Getting the most out of a visit to your GP

• Print out a copy of the clinical guidelines on Diagnostic criteria for TSC and Surveillance and management guidelines for TSC and take them for your first appointment.
• If your GP is interested in learning more about TSC, there is a learning module developed by the British Medical Journal available here.
• Print out a copy of the TAND checklist and ask them to complete it as part of your consultation.
• Let them know about the TSC Health Care Professionals Network – a network of health care professionals with experience working with the TSC Community who can help provide expertise and a referral pathway.
• Direct them to this TSA website and the TSA Nurse for more information.
• Download and print out a copy of Managing Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Across the Lifespan: A Resource for General Practitioners and Other Clinicians and give it to your GP, or direct them to the For Health Care Professionals section of TSA’s website where they can find this and other resources.

• When making your first appointment ask to book for a long consult so that you have some time to discuss your history and needs going forward.
• If you are experiencing particular symptoms that are ongoing that you wish to discuss with your GP, it is helpful to keep a log of these for a few weeks prior to your appointment. Your log can include dates and times the symptoms occur, as well as any potential triggers.
• Take along a summary of your health history, including when/how the diagnosis of TSC was made. Include information about what parts of the body TSC is affecting, what tests have been done and what treatments have been recommended. Contact the TSA Nurse for assistance on how to do this.
• Take along a copy of any recent test results or letters from your specialists and their contact details. This can help avoid having to repeat information or re-take any medical tests.
• Write down any medications that you are currently taking including over the counter medications and vitamins.
• Have a list of all of the medical specialists involved in your care, their contact details and what they do and give a copy to the GP for their records.
• Medicare has a Chronic Disease Management program that enables GPs to provide a structured and coordinated approach to care. This may include developing a treatment plan that can be shared with your other health specialists. Talk to your GP about whether this is right for you. Patient information regarding the Chronic Disease Management Plan can be found by clicking here.
• Some people keep a notebook or folder of contact details of their health care team and test results that they take along to each consultation – you may find this useful too.
• If you change your GP, make sure that all your treating teams are aware so that the letters that they send out after your consultation get to the right place.

TSA (Tuberous Sclerosis Australia) aims to support health care professionals in providing best practice care for individuals with TSC and their families.  We do this by:

• providing access to education;
• developing resources to increase understanding of diagnosis, treatment and surveillance and keeping up to date with the latest research;
• publishing evidence based management guidelines; and
• supporting the TSA Nurse as an access point for health professionals to use to find resources.

Health care professionals can find out more here.