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Appendix F: Questions to Ask Your Doctor

Doctor visits can feel short, and it's easy to forget what you wanted to ask. This page is a list of questions that a teen, a parent, or a guardian might bring to an appointment. It contains questions only, not answers. Your doctor, nurse, dietitian, or pharmacist knows your situation and is the right person to answer them.

Pick the questions that fit you, cross out the rest, and add your own. There are no silly questions.

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Before the Visit

Questions to ask yourself (and write down the answers):

  • What symptoms have I noticed? When did each one start?
  • How often do they happen, and how long do they last?
  • Does anything seem to make them better or worse (certain foods, stress, sleep, exercise, time of day)?
  • Have I noticed blood in my stool, weight loss I didn't plan, fevers, or symptoms that wake me up at night?
  • What medicines am I taking, including ones bought without a prescription?
  • What vitamins, supplements, probiotics, or herbal products am I taking?
  • Have I changed my diet recently? What did I change?
  • Does anyone in my family have a gut condition, celiac disease, or colon cancer?
  • What are the top three questions I most want answered today?
  • Who will come with me, and do I want some time to talk with the doctor alone?

General Gut Symptoms

  • What do you think might be causing my symptoms?
  • What other conditions could cause symptoms like these?
  • Which tests do you recommend, and what will each one tell us?
  • What happens during each test, and how do I get ready for it?
  • When and how will I get the results?
  • Which symptoms mean I should call you right away or go to the emergency room?
  • Should I keep a symptom diary? What should I write in it?
  • When should I come back for a follow-up visit?

Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

  • Which type of inflammatory bowel disease do I have, and which parts of my gut does it affect?
  • How active is my disease right now?
  • What is the goal of my treatment (for example, feeling better, or healing the lining of my gut)?
  • What are my treatment options, and what are the benefits and risks of each?
  • How will we know if a treatment is working?
  • What does a flare look like for me, and what should I do if I think one is starting?
  • Which tests will I need to keep track of my disease, and how often?
  • Can IBD affect parts of my body outside the gut, such as my joints, skin, or eyes? What should I watch for?
  • How might IBD affect my growth, energy, or schoolwork?
  • Is it common to feel anxious or down with IBD? Who can I talk to about that?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

  • How did you decide that my symptoms are IBS? Which other conditions were ruled out?
  • Which type of IBS do I have?
  • Which symptoms would be a sign that something other than IBS is going on?
  • What treatment options are there for my type of IBS?
  • Would a diet change, such as a low-FODMAP diet, make sense for me? Should a dietitian guide it?
  • Could a therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy or gut-directed hypnotherapy help me? How would I find someone trained in it?
  • How does stress affect my IBS, and what can I do about it?
  • What should I expect over time? Will my symptoms change?

Celiac Disease

  • Should I be tested for celiac disease?
  • Should I keep eating gluten until testing is finished?
  • What do my blood test results mean? Do I need a biopsy?
  • If I have celiac disease, can I meet with a dietitian who knows about it?
  • How careful do I need to be about small amounts of gluten?
  • Should my family members be tested?
  • What follow-up tests will I need, and how often?
  • How do I handle meals at school, at friends' houses, and at restaurants?

Mood, Stress, and Sleep

  • Can my gut symptoms and my mood affect each other?
  • I've been feeling stressed, anxious, or down. Can we talk about that?
  • Is it possible that some of my symptoms are related to stress? How would we know?
  • Who could I see for mental health support, such as a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist?
  • Can my medicines affect my mood or my sleep?
  • How much sleep should someone my age get, and could poor sleep be making my symptoms worse?
  • What should I do if I ever feel hopeless or think about hurting myself?

Medicines and Side Effects

  • What is this medicine for, and how does it work?
  • How and when should I take it? What if I miss a dose?
  • What side effects are common, and which ones are serious?
  • Which side effects mean I should call you right away?
  • How long will it take to know if it's working?
  • Does it interact with my other medicines, supplements, or foods?
  • Will I need blood tests or other checks while I take it?
  • Can it affect my vaccines, my risk of infections, or my ability to play sports?
  • What should I do before I stop taking it or change how I take it?
  • Who should I call if I have questions between visits?

Diet and Supplements

  • Is this diet safe for me?
  • Is this supplement or probiotic safe for me? Could it interact with my medicines?
  • Is there good evidence that this supplement or diet helps people with my condition?
  • Are there foods I should avoid, or is that different for each person?
  • Am I getting enough nutrients, such as iron, calcium, and vitamin D?
  • Could I meet with a registered dietitian?
  • How can I tell if a change in my diet is actually helping?
  • What should I do if a diet change makes me feel worse or makes eating stressful?

School and Activities

  • Would a 504 plan or other school accommodations help me? Can you write a letter to support that?
  • What kinds of accommodations do students with my condition often use (bathroom passes, a water bottle, extra time, rest breaks, help with missed work)?
  • Is it safe for me to play sports, run, or do PE? Do I need to change anything?
  • What should I tell coaches, teachers, or the school nurse, and what can I keep private?
  • What should I do if I have symptoms during a test, a game, or a field trip?
  • How should I handle medicines at school or on overnight trips?
  • How can I keep up with schoolwork during a flare or a hospital stay?

A Claim I Saw Online

  • I saw this post (or video, or ad). Is it true for someone like me?
  • Was this claim tested in people or only in animals or cells?
  • Does this product have FDA approval for my condition, or is it a supplement?
  • Is there any risk in trying it, given my condition and my medicines?
  • Where can I find trustworthy information about my condition?
  • How can I tell if a website or influencer is reliable?
  • Are there clinical trials I could learn about, and how would I know if one is legitimate?

My Own Questions

This page is for learning and for planning conversations with your care team. It is not medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medicine, diet, or supplement without talking to your doctor.

If you are struggling right now: If you are thinking about suicide or are in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (in the US), or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential, and available 24/7. You can also go to the nearest emergency room. Outside the US, you can find a helpline at findahelpline.com.