QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT TESTS AND PROCEDURES:
1. How will this test aid in the diagnosis or therapy of my illness?
2. Will I need to be hospitalized?
3. Will other tests need to be done?
4. Will I need other tests in the future, or will I need this test
repeated?
5. Are there simpler or less risky ways to evaluate my symptoms?
6. What if no diagnosis are made? Will you then simply observe
me to see if
the symptoms go away, or will you possibly have to go as far as exploratory
surgery?
7. Do I have any particular risk factors for any of the tests?
8. Will my insurance cover the costs of tests done either inside or
outside
of the hospital?
9. Please explain to me exactly what you are going to do during this
test
before you start.
10. How long will it take?
11. Can I expect any unusual feelings, pain, or sensations?
12. Will I need someone to drive me home after the procedure is over,
or
will it be safe to drive myself?
13. What are the risks of this test, and how often do they happen?
Am I at
particular risk?
14. Are there special instructions to follow before or after this
test?
15. Will I need to be seen after the test is done?
16. Will you call me with the test results, and can I get a copy of
them
for my personal records?
17. How will I know if a complication is occurring?
18. What should I do if I experience a complication?
19. Are there any side effects I should be concerned about?
QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT YOUR MEDICATION
1. What types of drugs are used in this disease, and how do they work?
2. Why are you choosing these particular drugs for me?
3. What are the chances that the drugs I am receiving will
"cure" me?
4. If the drugs do not cure my illness, what effect should I expect
from them?
5. How long will I have to take medication?
6. Can you give me a plan for what we will do if this treatment
doesn't work?
7. What is the dosing interval? What are the best days/best
times of day to
take the drug?
8. Are there any special instructions for taking the drugs?
9. Are there interactions with other drugs, foods, sunlight, and
alcohol?
10. What are the side effects of this drug and how often do they
occur?
11. What are the toxic effects? Be sure to clarify what the
dangerous side
effects are, how common they are, and if you are in a high-risk group and
how to recognize it.
12. Is there a wide gap between toxic and therapeutic amounts of this
drug?
13. If someone accidentally takes my drug, or I accidentally take too
much,
what is the best course of action?
14. Can I take generic drugs?
15. Is there any other way to reduce the expense of taking this drug?
Many
medications are very expensive and are not covered under most insurance
plans. The cost may be a hardship for you. Many States and
pharmaceutical
companies have Pharmacy Assistance Programs.
16. What if I become pregnant while taking this drug?
17. Does this drug interfere with sex in any way?
18. Do the medications cause sterility?
19. Can the drug be stopped suddenly or doses missed without any ill
effects?
20. What should I do if I suffer a side effect or a drug?
FINALLY
1. Is there a possibility the diagnosis is incorrect? It does happen
occasionally you know.
2. Are there any tests (or additional) tests available to confirm the
diagnosis or to show the severity of the illness?
3. What organs of my body are involved and in what way? Will the damage to
these organs be progressive? If the damage will be progressive,
be sure to
ask the usual time course over which this occurs. Ask for
drawings and down-to-earth terms to help you better understand what is going
on with your body.
4. What other organs of my body can I expect to become involved as a
consequence of the illness?
5. What are the possible ways I could have gotten this illness?
6. What are the possibilities of my passing this illness on to others, and
in what ways? Should I worry about my family catching it? What about sexual
transmission? How can I minimize the risk to others?
7. What complications am I at risk for and at what stage of the disease?
8. What symptoms or change in symptoms should I be concerned about? You need
to gain some perspective on your illness and not become obsessed with every
little ache and pain or change in symptoms. Find out which symptoms are
important, and which you need to watch out for.
9. Are there any organizations that can provide
more information about my illness or help with the problems that result from
my disease? There is a national organization (in the U.S.) dealing
specifically
with liver disease called "The American Liver Foundation," 998
Pompton Ave, Cedar Grove, NJ 007009, (800) 223-0179. In Canada there is
"The Canadian Liver Foundation," 42 Charles St, Toronto, Ontario
M4Y1T4 (416) 964-1953. These organizations can provide you with literature
and advice concerning your hepatitis. Frontline will also help you as will
many other web groups and non profit HCV related sites such as:
Hepatitis Magazine, HepC Connection and many others. Most web sites
list links to other pages. There may also be local support groups.
We list
national support lists on our website and others do the same. Our web
address is: http://frontline-hepatitis-awareness.com
10. What medications are available to control the disease? Do you ever
conduct or can you refer me to someone who performs experimental or research
trials?
11. What are the risk and benefits of taking this medication at this point
in my illness?
12. If I am unable to tolerate this medication or if it is ineffective, are
alternative therapies available?
13. How will I know if I am responding to treatment and how long will I need
treatment?
14. Is transplant an alternative at my stage of the illness? Would you
or when would you recommend it?
15. Are there diet changes or other measures I can take to lessen the
effects of the disease?
16. How frequently do I need to be seen by a doctor?
17. How do I contact you in an emergency?
18. Can I do any home monitoring of my illness that might reduce the need
for office visits?
19. Will I be able to continue working?
20. Can I expect to have to take many sick days?
21. Will this illness affect my ability to obtain life or health insurance?
22. Ask questions about the specific hobbies, sports, family and social
activities that the disease may have an effect on.
23. Will the drugs I am taking interact with other medications or impair my
ability to have sex?
24. What are your recommendations regarding alcohol, smoking,
aspirin/Tylenol Motrin, other prescription or non-prescription drugs?
25. Will the illness or the treatment interfere with my ability to have
children?
26. Will the disease or the treatment be disfiguring?
(Weight gain/loss, hair loss, etc.)
