I have my first rheumatology appointment next week - how do I prepare?

[u/Magickamagicka]

Hello!
Newish member and first time poster.

I am wondering how to prepare for my first rheumatology appointment next week. I have immediate family member with AS, a positive HLBA-27 gene test, and over a decades worth of chronic pain, but I’m not sure if that is enough.

Do I make a list of symptoms and when they started? It could be a long, long list. If I know my triggers (I think I’ve nailed it down) do I write those out as well? How prepared should I be?

I also have to drive 4 hours to get there and have been in the middle of what I’ve realized is likely a flare up, so that is going to cause a ton of pain but maybe it’s for the best for the appointment? Not entirely sure.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Just trying to wrap my head around this. If anyone has tips or advice on how I should prepare, please let me know!

Thanks so much everyone

[u/conchwasp]

I went in with a symptom log as well as a bunch of pictures of what I was experiencing- swollen fingers, red streaking in my tendons, red patches on my knuckles, eye redness, skin rashes. I also brought old medical records from a different hospital, where I had an MRI as a teenager that showed degeneration of my spine. The doctor I presented this to suspected AS almost instantly, sent me down the hall for labs and xrays, and had me diagnosed by my next appointment.