Your IBD Consultation

Preparing for your visit

How can I prepare for my visit?

Part of playing an active role in your IBD consultation involves preparing in advance. There are several things you can do, such as bringing a list of questions, learning about IBD, knowing some key terms and keeping note of your symptoms (including frequency, severity and duration of your symptoms) in a diary or by using a self-assessment form. The more prepared you are, the better you will be able to communicate with your health professional during the consultation.

Understanding why you have IBD

If you come to your consultation with a good basic understanding of your illness, including what causes it, typical symptoms, possible complications and how it is treated, you will be able to communicate better with your physician. This information can be found through local support groups online, or through your IBD clinic.

Why set goals and objectives?

Different people with IBD have different needs, and it is important for you to communicate your objectives to your physician in order to develop a treatment plan that is suitable to your situation. For example, it may be important for you to prevent recurrence of symptoms long-term, which suggests that a new treatment may help achieve this goal.

People with more severe Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis will most likely have very different needs than people with milder cases of the same illnesses. It is important for you to communicate to your physician how your illness is affecting you so he or she can develop a treatment plan that is suitable to your situation. Surgery may also be a consideration depending upon your situation.