As you get a bit older, how’s your health?

[ididntexpectthat]

I turned 50 this year and so far, apart from high blood pressure (controlled by meds), my health has been ok. Both my parents had/have bad health from age 45+ with heart and kidney issues but also, on both sides of our family, everyone has always struggled with their weight too. I have too but have recently lost 2.5 stone and I’m working on the final 1.5 stone - which I know will help with my overall health.

So just wondering about others. If you’ve been an averagely healthy person most of your life, has your health changed in some way from age 45 or 50 or beyond? Was there a sudden event or you just found things started to decline a bit? Or maybe you’re fine! If so, what has been the secret?

Early 70’s, LVF and complete Bundle Branch block after getting myocarditis 7 years ago. Generally I had to slow down, I still walk 3-5 miles a day with the dogs, gardening etc.
I also have CKD, no idea why but probably linked to heart failure.
i am getting arthritis in my neck, shoulders, ankles and feet, from years of nursing long before patient handling rules changed.
Generally I’m ok, keep moving and plenty of hobbies.

Pain in the a* TBH. Seems to be another auto immune disease gifted to me every year! 😎

I would add.... I know of plenty of olds who had every operation going, every illness and malady, including cancer, heart, BP, etc etc.... They lived until they were mid 90's.

My poor Dad, nothing his entire life, extremely healthy and fit, died within 8 weeks of being diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer aged 68.

Its a minefield.

I'm 54, Ive had pre cancerous cells removed from cervix, uterine ablation, frozen shoulder, not as flexible as once was need to work on this!
A bit of arthritis in a knuckle after an injury falling down some wet steps.
Finding it hard to lose weight.
Have diverticulitis and ibs.
In my late30s had my gall bladder removed after horrendous gall stone pain.
Sounds quite a list 😂
But generally I do feel healthy!!
I do think around menopause your body does sadly age and you are prone to more health issues and longer recovery time.

Sorry about your Dad, that must have been such a shock in so short a time.

Regarding your point about those who have every ailment going and live forever, in this house we say "The creaking door hangs the longest", and so it has been proven time and time again. My mother had every illness going, including two strokes, stomach cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and lived till her late 80s. My Dad was fit as a fiddle, never sick a day in his life and similar to your story, got a cancer diagnosis and was gone six months later at age 67.

I miss them both.

I am 65 and have high bp but that is since my 40s. I am early retired and probably fitter now than I was 10-15 years ago as I have time to exercise now. DH had heart issues but after open heart surgery 4 years ago he is now fine.

I’m sorry for your loss @HostaCentral. I have a similar story about my Dad. He was a very fit and healthy man. He never had a day off sick in a 40+ year career. Didn’t smoke, drank alcohol very moderately, great diet, very active. Up until a couple of months before his death, he went to the gym two or three times a week, long bike rides, hiking, sailing. He even went skiing about 6 months before he died and did the red runs as always. He was diagnosed with multiple brain tumours in early July and died in early August aged 66. It was devastating and felt so unfair. He barely got time to enjoy the retirement he worked so damned hard for 😔

64 - touch wood - no health issues at all - no medication either

I'm 53 and if I really were a cat I'd have been put to sleep by now.

I got to 70 and got a DVT which needed a full hysterectomy. Every thing else, under active thyroid and high cholesterol I have been on medication for over 25 years for. Last November I edged over the HBA1C threshold for diabeties, took the weight loss injections, lost a load of weight and not diabetic anymore. So for my age (73) not too bad

This sounds very much how I started.
Fit as a flea until early 50s. Then a back problem causing trapped nerve and numbness down left leg. Painful joints.
Pain first thing in the morning is a classic symptom of auto immune.
I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis eventually but it took ages. It was pretty well controlled with hydroxychloroquine for ten years but I now need stronger stuff.
When my RA flares I wake up feeling as though someone has beaten me up in the night. Aches everywhere, joints hurt. It wears off over the day but there's also immense fatigue. The good news is that with the right drugs it goes away.
The back problem comes and goes, seems to be a permanent weakness. I have developed techniques from various physios to improve it when it strikes. That numbness is awful though.

Lucky so far at 63 but aware I'm in the dangerous years

I’m 51 and consider myself healthy, no major issues but as I was typing that I was like hang on!!

