Questions to Ask Your Gastroenterologist, Visit by Visit

A gastroenterology appointment is often short, and the questions that matter most change with the reason you are there. This guide groups questions to ask your gastroenterologist by the visit you are facing, with notes on why each matters and what a useful answer sounds like. It covers tests, results, new diagnoses of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), treatment changes and follow-ups, then what to tell your gastroenterologist that people often leave out.

How to use this list

A review in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine reported that 40 to 80 percent of medical information given by practitioners is forgotten immediately, and almost half of what patients do remember is incorrect. The same review found that written information is remembered better, so a short written list beats a long mental one.

Before the visit, choose your top three questions and write them at the top of the page. Ask those first. The federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) publishes a starter set of questions such as "What is the test for?" and "Are there any alternatives?", and many of the questions below adapt that set to digestive care. If you can, bring a family member or friend to take notes.

Before you leave, repeat the plan back in your own words. Clinicians call this teach-back, and AHRQ's health literacy toolkit describes it as asking patients to state in their own words what they need to know or do. A systematic review of 20 studies found teach-back effective in 19 of them. A good closing question is "Can I tell you what I think the plan is, so you can correct anything I missed?"

Questions for your first visit

A first visit is about how the gastroenterologist reads your symptoms and what happens next:

• What do you think could be causing my symptoms, and what are you trying to rule out?
• Which tests do you recommend first, and what is each one for?
• Which symptoms mean I should call your office, and which mean I should go to the emergency room?

A useful answer to the first names likely causes in plain language and explains which serious conditions the workup is meant to exclude. A good answer to the second ties each test to a purpose, such as checking for inflammation. The third gives you a safety plan before you have a diagnosis, so write it down with the after-hours number.

It also helps to ask "Who should I contact with questions between visits, and how quickly do they usually reply?" Knowing whether messages go through a nurse line or portal saves time when something changes.

Questions before a colonoscopy or other test

Preparation instructions for colonoscopy vary by person and by facility, so the most reliable source is the endoscopy team doing your procedure. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) advises people to discuss their health problems and all medicines, vitamins and supplements with their doctor beforehand, finish the bowel prep completely, and arrange a ride home after sedation. Ask the team:

• Which of my medicines or supplements should I pause, and for how long?
• What kind of sedation will I have, and who will monitor me?
• What can this test show, what can it miss, and who will give me the results?

The medication question matters most for people taking blood thinners, diabetes medicines, weight-loss injections or iron. A useful answer comes in writing, with specific dates.

For questions about the endoscopist's track record, note that in 2024 gastroenterology societies updated colonoscopy quality targets, including an adenoma detection rate of at least 35 percent for patients 45 and older and an average withdrawal time of at least 8 minutes in normal exams. A fair way to ask is "Do you track your adenoma detection rate, and how does it compare with current national targets?" Close with "After the procedure, which symptoms mean I should call or go to the ER?" and keep the facility's discharge instructions handy.

Questions after a colonoscopy or test results

Results often arrive in pieces, and NIDDK notes that biopsy results can take a few days or longer. Under federal information blocking rules, providers must respond in a timely way when a patient requests results, and patients can often see results at the same time as the ordering clinician. You may read a pathology report in your portal before anyone has explained it, so ask ahead of time:

• How and when will you contact me about biopsy or lab results?
• What did you find, and what does it mean for my diagnosis or treatment?
• When should my next colonoscopy be, and why?

A useful answer to the first names a person, a method and a rough time frame. Follow-up intervals for most adults depend on the number, size and type of polyps found, and they assume a complete exam with adequate bowel prep. Those recommendations exclude people with IBD, who follow separate surveillance guidance for colorectal dysplasia. Also ask "If I notice new pain, fever or bleeding in the next few days, who should I call, and when should I go to the ER?"

Questions after a new diagnosis

IBS and IBD are different conditions with different tests, treatments and monitoring, so they need separate questions.

