What is your life like if you have no health problems?

[AbsentmindedWoman]

I went down a mad mental rabbit hole wondering about this! I have had type 1 diabetes since 11, I do remember a carefree childhood before that but it is so long ago now. I am constantly scanning my body (and, as of lately, my medical tech that gives me info) for feelings and clues to keep myself safe, and constantly analysing where I'm going/ what I'm doing to make sure I have contingency plans for all eventualities.

What is it like to live with no health issues? Can you describe that?

What is it like to live in a body that works in a straightforward fashion? Do you ever think about it, or no?

Would be very interested if anyone can offer explanations of what their lived experience of a 'healthy body' is!

Mlou32

Until a solution was found for my endometriosis I spend at least one third of every month in debilitating pain. Even prescription painkillers didn’t touch it. I still worked and did what I could but it was always present in the back of my mind. It is very hard not to be defined to an extent by something that is guaranteed to hammer you every month.

So in response to the OP, when they found a treatment that worked for my endometriosis it was a revelation. I had had issues for decades gradually worsening. It was such a sense of relief and freedom. Because it always sits there in the back of your mind, you can never forget. Now I have that freedom and I really really appreciate it.

Wow, definitely some judgey- 'I choose to make lemonade from my lemons' type posts!

When you have a severe and life-restricting (not necessarily life-threatening), which shapes the majority of your daily activities then you really cannot just chose to 'get on with it'!

But nobody is saying that.

I'm 55, post menopausal (I pretty much sailed through menopause) and very lucky to be healthy and well. I've been so fortunate never having to worry about my physical health over the years. I do have genetic high blood pressure but take medication and it has no impact on my life. I've a few aches and pains but think of that as normal at my age & take the odd ibuprofen if I need to. I've struggled a bit with mild depression but my mental health is fine as long as I take a low dose of an SSRI daily. I'm in reasonable shape and very, very grateful for it. I don't need to think about my health on a daily basis, and hope that lasts as long as possible. So I suppose I've never had to think about my health, but I'm forever grateful for having access to the medication which means I don't need to worry about it.

I'm 50 and have never had any health problems, and this thread has made me realise that I should add it to my gratitude list. My mother is nearly 90 and much the same, except that she has just had bowel surgery and it's had a huge effect on her, partly I suspect because everything, including her mental health, has worked perfectly until now.

I have always, however, been enormously grateful for the good health of my DD. I went back to work when she was two months old, as a sole parent, working overseas and in six years I didn't have to take a day off sick with her - and I didn't send her to nursery sick either. That's definitely luck, but I have always thanked somebody or something for that.

It's really great, it's fantastic. I feel lucky and feel quite free, in terms of I can do most things I want without too much planning or thinking about it too much. I feel really bad typing that, it sounds like I'm smug or rubbing it in and I'm not. It seemed like you wanted an honest answer though.

Since my pregnancies I've really appreciated my good health. Nine months of sickness, exhaustion and spd meant I wasn't really able to do anything or if I managed it I didn't enjoy it. Of course it was really different as I knew it was time limited.

Elle7rose no one is saying just get on with it.

Sorry I don't mean this to be rude but I really wonder if people have comprehension problems sometimes or if they're just deliberately taking what they want out of what people say sometimes.

Its all a matter of perspective though isn't it? Your t1 seems to be a massive part of your life. I'm type 1 and its my normal. No big deal for me. However I developed a different condition that caused me so much pain and was really debilitating. And I felt pathetic for letting it get me down. No judging you for feeling crap about your t1 but your question is so subjective, you're going to get answers from troopers to people who find it difficult to cope. You might be better talking things through on a diabetes forum, as I am reading between the lines and thinking that you would really prefer to talk about how your health is affecting you rather than hearing about how people with good health feel. Apologies if I'm wrong.

I have always felt very fortunate to be blessed with good health so far other than rhuematic knee twinges since I was 22. Now, in my late fifties, I am beginning to feel the signs of what old age could be like. My joints ache now, can't always trust knees and ankles to behave on long walks and I no longer sleep well.

