Key questions
Whatever questions or points that you wish to discuss with your doctor, it is very important to write them down beforehand, and take this list with you to your appointment. Some examples of the type of question that you might wish to ask your doctor are listed below.
Why am I taking this medication?- Why has this medication been changed/added to my regimen?
- How long will I stay on this medication?
- What side effects can occur with this medication?
- Does my medication have long-term complications?
- I am unhappy about part of my treatment. Can something be done about it?
- I find a certain symptom very troublesome. Can this be treated?
- What should I do if I experience side effects with my treatment?
- Now, or in the future, I will need help at home. Whom should I contact?
- What can I do in order to improve my living surroundings, as a person with PD?
- I feel overwhelmed and could do with some emotional support. Can you recommend a local organisation and/or counsellor to help?
- If you have been recently diagnosed as having PD: Although I don’t currently have serious mobility problems, can I be referred to a physiotherapist for advice on exercises/activities to improve the way that I move now and to help prevent problems in the future?
- If you experience stiffness in muscles and joints, and/or have difficulty with movements such as getting up from a chair, turning in bed or keeping your balance: Can I be referred to a physiotherapist to seek advice regarding my mobility problems?
As it can sometimes be difficult to know which questions to ask your doctor, the key questions listed above have been reproduced on a ‘Communication card’ that can be downloaded from this website. This communication card can be taken to your doctor’s appointment, during which you may want to ask some of these questions, or use them as a basis for questions of your own.