IBS is a disorder of gut-brain interaction that causes symptoms without visible signs of damage in the digestive tract. The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) suggests a positive diagnostic strategy over a strategy of exclusion, along with testing for celiac disease and, in people with diarrhea, checking fecal calprotectin to rule out IBD. Useful questions after an IBS diagnosis:

• How confident are you in this diagnosis, and which tests ruled out other conditions?
• Which treatments fit my main symptom, whether that is constipation, diarrhea or pain?
• What changes in my symptoms would make you look again, and which mean I should call or go to the ER?

For Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation's testing guide suggests asking which tests will confirm the diagnosis, what each test looks for, and what can manage symptoms while you wait. The same guide notes that many prognostic tests, which try to predict how IBD will behave, have not been widely adopted in practice, so ask whether one would change your treatment and whether insurance covers it. Ask "Where is my disease located, and how active is it right now?" and "Which symptoms mean I should call you or go to the ER?" For a fuller set, see these 25 questions to ask your gastroenterologist after an IBD diagnosis.

Questions when starting or changing treatment

The ACG's 2025 Crohn's disease guideline advocates shared decision-making and asks clinicians to weigh each patient's needs, desires and values. An international consensus on IBD treatment targets, known as STRIDE-II, lists symptom relief and normal blood and stool markers as short-term goals, with endoscopic healing, absence of disability and restored quality of life as longer-term goals.

• What is the goal of this treatment, and how will we measure whether it works?
• When should I expect to feel better, and when would we consider a change?
• Which side effects mean I should call right away or go to the ER?

A useful answer to the first names specific checks, such as stool tests, blood tests or a repeat scope, with rough timing. Ask about screening as well. The infliximab label, for example, says patients should be tested for latent tuberculosis and hepatitis B before starting treatment, and ACG preventive care guidance stresses documenting up-to-date vaccinations because many IBD treatments suppress the immune system. Ask "What tests or vaccines do I need before I start?" and "Will this interact with medicines I already take?" Coverage questions often belong with your insurer, and this coverage call script can help. If a recommendation still feels uncertain, consider getting a second opinion.

Questions for routine follow-ups and flares

Follow-up visits catch problems early when you know what to report:

• What counts as a flare for me, and what should I do first?
• Who do I contact during a flare, and when should I go to the ER instead?
• When are my next blood tests, stool tests and scope, and what are they checking?

A useful answer describes your own warning signs, such as extra bathroom trips or new bleeding, and the point at which you should call. For the details your care team will want, see what your gastroenterologist needs to know when you report a flare.

Routine visits also cover prevention. ACG guidance says vaccinations, osteoporosis screening, cervical and skin cancer screening, depression and anxiety, and smoking cessation should be co-managed by the gastroenterology and primary care teams. Ask "Which preventive screenings do I need, and who will order them?"

What to tell your gastroenterologist that people often leave out

Some useful information never comes up because it feels irrelevant or awkward. Over-the-counter painkillers and supplements are a common gap. NIDDK advises people with Crohn's disease to avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which can make symptoms worse, and to talk with their doctor before taking over-the-counter medicines or dietary supplements. Ibuprofen and naproxen are common NSAIDs. Be candid about alcohol, cannabis and smoking so your doctor has the full picture.

Mental health belongs in the conversation. A meta-analysis of more than 30,000 adults with IBD found symptoms of anxiety in about 32 percent and depression in about 25 percent, with higher rates during active disease. Sexual concerns, accidents and urgency that keep you close to home are also worth naming.

Raise pregnancy plans early, even if they are a year or more away. A 2025 global consensus on pregnancy in IBD was guided by the principle that maternal health best supports infant health, and it notes that gaps in pregnancy knowledge affect medication adherence and outcomes. Finally, mention missed or delayed doses and the reason, whether cost, side effects or scheduling.

Every visit goes better when you arrive with three written priorities, leave with a plan you can repeat back, and know which symptoms mean you should call or go to the emergency room. The questions above are prompts for your clinician, and the answers will depend on your diagnosis, results and goals. A running list kept between visits makes each appointment easier to use well.