What will the consultation comprise?
- A talk with your doctor regarding the history of your complaint(s). Below there are a few aspects which the doctor might want to know:
- Your main complaint(s)
- When did your problem occur for the first time?
- Were there any special circumstances then?
- How often do you experience symptoms now?
- Are your symptoms seasonal or do they last all year round?
- How severe are your symptoms?
- Any factors/situations that trigger/worsen your symptoms
- Any factors/situations that make your symptoms better
- Do you have problems with sleep, concentration, work, school or social interactions due to your disease
- Any possible allergens in your home/work/school environment (including pets, mouldy spaces indoor & outdoor etc.)
- Your occupation and hobbies
- Other allergies you suffer or have suffered from (including asthma, rhinitis, eczema, food allergies, drug or insect allergies)
- Other diseases you suffer from and treatments you take for these conditions
- Is there anyone else in your family suffering from allergy?
- Treatments that you took for your current symptoms (name of the drug(s), daily dose, for how long did you take them, any side effects you experienced)
- How well did your previous treatments work
- Any concerns you may have about this treatment
- An allergy test if the doctor considers it necessary. This can be a skin prick test and/ or an allergy blood test . Antihistamines interfere with skin prick test which is why you should stop taking them 3 days before coming to the consultation but only if your condition should not be inconvenienced by this. For eczema the doctor might decide that you need a skin test to chemicals.
- A blood test might also be necessary to rule out the other conditions that can have similar symptom and to confirm the diagnosis of allergy
- A breathing test: this is recommended if your doctor thinks that the allergy affects the normal functioning of your lungs (e.g. if you have asthma)
- Other investigations might also be necessary sometimes (X-Ray scan of your chest or sinuses, investigation of your stomach and gut etc.)
- Information about your disease. Once the doctor has worked out your diagnosis she will discuss it with you (what it is, what are the clinical manifestations, possible ways your disease might progress, currently available treatments and the usual treatment outcomes) and will work out together with you a personal management plan to control your symptoms (these can include advice on allergen avoidance, general lifestyle measures, prescription of classical medications, immunotherapy or complementary treatments, recommendations for adjuvant therapies such as stress management or dietary advice, etc.)
- Clear management plan (including emergency management if necessary)
- Setting the date of a follow-up appointment – you can choose to be followed up by your GP or to come for follow-up at The Artemisia Clinic.