7 QUESTIONS YOUR DOCTOR WISHES YOU'D ASK

Maximize your face-to-face time and boost your odds of healthy aging with these smart inquiries.

- BY STACEY COLINO

BETWEEN EXPERIENCING white-coat intimidation and having limited time for your appointment, it's easy to feel flustered at your annual doctor's visit. As a result, you might forget important questions you wanted to ask your doctor, then think of them later—when it's too late. That's why it's essential to prepare for your visit by focusing on health concerns that are especially relevant to your age and stage of life.

“It’s important for women to come prepared with questions and to advocate for themselves because the amount of time they have with their doctors has dramatically decreased over time,” says women’s health expert Jennifer Wider, M.D., editor of The Savvy Woman Patient. Indeed, the average length of primary-care visits is only 19 minutes, according to a study published in a 2023 issue of JAMA Health Forum.

The good news: By assembling essential questions to ask your doctor at your annual physical in your 40s, 50s and 60s, you can maximize your face time and increase the chances that you'll get the care you need. Read on for the must-ask questions—and what you can learn from them.

IN YOUR 40s

How can I tell if I'm in perimenopause?

There isn’t a test that can diagnose perimenopause, so it’s important to pay attention to your symptoms and talk to your doctor about them. Well before you reach menopause—defined as one year from your final period—you may experience perimenopause, which can last for 4 to 10 years and typically occurs in a woman’s 40s.