Making sense of anything during initial doctor appointments—or even hearing what they say—can be difficult when you’re stressed or anxious. Most people need to research their illness or condition before they’re ready to make an informed decision. Depending on your situation, books, websites, and support groups may offer insights and information about evaluating your options.
As you evaluate treatment options, follow up with the doctor’s billing or front office staff or your insurance company if you need help understanding the costs and health insurance coverage.
Questions to ask your doctor after a diagnosis
Questions to ask about a diagnosis
- What is this disease, disorder, condition, or illness?
- What caused it?
- Could my symptoms be caused by anything else? Is there a possibility this isn’t the correct diagnosis?
- Are there more symptoms I should expect?
- What kinds of tests need to be done? What will we find out?
- Are the tests risky and how accurate are they?
- What is my prognosis for the future—short- and long-term?
- Am I at risk of being contagious or infectious? Learn about infectious diseases from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Questions to ask about treatment options
- Do I have more than one option for treatment? What’s the most common treatment?
- How effective is it?
- What would happen with no treatment?
- What are the side effects?
- Will treatment negatively affect my life, job, or ability to take care of my family?
Questions to ask about surgeries
- Is surgery the only choice in my case?
- How is this surgery performed and what will you do?
- Why is surgery necessary or preferred?
- What are the risks of this surgery?
- What kind of anesthesia will be used, and what should I know about it?
- What will the recovery process be like and how long will it take?
- What are your qualifications and how much experience do you have?
Medical and health care resources to support you
- Rehabilitation, physical therapy, and palliative care for physical needs.
- Counseling or other therapy for emotional needs such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These feelings are natural following serious health events—lasting longer than the treatment in some cases. In fact, PTSD is common.2
In many cases, caregivers and close family members can also experience ongoing anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy can be beneficial in treating anxiety about your illness, depression, or PTSD after a health event (or lingering effects of trauma even if it’s not as severe as PTSD).3
Generally, going to support groups, online or in person, for people with similar experiences can help you begin to process emotions. Talking to a counselor or therapist can also help.