7 Questions For Your Doctor If You’re Over 40
As we get older, paying attention to our health becomes even more important. And even though we know our health should be a priority, let’s face it, we often get distracted by everyday life.
It’s helpful to get ahead of the curve and have some ideas about what to look out for as we get older. That’s why I asked the women of the KARIN YOGA LIFE Wellness and Yoga Community on Facebook: what questions are important to ask your doctor after 40?
Here’s what they said:
Do I need to do a colonoscopy?
It’s important to ask your doctor if a colonoscopy is right for you. This is because your risk of developing polyps and bowel cancer increases as you get older, especially after 50. It’s all about staying one step ahead! Colonoscopies help your doctor find abnormalities early so they can be quickly treated.
Do I need a bone density test?
A bone-density test measures the strength of your bones. This is mainly done to find and treat serious bone loss, or osteoporosis, and prevent fractures. This is especially important for women who are fine boned.
Do I need to check my thyroid?
The possibility of thyroid issues are important to discuss with your doctor. One KARIN YOGA LIFE member wrote: “My mom’s doctor only checked her thyroid levels via a blood test but didn’t feel for nodules. Her thyroid cancer was missed for a long time, as a result.”
Women are at a higher risk for thyroid disease, and this risk increases immediately after menopause so it’s important to ask your doctor about checking yours.
What about a predisposition for Alzheimer's test?
If you have a family history of dementia or other similar potentially inherited diseases, this test could be important for you. There are tests that can be done to identify if you are at risk of developing Alzheimer's or dementia.
How do I know if I need hormone replacement therapy?
Menopause can be super tough on many women! Hormone replacement therapy or HRT is treatment/medication that usually contains female hormones taken to replace the estrogen that your body stops making during menopause. HRT can help treat some menopausal symptoms, like hot flashes, and definitely helps some women. HRT has also been shown to help prevent bone loss and reduce fractures in postmenopausal women. Hormone therapy is quite varied and has its pros and cons so you should ask your doctor if this is something that’s right for you.
Do I need to get the shingles vaccine?
Shingles is most common in people over 50 and the risk increases with age. The shingles vaccine would help to prevent you from getting the disease and facing its other complications.
What are options to keep my brain challenged?
As we move into retirement, we also move away from the daily work challenges that keep our minds active and thinking. Keeping your brain challenged is also super important.
BONUS:
Should I be concerned about skin tags, freckling, or miasma? What about using a moisturizer that has added sunscreen?
Our skin is our biggest organ, yet it’s so easy to forget about taking care of it. Be sure to think about these too the next time you’re going for a checkup.
All of these questions for your doctor are all about helping us to be prepared and catching any potential issues early so that they can be quickly addressed. My doctor tells me that most things if caught early can be effectively treated!
Don’t forget though, health starts with your daily wellness habits, like a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Join the KARIN YOGA LIFE Wellness & Yoga private Facebook group community! Our community is all about living healthy, happy and pain free over 40.
We share about how to navigate the changes taking place in our bodies and lives. We talk a lot about yoga, but also about keeping active, eating nourishing food, managing stress, and self care in its many forms!
And we have fun!