8 Questions To Ask Your Doctor At Your Next Appointment If You’re Over 40 And Tired All The Time
We want answers.
by The Candidly Team
On any given day we can think of anywhere between 2 and 72 questions we’d ask a doctor if they happened to be in the room.
“Is this the job of a hot or cold compress?” “Is this a normal amount of hair to be losing in the shower?” “Is this TikTok about okra water being “nature’s Ozempic” even remotely accurate?”
And yet, in those three minutes a year when our own doctor opens up the floor and asks “any questions?,” we freeze like a deer in the headlights, our minds ablank as we hop off the exam table and head home … presumably to speculate about our health for another 364 days.
Preparing for what we’re going to ask our doctor at our next appointment is one of those mature, responsible, self-care actions we can neglect because we’re exhausted by doing 973 other things often that include taking care of other humans. And, somewhat ironically, one of those questions if you’re a woman over 40 could very likely be: “Why the eff am I so tired all the time?” Followed by: “is this normal?” Followed by: “is there anything I can do about it?”
So let’s talk about what kinds of conversations with your doctor could help get you the answers you seek.
Before we get into the questions, let’s talk about why we’re asking. Here’s just a sampling of what could be going on medically when you’re experiencing persistent fatigue:
Anemia (low iron)
Hormonal imbalances
Perimenopause and menopause
Heart Disease
Sleep apnea
Diabetes
Thyroid issues
Kidney disease
Bacterial or viral infection
Depression and/ or stress
Nutritional deficiencies (particularly with B12, vitamin D, or magnesium)
Chronic fatigue syndrome
And what lifestyle factors might be contributing?
Bad sleep
Lack of exercise
Not hydrating properly
Poor diet
Drinking and smoking
So what questions should I ask?
The first question on all our minds is likely how can I tell if my fatigue is a medical concern? According to Dr. Jared Ankerman, MD in an interview with The Cleveland Clinic, if “no matter how much you rest, or how little you do, you still have this feeling of not having a ton of energy or ability to do much … it can sometimes be a sign of something more serious going on.”
So when you talk to your doctor, you could start with something very simple and straightforward like:
Question 1: How can I tell if my level of tiredness and fatigue is normal?
Question 2: Given my age and medical history, what do you think are the possible reasons I’m feeling so fatigued?
Question 3: Do you think my symptoms could be a sign of a more serious health condition such as anemia? Do you recommend more tests for deficiencies or underlying causes?
Note: Tiredness is one of the main symptoms of low iron, but it can also be associated with other health concerns that are good to screen for at this stage of life, and your doctor can help you decide which tests will be most telling.
Question 4: Have we run comprehensive tests on my thyroid?
Note: According to Harvard Health “women of all ages are more likely than men to have low thyroid hormone levels. However, many of their symptoms are attributed to other conditions or written off as a consequence of aging.”
Question 5: Should I test for a sleep disorder?
Note: Around the age of perimenopause and menopause it can be more common to experience “sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, which may come from a loss of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “These can go undiagnosed because the symptoms and effects of sleep disorders (like daytime fatigue) are easy to confuse with symptoms of menopause itself.”
Question 6: How much do you think my fatigue could be related to perimenopause, menopause, or hormonal changes?
Question 7: What lifestyle changes can make the most difference to improve how I’m feeling or lower my risks?
Question 8: If my vitamin D, B12, or magnesium levels are low, how do you recommend I increase them?
Be ready to answer questions:
Once you’ve asked your questions, it’s very likely your doctor will have follow ups regarding other symptoms, how often you experience symptoms, how long you’ve been noticing them. Keeping tabs on your patterns, even marking a log leading up to the appointment can help you be ready to give the best information to help inform any diagnosis.
If a treament plan is offered:
If your doctor helps you make a plan of action, it’s very helpful to repeat it back to them at the end of the appointment to make sure you’ve retained the information. You can also ask a few follow up questions like:
Is this plan intended to treat the condition itself or improve my symptoms?
If a medication Is prescribed, can I expect any potential side effects.
And of course be sure to check if you should make a follow up appointment to see what’s working and what isn’t.
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