Before Your Doctor Visit
If you are concerned that you may have GERD, you should arrange to visit your
doctor. GERD is a chronic disease that should be managed by a health care
professional. Once you have scheduled an appointment, there are two things you
can do to prepare for your visit.
Keep a symptom diary
A symptom diary helps
to make the most of the time you have with your doctor. This diary can be kept
for one to two weeks prior to your appointment. In the diary you can include
what you felt, (for example, a burning sensation midway down your chest,
difficulty swallowing), how long the feeling lasted, what you were doing that
might have brought on the discomfort and whether it seemed to be related to
something you ate. Also include any strategies you used to relieve the
discomfort, including over-the-counter medications, prescription medications,
or any “natural” products.
Create a list of questions and bring it with you
Before your visit, you should create a list of questions for
your doctor. These questions may include what lifestyle changes you can make to
relieve your symptoms, or which over-the-counter medications may help. If your
doctor prescribes a treatment, make sure you understand what the medicine is,
how often you should take it, and for how long. Other questions to ask might
include what medicines or foods you should avoid and when you should return for
a follow-up visit.