How can I prepare for a doctor’s appointment if I have arthritis?

We know that visiting the doctors can be a little intimidating at times. You might feel rushed, nervous, or unsure of what to say. Whatever you’re feeling, you’re not alone. Plus, there are also small steps you can take to make yourself feel at ease.  

To help you, we asked Dr Benjamin Ellis, Consultant Rheumatologist and Senior Clinical Policy Adviser at Versus Arthritis, for his tips on getting the most out of your next doctor’s appointment.

Understand your priorities 

We know there are many reasons why you might want to speak with a health professional. You might want to know more about your diagnosis, get treatment, or perhaps you just want to learn how you can better manage your condition yourself.  

You might not be able to cover everything in one appointment. So, Dr Ellis suggests prioritising what matters most to you.  

“Be clear about what it is that you want from the appointment,” Dr Ellis says. “You might not get everything you want in that particular appointment, so if you’re not clear with the person you’re seeing – whether that’s your doctor, physiotherapist or nurse - they might use all the time to talk about something else.” 

"Prioritise what it is you want to say – or to get – and make sure you get those covered. Then, at the end of your appointment, you might say ‘I’ve got a few other things I’d like to talk about next time."

Write down your symptoms 

We’ve all been there. We’ve gone to a doctor’s appointment, and, in the heat of the moment, we completely forgot what we wanted to say. If this sounds familiar, a diary of your symptoms might be useful. 

For example, each day, you might want to jot down: 

• What your symptoms are, including where in the body you feel them  
• When your symptoms started, and what order they appeared  
• How your symptoms typically vary over a typical day, week, or longer  
• Whether things are getting worse overall, improving, or staying the same  
• Anything that tends to make your symptoms worse, or to help with them
• Your pain severity (you might be asked to rate it on a scale of 1-10)
• Any medicines you’ve tried, and whether they helped (make sure you know the names and doses!)
• Any other people you’ve seen for this problem before (who, and where)
• Any tests that you’ve had for this problem before (where was it done, and bring a copy of the report if you possibly can) 

Get support

If you’re feeling anxious about an upcoming appointment, Dr Ellis suggests chatting with a friend or family member about your worries. Once you get to the root of the problem, you can then start to think of what might help.  

“Different people need different things. One person might say ‘What would help me is going to the appointment with somebody else, so I’m not on my own’.

"Another person might say ‘[it’s helpful] knowing that right after the appointment I've got somebody to talk to about how the appointment went.’” 

If you’re worried about remembering all the information the doctor tells you, Dr Ellis also says that you could ask the person you’re seeing if it’s ok to record the consultation on your phone, or to write down notes as you go.  

What will my doctor ask me?

“If you're already on treatment for the problem and it’s a follow-up, the doctor is almost certainly going to ask, ‘How have things been since your last appointment?’ How are you getting on with your medicines? Do you think the treatment is working for you, or should we be thinking of changing it?’” says Dr Ellis.  

If you're getting side effects from the medicines, share that with the doctor too.  

“You might decide with the doctor that the medicine is good and, although the side effects are annoying, you don’t want to not stop the medicine,” says Dr Ellis. “Or you might decide the side effects aren’t worth it because the benefit isn't good enough.”  

It’s also helpful to keep a note of the medicines and supplements you’re taking, as well as the doses. If you’re unsure, Dr Ellis says you could simply “chuck them in your bag. Then we can go through it in the appointment.”  

What questions should I ask my doctor?

During your appointment, your doctor will ask you lots of questions. But don't be afraid to ask your healthcare team questions too. For example, Dr Ellis says you might want to ask:

• What your diagnosis is (if you don’t already know) 
• If they could explain what your diagnosis means in simple terms e.g. 'What is going on in my body to cause this? What can be done about it?'
• What the treatment options are e.g. 'What are the potential benefits and potential risks? Are there any alternatives?'
• What happens if you do nothing for the moment? Can you change your mind later?
• How you can better manage your condition yourself.  

“A good question at the end of an appointment is: ‘What's happening next? Can I just check what we’ve agreed?’”, adds Dr Ellis.  

For example, your doctor might say they’re going to prescribe you a medicine for you to try, and you might agree to try to stop smoking.  

“The final question to ask is: ‘Is there anything I should look out for? What are signs that I might need to come back sooner? And, if things are getting worse, who should I contact?’” 

I’ve been waiting for a long time for an appointment. What can I do? 

We know that many people are waiting to see a doctor, and many others are waiting even longer for their treatment, including for joint replacement surgery.  

If this is true for you, remember we’re here for you while you’re waiting. If you need a listening ear, you can always reach out to our helpline or online community. Plus, there are small ways you can help yourself while you wait.  

Looking after your own health 

From staying active to eating well, there are things you can do to help yourself while you’re waiting. Remember even small changes can make a big difference.  

“If you have osteoarthritis and you’re now on a waiting list for treatment, there are ways you can help yourself while you wait,” says Dr Ellis.  

“This could be exploring mental health support if waiting is affecting your mental health, or it could be exploring ways to manage pain, such as mindfulness techniques.”  

Get your voice heard  

“If your symptoms are worsening while you're waiting for surgery, it would be perfectly reasonable to try to contact the hospital you’ve been referred to and say, ‘I’m waiting for treatment, my symptoms are getting much worse, what should I do?’,” says Dr Ellis.  

“If your GP were to write a letter saying how much worse things have got for you, there’s a chance you might be moved up the list. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth a try.”  

This is especially true if you’re waiting for an appointment to see if you have an autoimmune inflammatory type of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, or if you’ve been told you do have one of these conditions and are waiting to start treatment.

In this conditions, the immune system, which is the body’s natural self-defence system, attacks the body’s joints, causing inflammation, swelling, stiffness, pain and damage to the joints.  

"If you have rheumatoid arthritis, guidelines say that [the time] from referral to starting treatment should be no more than six weeks. So, if you’ve waited six weeks and you still haven’t had your appointment, I think it would be reasonable to go back and say to them that you’re in pain, you’re worried and you know you should have started treatment by now,” adds Dr Ellis.  

“Most hospitals have a Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) which you can contact and say, ‘I’m concerned about an aspect of my care’, so try to get hold of them if you’re not getting the care you need. There’s nothing wrong with speak up and try to get your voice heard – and people that do often get better treatment. Don’t worry about coming across as too demanding – a little gentle but firm persuasion can go a long way!”