To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment

You can help your doctor treat poisoning by being prepared to answer the following questions. Be sure to bring the poisonous substance with you.

• What substance do you suspect was involved?
• When did the poisoning occur?
• Was the substance swallowed, inhaled, spilled on the skin, or splashed in the eyes?
• Have you ever been treated for a poisoning in the past? What was the substance? How long ago? How was the poisoning treated?
• How much of the substance was involved?
• What symptoms are present?
• How long have symptoms been present?
• Has a poison control center been called? What advice did they give? Did it work?
• What home treatment measures have been tried?
• Have any nonprescription medicines been taken? What effect did they have?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines do you take?
• Were alcohol or drugs involved in the poisoning?
• Do you have any health risks?