If you suffer from allergies, you should consider making an appointment with your doctor. There are many treatments available. Your doctor can help you decide which treatment is most appropriate for you.

To help you prepare for your visit, print this page and fill in the following:

  1. My allergies are:
    • seasonal
    • perennial (year-round)
    • I'm not sure
  2. I have the following allergy symptoms:
    • nasal congestion
    • itchy throat
    • itchy, red, water eyes
    • runny nose
    • sneezing
    • coughing
    • other:
  3. My allergy symptoms interfere with my daily activities:
    • almost never
    • a few times a week, but I am able to cope
    • every day, but I am able to cope
    • every day, and I'm finding it hard to cope
    • enough to affect my sleep
    • I'm not sure
  4. My allergy triggers are:
    • I'm not sure
  5. I am currently taking or I've tried the following prescription or non-prescription treatments for my allergies:
    • oral medications:
    • nasal medications (nose sprays):
    • eye drops:
    • allergy shots
  6. The reason I am concerned about my current treatment is:
    • my treatment isn't giving me the allergy relief I want
    • I'm having side effects from my treatment (e.g., nosebleeds, nasal irritation)
    • I have a medical condition (e.g., high blood pressure, glaucoma) and I'm concerned about how my current treatment may affect it
    • I'm not sure how to use my treatment
    • I'm having trouble remembering to use my treatment
    • I'm taking medication for another medical condition (e.g., asthma) and I'm concerned about how it may affect my treatment for allergies
    • other concerns:

You should also prepare for your visit by writing down any questions you have about your allergies.

Some questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

  1. How do I avoid my allergy triggers?
  2. Do you recommend I get allergy tests?
  3. Which allergy treatment do you recommend for me?
  4. What are the benefits of this treatment? How does it compare to other allergy medications?
  5. What are the side effects of this treatment? How does it compare to other allergy medications?
  6. Are there allergy treatments available that will not interfere with my medical conditions (e.g., high blood pressure)?
  7. Will my allergy medication interact with my other medications?
  8. How do I use my allergy medication?
  9. When can I expect to see results from my allergy treatment?
  10. How long should I stay on this treatment?
  11. What are the differences between allergy medications (nasal medications, oral medications, and eye drops)?
  12. Am I a candidate for allergy shots?
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