For patients
Questions worth asking your doctor
These are the questions that move a conversation from reassurance toward measurement. None of them is confrontational and all of them have real answers.
About the results you already have
- “My glucose is normal — has my insulin ever been measured?”
- “What was my waist measurement at my last visit, and what is it now?”
- “My cholesterol panel is normal. Has anyone looked at particle size or inflammatory markers?”
- “Which of my numbers has actually changed in the last three years?”
About symptoms that get dismissed
- “My nerve conduction study was normal but my feet burn. Can the small fibers be tested separately?”
- “My feet have stopped sweating. Does that mean anything?”
- “I get lightheaded standing up. Has my blood pressure been checked lying down and standing?”
- “I walk less than I used to because my calves cramp. Should my ankle-brachial index be checked?”
About prevention
- “What is my objective fall risk, as opposed to my reported one?”
- “Do I have a cognitive baseline on record that a future score could be compared to?”
- “Which of my current medications could be contributing to dizziness, dry mouth or constipation?”
- “If I change what I eat and how I move, which measurement would show me it worked?”
About the plan
- “What would have to change for you to want to re-test this?”
- “If this result is borderline, when should it be repeated?”
- “Who should receive a copy of the report?”
A note on how to use this
Bring three, not fifteen. A focused question with a specific measurement attached to it is far more likely to change what happens than a general request for more testing. And take the answers away in writing — the value of all of this is comparison over time, which only works if somebody wrote the first number down.
Talk to someone about testing
Tell us what you are trying to find out and we will explain which Measura assessments answer that question, what each one involves, and how the results are reviewed with a clinician.
4477 Woodson Rd, Suite 201, St. Louis, MO 63134. Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please do not send symptoms, diagnoses or images through a web form — a website form is not a secure medical channel. Call us with clinical detail.
Common questions
What if my doctor says the testing is unnecessary?
That is a reasonable position for them to take with an asymptomatic low-risk patient, and a conversation worth having if you are in the risk group. Who the risk group is.
Can I arrange testing without involving my doctor?
Yes, and the report can still be sent to them. How referrals and reports work.
How do I keep track of results over time?
Ask for a copy every time, and keep them in one place — the trend is the useful part. How to read your report.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Padda, MD, MBA, MHP, medical director of Measura. Last reviewed .