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Walk into your menopause appointment with one page

Ten minutes is not long. Put your main concern at the top, pick the three questions you most want answered, and have the answers to what the doctor will ask already written down.

1The one thing

If you only get to raise one thing, what is it? Tap a starter or write your own.

2What they'll ask you

Most appointments start with these. Having them ready saves your minutes for the questions.

A littleIt's running my days
3What to bring up without being asked
4My three questions

Pick up to three. They print in the order you tick them, so tick the most important first.

Appointment

Your one-page brief

Getting the most from a short appointment

  1. Lead with the main thing. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says to put your main problem first on your list so you can bring it up right away. Hand the page over at the start if that's easier than saying it.
  2. Be specific about how often and how bad. “Five or six hot flashes a day, two that stop me working” gives a clinician far more to go on than “a lot”.
  3. List everything you take. Prescriptions, shop-bought medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Mayo Clinic says to talk to your healthcare professional before taking any herbal or dietary supplement for menopause symptoms.
  4. Take someone, or take notes. There's room under each question for the answer. Write it down while you're still in the room.
One thing not to save for a routine visit: the U.S. Office on Women's Health says vaginal bleeding after 12 months with no period is not normal. If that's happened, tell your doctor promptly.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Menopause: diagnosis and treatment and Perimenopause: diagnosis and treatment; U.S. Office on Women's Health, Menopause symptoms and relief; ACOG, Making the Most of Your Health Care Visit.

Questions people ask

What should I bring to a menopause appointment?

The U.S. Office on Women's Health lists four things: your symptoms and how much they bother you; your health history, including cancer, blood clots and heart disease; any hormone therapy you've used; and how long it's been since your last period. Mayo Clinic adds a list of every medicine and supplement, and your questions with the most important first.

What will the doctor ask me?

Mayo Clinic says to expect: are you still having periods, when was your last one, what symptoms you have and for how long, how much they bother you, and whether anything makes them better or worse. The sheet has a line for each.

Why only three questions?

Appointments are short. Three questions with the most important first is a list you'll actually get through. Others can go on the back or wait for a follow-up.

Is what I type sent anywhere?

No. The sheet is built in your browser and saved only in this browser's own storage so you can come back to it. Nothing is uploaded and there's no account. “Clear everything” wipes it.

More from this hub

  • Perimenopause symptoms checklistA private perimenopause symptoms checklist: tick what you notice, rate how much it bothers you, and get a short summary to copy or print for your appointment.
  • Hot flash trackerTap when a hot flash starts and again when it ends. See how long it lasted, how often they come, likely triggers and a summary for your doctor.
  • 12-month menopause calculatorMenopause is 12 months in a row with no period or spotting. Enter your last period to see your day count, the date you would reach 12 months, and what each stage means. Private, nothing saved.
  • Perimenopause symptom checklistTick the perimenopause symptoms you've noticed, see them grouped, and copy a short note for your doctor. Free, private, nothing leaves your phone.

This page helps you organise what you want to say. It isn't medical advice and doesn't suggest a diagnosis or treatment. Honest Little Apps makes My Midlife Story and wrote this page.