How to talk to your doctor about side effects

How do I prepare for a psychiatrist appointment?

A little preparation makes a short appointment go much further:

• Write down the two or three things that matter most to you, most important first.
• Bring your side effect notes, or have your tracking app ready to share.
• List every medicine you take, including doses and anything you have stopped or missed.
• Note any changes in sleep, appetite, mood, energy or movement.
• Write down your questions so you do not forget them.
• Consider bringing someone you trust to help listen and take notes.

What should I tell my psychiatrist about side effects?

Doctors find these details most useful:

• What the side effect feels like, in your own words
• When it started, and whether a medicine or dose changed around then
• How often it happens and how long it lasts
• What makes it better or worse
• How it is affecting your daily life, such as work, sleep, relationships or getting around
• How much it bothers you, and what you would like to happen

Be honest, including about missed doses or anything you have changed. Your doctor needs the full picture to help, and these conversations are a normal part of their work.

How to describe side effects so they are understood

You do not need medical words. Specific, everyday descriptions are often clearer: "My hands shake when I hold a cup" or "I cannot sit through dinner because I feel restless inside". If you know the clinical term, you can add it, for example tremor or akathisia. Describing the impact helps too: what you can no longer do, or what has become harder.

Can I talk to my doctor about changing my medication?

Yes. Raising side effects and asking about your options is a normal, reasonable part of any appointment. You can ask whether a side effect could be related to your medicine, what the options are, and what the trade-offs of each would be. Deciding together is what those conversations are for.

What matters is that any change is made with your doctor, not on your own. Stopping or changing a medicine suddenly can bring back the symptoms it was prescribed for, or cause other effects.

What if side effects are making me want to stop my medication?

Many people feel this way at some point, and it is worth saying out loud to your doctor, in those words. It is important information, not a criticism, and it helps your care team understand how much the side effects are affecting you.

Please do not stop on your own. Contact your doctor or care team, explain what you are experiencing, and ask what can be done. There are usually more options than people expect.

What if I feel my side effects are not being taken seriously?

It can help to:

• Bring a written record showing what happened and when
• Say clearly how much the side effect is affecting your life
• Ask for it to be noted in your file
• Ask when and how you should follow up if it does not improve
• Bring a support person, or speak with your GP or pharmacist as well

Sharing your EPSpeak record at an appointment

If you use EPSpeak, you can share your record with a clinician you choose by scanning a QR code at your appointment. Sharing is opt-in every time, and nothing is sent automatically. Your check-in history, symptom notes and medication log give your clinician context in seconds, so more of the appointment can be spent on what to do next.