RANTAU

When do you need to see a doctor?

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• Make an appointment with your doctor if you recognize signs of liver cirrhosis.

• Each hospital has different methods for screening liver cirrhosis.

• Discuss the liver cirrhosis screening with your doctor. Together with a physician, you can decide what is best for you.

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Malaysia has been voted numerous times as the best destination to seek quality affordable healthcare. Find a hospital in Malaysia that suits your specific situation here: Hospital Guide

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How to get ready with your appointments?

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For your preparation, a medical specialist may ask you some questions as follows:

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• Are the signs of your illness occurring continuously or occasionally?

• How severe are the illness signs on your body?

• Since when did you begin to experience the signs of the illness?

• ​How often do you drink alcohol?

• Have you ever had hepatitis / jaundice disease?

• What triggers the signs of your illness to be more severe? (if any)

• What do you usually do to relieve any signs of your illness?

 

 

What you can do to prepare before the appointment is:

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• List the signs of your illness.

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• Know any restriction that needs to be done before the appointment. Make sure to ask first what to do before appointment (such as limiting your diet, etc.).

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• List all the medicines, vitamins or supplements you consume.

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• If possible, invite family members or friends to be with you. Sometimes we find it difficult to remember all the information during the appointment. Your companion might just help you with this.

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• List your personal information that can help your doctor in investigating your illness (such as major stresses in your life or any changes in your life recently).

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• List all the questions you would like to ask your doctor.

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Here are some general questions that you can ask your doctor:

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• What are the possible causes for signs of illness that appear on me?

• What method of screening should I take? Do I need to make any necessary arrangements before doing the screening?

• What is the severity of my illness?

• Should I get a second doctor's opinion of my condition?

• What are the treatment options that are suitable for my condition?

• Are there any side effects for each treatment?

• How does each treatment option affect my daily life?

• How big is my possibility of getting completely healed from the disease if I undergo the treatment?

• Do I need to undergo the treatment immediately without delay?

• How long will the treatment last?

• How often should I get examined after treatment?

• What are the complications that I need to face in the future?

• What other alternatives are available apart from the medicines you prescribed? (if any)

• Do I need to make any changes to my lifestyle? What nutrition and level of activity are appropriate for my condition?

• What else can I do to protect my health?

• I have other health problems. How can I best manage this situation?

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If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to ask the doctor during your appointment.

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Updated: February 13, 2019

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References:

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1. Papadakis, Maxine A., McPhee, Stephen J., Rabow, Michael W. CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. 58th ed. McGraw Hill Professional, 2018.

2. Porter, Robert S. The Merck Manual of Patient Symptoms: A Concise, Practical Guide to Etiology, Evaluation and Treatment. Wiley, 2008.

3. Beirman, Robin., Engel, Roger. An A-Z of Symptoms and Signs. Palgrave Macmillan Australia, 2009.

4. Griffith, Henry W. Complete Guide to Symptoms, Illness & Surgery. 3rd ed. Body Press/Perigree Books, 1995.

5. National Health Service Inform. 2019. Cirrhosis. [https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/stomach-liver-and-gastrointestinal-tract/cirrhosis]. Accessed 11 February 2019.

6. American Liver Foundation. 2019. Liver Disease. [https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/the-progression-of-liver-disease/#1503432933768-040e8645-d918]. Accessed 09 February 2019.