You'll be fine! Just be honest with the neuro and be ready to describe your tics + how they impact your life. It can be helpful to make a list of your tics in advance and specifically note any that are particularly frequent, disruptive, painful, or otherwise impact your quality of life. Also, make a list of questions you want to ask in advance - I find that I *always* forget something that I wanted to ask if I don't write it down.
My diagnosis appointment was a lot like a regular doctor's appointment. I sat down with the neuro and we did a medical history and talked about my tics. We also did some simple neurological tests which test for things like memory and motor control. They'll feel ridiculously easy, but they help eliminate possible alternate diagnoses for your tics.
Think about whether you want meds or therapy in advance. Your neuro may offer, but you can always ask about your options. (Oh, and don't let them put you on antipsychotics unless they have a very, very good reason and have eliminated all other options. The side effects are worse than the benefits for the *vast* majority of people.)
Thank you! One of the reasons I'm scared it's because this would be the first time I go to the doctor alone. I'm autistic and I always find it hard to explain myself so I usually go with my mom. Writing things in advance is definitely a great idea! And I've been on antipsychotics before, they are STRONG. So yeah, I'd rather not be on them.
You'll be fine! Just be honest with the neuro and be ready to describe your tics + how they impact your life. It can be helpful to make a list of your tics in advance and specifically note any that are particularly frequent, disruptive, painful, or otherwise impact your quality of life. Also, make a list of questions you want to ask in advance - I find that I *always* forget something that I wanted to ask if I don't write it down. My diagnosis appointment was a lot like a regular doctor's appointment. I sat down with the neuro and we did a medical history and talked about my tics. We also did some simple neurological tests which test for things like memory and motor control. They'll feel ridiculously easy, but they help eliminate possible alternate diagnoses for your tics. Think about whether you want meds or therapy in advance. Your neuro may offer, but you can always ask about your options. (Oh, and don't let them put you on antipsychotics unless they have a very, very good reason and have eliminated all other options. The side effects are worse than the benefits for the *vast* majority of people.)
Thank you! One of the reasons I'm scared it's because this would be the first time I go to the doctor alone. I'm autistic and I always find it hard to explain myself so I usually go with my mom. Writing things in advance is definitely a great idea! And I've been on antipsychotics before, they are STRONG. So yeah, I'd rather not be on them.