Ten minutes with a doctor: how to make them count

A GP appointment is often about ten minutes. That's not long to explain three months of symptoms, remember every question and take in the answers. Most of us walk out and think of the thing we meant to say.

The NHS has clear advice on getting the most from an appointment. Here it is, in practice.

Before you go

Pick your two or three most important questions. Write them down as they come to you during the week, not in the waiting room. Then tick them off as you go.

List everything you take. That means prescribed medicines, painkillers you buy yourself, and vitamins and supplements too. If you've been skipping doses, say so: it changes what a doctor makes of whether something is working.

Write down your symptoms. When they started, how often they come, how strong they are, and what makes them better or worse. For anything linked to your cycle, note which days. "Headaches, most months" is hard to act on. "Ten of my last twelve headaches came in the five days before a period" is not.

Note any allergies and what happened. "Penicillin, a rash" is more useful than "I think I'm allergic to something".

Bring someone if it helps. A friend can take notes while you talk.

In the room

• Ask for anything you don't understand to be explained again, or written down.
• Take notes, or ask the person with you to.
• Before you leave, check you've covered your list and that you know what happens next and when.

Questions worth asking

About a test: What is it for? When and how will I get the results, and who do I contact if I don't?

About a treatment: What are the options? What are the side effects? How will I know if it's working? Is there anything I can do myself?

About what's next: Do I need to come back? Who do I contact if it gets worse?

Afterwards

Write down what was said while it's fresh. Book any tests straight away. If results don't arrive when you were told they would, ask for them, and ask what they mean.

How femLove helps

femLove has a Doctor visits page for exactly this. Add the visit, write your questions as they come to you, and tick them off in the room. Make a one-page visit summary to bring: why you're going, your questions, your conditions and allergies, your medicines and how often you actually took them, and your key symptoms over the last three months.

Afterwards, note what they said and add each next step, such as a blood test or a referral, with its status and a reminder if you want one. It all stays private to you. There is no setting to share it.

femLove can't diagnose anything. It helps you bring a clear picture, so your doctor can.