FREE APPOINTMENT PREPARATION GUIDE
Prepare for a menopause appointment
Bring a pattern, a short list of priorities, and questions that require real answers. You do not need to arrive with a medical degree—or apologize for taking up time.
Decide what you need from the visit
Choose no more than three priorities. A focused list makes it easier to leave with decisions rather than another vague instruction to “monitor things.”
- Which symptom is most disruptive?
- Do you want an assessment, treatment discussion, medication review, referral, or all four?
- What would meaningful improvement look like in the next three months?
The complete appointment checklist
Describe what changed
- My three most disruptive symptoms
- When each symptom began or noticeably changed
- Frequency, duration, severity, and possible triggers
- Effects on sleep, concentration, mood, work, relationships, sex, exercise, or daily function
- Bleeding changes, including dates and amount, if applicable
Bring the facts
- Prescriptions, non-prescription drugs, hormones, vitamins, and supplements
- Medication allergies and previous reactions
- Relevant diagnoses, surgeries, and family history
- Recent laboratory, imaging, pathology, Pap, and mammography reports
- Menstrual or bleeding history and contraception needs, if relevant
Seven questions worth asking
- Could another condition be contributing to these symptoms?
- What treatment options are reasonable for me, and why?
- What are the expected benefits, common side effects, important risks, and alternatives?
- If hormone therapy is considered, which formulation and route fit my history?
- What follow-up or monitoring would be needed?
- What changes should prompt an earlier appointment or urgent care?
- If you are not comfortable managing this, where can I be referred?
Before you leave
- Repeat the plan back in your own words.
- Ask when benefits or side effects should be reassessed.
- Confirm who will order tests, make referrals, renew medication, and communicate results.
- Book or clarify follow-up rather than assuming it will happen automatically.
Educational information—not medical advice
This guide helps you organize a healthcare conversation. It does not diagnose symptoms or determine which treatment is appropriate for you.