MAKING YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH THE MOVEMENT DISORDERS
SPECIALIST MORE PRODUCTIVE
Take along a list of your Parkinsonian medications as in the following table:
DRUG
STRENGTH
DOSE PER DAY
SINCE*
ANY CHANGES**
Sinemet CR
200/50
4 tablets
March 1995
nil
Permax
1 mg
2 tablets
March 1995
nil
Permax
.25 mg
2 tablets
Sep. 99
nil
date began taking medication
** date medication dose adjusted up or down
Also take a list of any non-Parkinson perscription medications
DRUG
STRENGTH
DOSE PER DAY
SINCE
ANY CHANGES
Imovane
7.5 mg
1 tablet
Dec 1993
stopped Sep. 1999
Also take a list of any over-the-counter non-perscription medications, vitamins, herbals and any complementary or alternative therapies (e.g.: acupuncture, naturopathy, homeopathy)
ITEM
STRENGTH
FREQUENCY
SINCE
ANY CHANGES
multi-vitamins
Centrum select, 50+
1 daily
Jan 99
Vitamin C
Jameson, 1000 mg
1 daily
Jan 99
Evening Primrose
Quest 1000 mg
1 daily
Jan 99
stopped Oct 99
List any other physicians - including psychiatrists - you are seeing together with why you are seeing them and a consent for yor MDS to consult the other doctors.
List, as objectively as you can, your symptom progression since your last appointment.
Ask about any upcoming clinical trials
Ask any questions about your condition, having first taken the time to wrte them down.
Ask every physician you see for a copy of his/her reporting letter or file note after each visit. Also - and this can get expensive - get copies of X-rays, CAT, MRI and PET scans. These are to better inform you - you are legally entitled to them - and to show your MDS should (s)he wish to see them. (A patient with this sort of documentation is treated seriously by doctors because you treat your condition seriously.)
Tale along a tape recorder and tape your appointment. Doing this ensures that you won't forget any important things your doctor says.
Give your MDS and/or his/her clinical nurse specialist/nurse practitioner a copy of this information sheet. They'll tank you for it.
