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Writing things down on paper when going to the doctor?

I’m going to the doctors soon. It’ll be my second visit as on the first one he said that I might have depression. On the first I was nervous and didn’t say most of the things I wanted to. I thought about noting down everything and bringing the note in on the next visit. Is it a good idea? Or will the doctor think that I wrote those things down on purpose (i.e. I’m pretending to have those symptoms). Any help much appreciated.

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Answer #1

I think it is a very good idea to write down the things you consider relevant, as an aide-mémoire.

This is especially true in cases of depression, where symptoms can sometimes change dramatically within relatively short periods of time:

….. in which case it is particularly helpful to know the dates and times at which specific symptoms and thoughts were occurring.

If he should ask you why you thought it was necessary to write these things down, just tell him how you forgot so many things, that may have been significant, the last time you saw him.

Answer #2

It is a good idea when you go to the doctor to write down all your concerns so you won’t forget anything. Your doctor will guide the conversation and ask you everything he will need to know. What you think is important won’t necessarily be what he thinks is important for his diagnosis.

Answer #3

I very much agree with this. They cannot start helping you until you open up.

Answer #4

After 18 months of being given a wrong diagnosis for a serious condition and me being sick of explaining the same thing over and over and forgetting this or that..I handed 4 pages of printed out symptoms to my next specialist ,and BINGO…Got tha right diagnosis in the end, all due to me writing it down in black and white for them…Its kinda like eveidence if you have submitted your pages of symptoms, they have to acknowledge what you write and act…Just telling them they can forget the detail and dont always update there files,give them paperwork and it gets added to your file and hopefully anyone dealing with you will read this before they see you and then investigate what you tell them…worked for me ,otherwise i would be paralised from the neck down if it was left to the British medical system.

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