First trip to see neurologist?

This can sometimes be a scary and stressful experience - what tips would you give to those going for there first visit? What questions should you ask?

Always take a headache diary, you can download them & a record of at least a month is best...the longer the better.
Make a note of when symptoms began, worsened or changed.
List all current meds taken & others you have tried & if they were stopped why.
Write questions you need to ask , cause if your like me you'll have forgotten by the end of the consultation!
If new meds are prescribed, ask what are the potential side effects and how long it'll take before you see a benefit.
Finally if for any reason you are unhappy do not be afraid to seek a 2nd opinion, though if you have made sure you are seeing a neuro who is a h/a specialist this is unlikely to be an issue.
Jane

You are right about the diary Jane.

I devised my own version on a spreadsheet, and find it very useful. I have been keeping mine for the last 2 years and as the consultant says it proves very useful, I always take a copy with me when I see my consultant and they attach it to my files, it gives them a picture of how things are going, I also include food on it when I have one and my activities preceeding the migrain.
But it is a very useful tool, as when you see the consultant its hard to remember the facts and dates.

The diary can include information on:

when the headache starts (time of day, day of the week)
how often headaches occur
where the pain is
the type of pain (throbbing, piercing etc.)
if there are other symptoms (such as being sick or having vision problems)
how long the attacks last
what treatment you take
how effective treatment is (or isn’t)

The diary can include information on as many aspects of daily life as possible to see what may be a trigger. This can include:

medication you take for other conditions
vitamins or any health products taken
missed or delayed meals
social and work activities
exercise you take
how much sleep you have
other factors, such as the weather
women should record details of their menstrual cycle.

It is often useful noting if you did anything different prior to the attack such as missing a meal, particularly during the 24 hours before the headache starts. The diary may then highlight a build up of triggers which could be avoided or minimised.


The Migraine Trust have a good one line migraine diary http://diary.migrainetrust.org/

Or a simple spreadsheet can be used.