How to Ask Your Question on Ask-DrPJM.com

To ensure you receive the best and quickest answers, please review these guidelines before submitting your question:

Types of Questions

You can ask two types of questions:

  • Theoretical Questions: General medical questions not related to a specific person’s health. For example, “What are the differences between HIV1 and HIV2?”
  • Personal Questions: Questions related to your own health or the health of someone you know. For example, “Can my fever be the first symptom of HIV?”

Providing Information

  • Theoretical Questions: For theoretical questions, you don’t need to provide personal information like age, gender, or symptoms. Just ask your question in the “Present History / Theoretical Question” section. You can leave these boxes blank.
  • Personal Questions: For personal questions, please fill out all relevant sections of the form, including age, gender, symptoms, medical history, etc. Provide as much information as possible and try to fill all the boxes. It is also very important to attach all relevant information like images, reports, etc. This helps Dr. Mazumdar provide the most accurate and helpful response.

How to Fill Out the Form

  • Question Heading: Here you should give an appropriate heading which will enable the doctor to identify your question easily. On the doctor’s dashboard, only the question heading appears initially. You can give a heading like ‘Difference between HIV1 and HIV2’ or ‘HIV chances after having fever’ and so on.
  • Name: Enter your name. You may give an anonymous name if you prefer.
  • Age: Provide your age, or the age of the person for whom you are asking the question
  • Gender: Select your gender or the gender of the person you are asking the question for.
 
Primary symptoms:
  • List up to three of your most important symptoms.
  • For each symptom, specify the duration of your symptom; for example, fever for 3 days, headache for 1 day, diarrhea for 1 day
In case of a theoretical question, leave these four boxes blank.
Present history/Theoretical question:

1. If your question is about a person, you should describe in detail the primary symptoms that you have written about earlier.

  • Pain:
    • Location (e.g., left arm, lower back)
    • Severity (mild, moderate, severe)
    • Nature (sharp, dull, throbbing, burning, stabbing, cramping)
    • Timing (when it occurs, how long it lasts, any patterns – e.g., after meals, at night, during exercise)
    • Aggravating and Relieving Factors (what makes it worse or better)
    • Associated Symptoms (any other symptoms that occur with the pain)
  • Lumps:
    • Size (approximate in centimeters or inches)
    • Shape (round, oval, irregular)
    • Location (be specific – e.g., left breast, upper right arm)
    • Duration (how long you’ve noticed it)
    • Painful or not
    • Movable or fixed
    • Any skin changes (color, texture, temperature)
    • Any changes in size or consistency
  • Skin Lesions:
    • Size (approximate in centimeters or inches)
    • Location (be specific)
    • Color
    • Shape (round, oval, irregular, raised, flat)
    • Texture (smooth, rough, scaly)
    • Changing in size?
    • Duration (how long you’ve noticed it)
    • Painful or itchy?
    • Any discharge? (color, consistency, odor)
    • Any other associated symptoms (fever, fatigue)
  • Fever:
    • Temperature (highest recorded)
    • When it occurs (time of day, after certain activities)
    • How long it lasts
    • Response to medication (acetaminophen/paracetamol)
    • Any accompanying symptoms (chills, sweats, body aches)
  • Other Symptoms:
  • Cough: (dry or productive, frequency, any phlegm – color and consistency)
  • Shortness of Breath: (when it occurs, severity)
  • Diarrhea: (frequency, consistency, any blood or mucus)
  • Nausea and Vomiting: (frequency, any blood in vomit)
  • Urinary Symptoms: (frequency, urgency, pain, blood in urine)
  • Any other symptoms which are relevant

2. Have you seen a doctor for your symptoms?

If yes, please provide details about all doctor visits related to your current concern, including:

  • Doctor’s Name and Specialty: (e.g., Dr. Smith, Family Medicine; Dr. Jones, Cardiologist)
  • Date of Visit: (or approximate date if you don’t remember exactly)
  • Reason for Visit: (briefly describe the symptoms you were experiencing)
  • Tests Performed: (e.g., blood tests, X-rays, MRI)
  • Diagnosis: (if any)
  • Treatment: (medications prescribed, therapies recommended, procedures performed)
  • Outcome: (did the treatment help? were there any side effects?)
3. If you were hospitalized or went to the ER for this concern, please provide:

Emergency Room Visits:

  • Date of Visit:
  • Reason for Visit: (briefly describe the symptoms or situation)
  • Tests Performed:
  • Diagnosis: (if any)
  • Treatment:
  • Outcome:

Hospitalization:

  • Dates of Hospitalization:
  • Name of Hospital:
  • Reason for Hospitalization:
  • Tests Performed:
  • Diagnosis:
  • Treatment:
  • Outcome:

4. Theoretical Questions:

If you are asking a theoretical question, please provide:

  • A clear and concise question.
  • Any relevant background information or context.
  • Specific details you want to know.

.

Past history:

Have you been diagnosed with any other medical conditions?

  • This includes chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, asthma, kidney disease, etc.
  • Also include any past surgeries, hospitalizations, or serious illnesses (not related to the present condition).
 

Medication History:

List all medications you are currently taking, including:

  • Prescription medications
  • Over-the-counter medications
  • Supplements and herbal remedies

For each medication, please provide:

  • Name
  • Dosage
  • How often you take it

Family History:

Are there any health conditions that run in your family?

  • This includes conditions like heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer, mental health conditions, and any genetic disorders

Allergy history:

Do you have any allergies?

  • List any medications, foods, or environmental factors that you are allergic to.
  • Describe the type of allergic reaction you experience (e.g., rash, hives, difficulty breathing).

Personal history:

Lifestyle factors can influence your health. Please provide information about:

  • Smoking habits (current or past, how much)
  • Alcohol consumption (how often, how much)
  • Recreational drug use (if any)
  • Diet (vegetarian, vegan, any dietary restrictions)
  • Exercise habits (how often, what type of exercise)
  • Occupation (can be relevant to certain health conditions)
  • Stress levels (high, moderate, low)
  • Sleep habits (how many hours per night, any sleep problems)

Attaching Files

To help Dr. Mazumdar understand your situation better, you can attach relevant files to your question. This is especially helpful for visual symptoms or when you have medical reports to share.

Types of Files You Can Attach:

  • Images:
    • If you have a skin condition (rash, lesion, etc.), take clear, well-lit photos that show the affected area.
    • For other symptoms, you can attach images if they help illustrate your concern (e.g., swelling, redness).
    • Ensure images are high-quality and in focus.
    • If possible, include a photo of a healthy area for comparison.
  • Lab Reports:
    • Upload PDFs or images of any relevant lab reports, including blood tests, urine tests, X-rays, etc.
    • Important: Include the date the lab report was generated.
  • Other Documents:
    • If you have other documents that might be helpful (previous doctor’s notes, discharge summaries), you can attach them as PDFs or images.

How to Attach Files:

  • Use the “Choose File” button to select files from your computer.
  • You can attach multiple files at once.

Important Reminders:

  • Attach files when you first submit your question. This saves time and allows Dr. Mazumdar to provide a more complete response right away.
  • Ensure images are clear and relevant to your concern.
  • If you have questions about what files to attach, you can mention it in your question description.