Things You'll Need:
- Composition book
- Pen
- Computer
- Internet access
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Step 1
Purchase a composition book or journal to keep your health information in. This journal will be your daily record of important medical information. One journal is usually sufficient to cover all family members, but one journal per person is preferred.
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Step 2
Write down any symptoms that you or your family members experience. Be sure to include the date, time and what you were doing when you noticed the symptom. Also write down anything that you ate if you have any stomach-related symptoms such as diarrhea.
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Step 3
Take your temperature and mark it down each time you notice symptoms. Fevers, whether low- or high-grade, can be significant indicators to help your doctor diagnose your problem correctly.
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Step 4
Write down any questions that you may have as your appointment approaches. Be specific and highlight the questions so that they stand out on the page. This will allow you to refer to them quickly.
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Step 5
Keep a clear list of all medications that you take, as well as the amount you have taken. Be sure to write down the strength of the medicine.
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Step 1
Study your condition by searching the Internet. There are highly respected websites out there with vast amounts of information on every diagnosis. Become educated about your health problem.
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Step 2
Take down notes as you study so that you can refer to them later as needed. These notes can be taken down quickly in your journal, or you can print them out.
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Step 3
Write down questions about your condition as you think of them, and ask them at your next appointment. Your doctor can usually answer several questions in a single appointment if they are well organized and easy to find.
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Step 4
Continue to keep your journal in the same way as before the appointment. This could become very important in your treatment as it will show the doctor what is working and what is not.
