Questions to Ask the Doctor

Regular communication with your doctor is important in making informed decisions about your health care. Consider asking the following questions of your doctor:

• What type of mastocytosis do I have?
  
  
• Can you explain my pathology report to me?
  
  
• How can I avoid the onset of symptoms?
  
  
• What are my treatment options?
  
  
• What clinical trials are open to me?
  
  
• What treatment, or combination of treatments, do you recommend? Why?
  
  
• What is the goal of this treatment plan?
  
  
• What are the possible short-term and long-term side effects of each treatment?
  
  
• How will this treatment affect my daily life? Will I be able to work, exercise, and perform my usual activities?
  
  
• How long will it take to heal?
  
  
• What is the likelihood that mastocytosis will come back?
  
  
• Are there other lesions that should be biopsied?
  
  
• Are there medications that I should avoid?
  
  
• What is my prognosis (chance of recovery)?
  
  
• What follow-up tests will I need, and how often will I need them?
  
  
• What support services are available to me? To my family?