Making the most of your appointment
Planning what to say and what to ask at each appointment, can help you make the most of your time with your doctor
Your medical team can give you lots of support, valuable information and advice. This section will help you plan what to say and what to ask at each appointment, so that you can make the most of your time.
During appointments, it can sometimes be difficult to remember everything that your doctors and nurses have said, and everything that you want to discuss.
Here you can find a list of questions and a planner that you can take to your appointments to help you. If you can't print them, you could write down a list of your biggest questions.
It's important to tell your doctor or nurse all the symptoms you have because even things you don't think are very important, might be big clues for your doctor about how pulmonary fibrosis is affecting you.
Some symptoms may seem embarrassing but remember that you won't be the only person who has experienced them, and your medical team will not tell anyone else. The sooner you share these symptoms with your doctor or nurse, the sooner you can get advice on their control or management.
Tell your doctor
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Changes in how active you are able to be
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Changes in symptoms
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The effects of any medication you have been taking
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Changes in your lifestyle
To help you keep track, record any changes on your mobile phone or diary.
You may find it helpful to take a list of your questions to each appointment, so that you don’t forget to ask everything you want to. Leave space to write the doctor’s answers too, if you can. There may be so much information to take in during an appointment that it is easy to forget details. Don't be afraid to ask for extra time to write or ask your doctor to repeat themselves.
Your questions can be about anything, but download our resource to see some examples that other people with pulmonary fibrosis have asked.
It can be reassuring to know what's going to happen next in your medical care, and when. The downloadable in our resources can be filled in with your doctor or nurse. It can be used to collect details of the tests and appointments you will have over the next few months, to help you plan ahead.
Key takeaways
Track any changes in symptoms you notice during your day-to-day life
It's important to keep your doctor in the know as they can give you valuable information and advice
Remember to take your list of questions with you to help guide you during your appointments
Also in this section
Monitoring symptoms
Questions to ask your doctor
“Join a support group, if somebody puts out a hand for help, somebody will always hold it”