Questions to Ask Your Doctor

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Your doctor or allergist can be an excellent source of information about your nasal allergy symptoms and treatment options. Asking good questions and recording the responses can help you gain the most benefit from your doctor's expertise, and enable you to follow recommendations as closely as possible.

Use this page as a starting point for a list of questions to ask your doctor. Check the boxes for the questions you want to ask, then print this form and take it with you to your appointment. Write your doctor's responses or any notes from the appointment in the Notes sections provided or on a separate sheet.

Allergies

• What substance or substances (allergens) are causing my nasal allergy symptoms?
• How can I avoid or reduce allergen exposure?
• How do I know when it's nasal allergies and when it's a cold?
• What are the signs that my symptoms are worsening?
• Is there any risk in not treating nasal allergy symptoms?
• How can I help prevent my nasal allergy symptoms from getting worse as allergy season progresses?

Notes:

Nasal allergy medications

• What types of treatment options are available and how do they work?
• What's the difference between over-the-counter and prescription medicines?
• Is there anything we can do to help prevent my seasonal nasal allergy symptoms from occurring?
• What are my options for controlling symptoms day and night?
• Are there medications that won't cause drowsiness or insomnia?

Notes:

Your prescription

• When should I use this prescription medication?
• Can I take it with other medicines?
• How safe is this medication?
• Does this medication have potential side effects, and if so, are they serious?
• Will this medication impair my ability to drive or operate machinery, or make me drowsy?
• Will this medication make my heart race or cause insomnia?
• Does this medication have any unpleasant scent or aftertaste?
• May I take this medication if I become pregnant?
• Should I take this medication all of the time, or just when I have symptoms?
• How soon will I begin to see relief?
• When can I stop taking this medication?
• How soon would I know if this medication is not working, and what should I do if that happens?
• May I increase the dose if I think I need to?
• Is this medication better for my situation than a different medication, and why?
• Is this medication covered under my prescription plan?
• Should I begin taking my medication immediately, or wait until my symptoms begin?
• Might this medication be appropriate to prescribe for other members of my family who have similar nasal allergy symptoms?
• Can this medication be prescribed for children?

Notes:

Next steps

• How often should I come back to see you?
• Should I consult an allergist?

Notes:

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