a list of:

• Signs and symptoms, including any that seem unrelated to the reason for the appointment
• Any medications, including vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter medicines that you're taking, and their dosages
• Key personal information, including any major stresses or recent changes in your life

For hypereosinophilic syndrome, some basic questions to ask the doctor include:

• Will I need additional tests?
• What are the treatment options?
• What are the benefits and risks of each treatment?
• Should I see additional specialists? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover it?
• Are there brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

The doctor is likely to ask you several questions. Be ready to answer them to allow time later to cover other points you want to address. Examples include:

• When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
• Are the symptoms continuous or occasional?
• How severe are the symptoms?
• What, if anything, seems to improve your symptoms?
• What, if anything, appears to worsen the symptoms?
• Have you traveled out of the country lately?
• Do you have any allergies or skin conditions?
• Have you been exposed to any parasites such as hookworm?