I have endometriosis, major surgery at 45, then last year my gall balder removed due to a stuck large stone, I have back issues that flare up, muscular and I pick up any cold or flu going, so normally 2-3 stints of feeling rubbish.

I was great before covid other than the endometriosis but after covid it’s been bloody non stop as I was very sick with covid which kicked off the endo to a level where surgery was needed and I’m not sure I’ve felt well since as perimenopause also got me good.

but still in my mind I’m healthy as I don’t have cancer, heart issues, major life changing injuries etc but I’m not without issues.

79 and in very good health but don't sleep well.

I walk a lot with our very big dog who has knocked me over a few times.I run a home, garden and parent a young person. Interested in current events and read a lot. Plenty of coffee meetings with local friends of various ages and a small part time job.

Vegetarian diet almost life long and no smoking and almost no drinking. I take multi-vits, iron and high dose glucosamine and chondroitin. I feel quite happy with my life.

I was fine until I hit 59, never overweight, walking an hour a day, plus exercise and ate well. I have just been diagnosed with heart issues but here’s the rub. They are hereditary, my Mother had 2 heart attacks by that age, DD died of probably heart issues in her sleep, inconclusive but when people have the electrical’s within go wrong probably. Many other heart issues within the family.

So I’m now on meds, I was just 59.5 when I went on them. I did have back issues but they were manageable and I was born with a scoliosis, never been on meds for it.

Amongst my friendship group, deaths and illness.

Psychologist died at 54 from cancer, Nurse died at 54 from covid, Librarian 61 major heart issues, retired Lecturer 57 cancer survived but now has lymphoedema, Teacher 55 cancer,Retired PA 57 major spine operation, ongoing sciatica and some pain, Engineer 60 an eye issue which means he is slowly going blind, Engineer 55 heart issues, has had a stent, Police officer 56, heart issues has had a stent, he was lucky to survive but happened to be with two paramedics when he had a heart attack on duty.

None of these people were ones that abused themselves, the two that died when we were all 54 I had known since I was at school, one was my best friend since age 12, that was truly an awful and sad year. Those deaths and that of my DD are part of the reason I retired so early.

There is a reason the medical profession call 50 to 60 sniper alley.

DH remains as healthy as a horse. His Mother had cancer recently and survived, she is 84. She was on zero meds before. I’m hoping DS has more of his Fathers genes when it comes to health. I had his spine and heart investigated when he was a child and all ok.

But if I hadn’t made an effort maybe I would have had two heart attacks by now like my Mother or not be here, she was a smoker. She managed to live to 94 and survive 4 heart attacks in total.

As I joke you cannot out vitamin death.

Very lucky here, I have no known health issues, no aches/pains. I'm 59.

I found out I was prediabetic three years ago, made some minor changes to diet and take more exercise (which I now really enjoy and feel fitter than I've ever done). My levels are back within normal range. My cholesterol is high end if normal though, I've made a few dietary adjustments which hopefully keep that in check.

I'm 48 and my health great so far, no medication except for HRT and the Pill. I won the genetic lottery a bit - all of my paternal family are long lived and healthy and no cancer at all - at 80 the only health issues my dad has are well controlled angina and a bit of arthritis in his fingers. I have genetic low blood pressure , low LDL and high HDL cholesterol which helps.

The only health issue I havw currently is the re occurance of achilles tendonitits caused by an old kickboxing injury and I suspect it has reappeared as I am upping my balance and strength work.

I am not complacent though, my mum was fit and healthy with a good life style and died very suddenly from a brain tumour at 46.

I'm (only) 42 and up until a few years ago was fine.

Then I got hit with meningitis so have hearing loss and really bad tinnitus.

I also slipped a disc in my lower back a few years ago which is chronically painful, some weeks much better then it gets bad again; physiotherapy is helping me a little bit with managing this.

I've also had a spontaneous DVT and been diagnosed with a clotting disorder which is apparently very common (factor 5 Leiden deficiency).

I’m 70 and have what I think of as niggles. I’ve had a couple of basal cell carcinomas (I used to live in a hot sunny country), I’ve had a hip replacement due to osteoarthritis, and I have a torn shoulder muscle which is taking forever to heal.

But my mother was dead before she was my age, both my parents and all my younger siblings had/have diabetes (some type 1, some type 2), one sister has had breast cancer, a brother has an auto-immune disease.

I know my current health is due as much to luck as it is to any choices I make.