I will do my best to stave off these effects but I have been lucky so far. I am scared of getting diabetes more than almost anything so am trying to lose a little weight. Very sad for thise who have had to battle health issues from an early age.

I was diagnosed T1 coming up to 2 years ago at the age of 33 OP and certain things I've already forgotten what they were like pre-diabetes.
I'd love to just once be able to eat/ walk/ sleep / exercise without wondering (worrying) about my blood sugar.
Currently pregnant with my 2nd. I wasn't diabetic for my first. Really wish I'd been a bit more carefree about my first pregnancy.
T1 as a child just must be crazy. So much respect to you and anyone else who survives it!

Hello from a fellow T1
I was 'lucky' I that I was 45 when I was diagnosed,but my god it has taken some coming to terms with. It's the lack of spontaneity that gets me. I can't just eat something without doing a maths equation, I can't leg it somewhere in a rush without risking a hypo. CAnt drink alcohol without being cmmpus mentis enough to keep remembering to monitor, dance without fear of flaking out on a dance floor, have sex without checking my blood, The list goes on.
Yes I was lucky but I had a lot of grieving to do to accept I could no longer be spontaneous.
People wonder why I'm distracted in a restaurant when they've finished their starter and I'm still faffing about

I realise I am very very lucky. I have only seen my GP once in the last 15 years. I have had one cold in the last 14 months or so even. There is literally nothing wrong with me. I can even do the lotus position as well as when I was 15 so even now h eading for 60 my body seems to work just like it used to do except I am nothing like as tired as I was in my 20s and 30s when not only did I work full time as now but I also had small children making me in the night and then I caught more colds (from the small children). I am probably a stone heavier than I want to be but that's not affecting my health. I don't eat most junk foods but that's as much preference as anything else. I drink water and don't like alcohol for example.

I have healthy normal pregnancies and births (back at work full time a week or two later even), breastfed including twins very well. I just feel extremely lucky (and of course the luck might change when I get over 60 as most people as they get older get health problems). My mother had back pain and various other things even in her 20s and I never had anything like that.

What is it like? It is just lovely and I do appreciate it and don't take it for granted.

Hmm. I have chronic mental illness and chronic physical illness, including a life limiting diagnosis which means my life is punctuated by traumatic medical procedures that make my mental illness worse. I've worked my arse off for years to try and improve things, try to manage things, try to make the best of things, but things keep getting worse faster than I ever make any progress.

I can't imagine what it would be like not to be living with this, so I don't expect anybody to be able to imagine or understand what it's like to live with.

I've done all the "only I can help myself" and "let's put a positive spin on this" and "appreciate the small things" and actually it's bullshit. I've gone into violating medical procedures telling myself "this will be ok, this is to make life better, go to your happy place" blah blah and still come out the other side with PTSD. And while I'm still reeling another medical professional will announce the next traumatic thing they want to do to me or remind me of the horrifying way my life will end.

Funnily enough I have depression as well as PTSD. Anybody who thinks that's my fault for having the wrong mindset or not trying hard enough can fuck off.

Just because there's nothing anybody else can do to help me either doesn't actually mean it's within my power to transform this into a bearable existence! Sometimes the fact that nobody else can make a difference is because it's a hopeless situation!

My mum "fought" her cancer and kept a "positive mindset" and cancer still fucking killed her in absolutely horrific fashion.

If it helps you feel in control of your own life to believe your mindset and self-help skills are what protect you from life becoming unbearable and unsustainable, then great. But they are just beliefs you find helpful in your own life, not universal truths.

I like the fact that I rarely even get a cold. I do feel it is my duty both to myself & to society at large to take responsibility for my own health and well-being by eating a healthy diet, being the right weight for my height and build, exercising and looking after myself, without becoming obsessed.

Apart from close friends and family most people I know have no idea I live with a chronic health condition, bad enough that I receive PIP at the enhanced rate of care and mobility. The thing (which might be particular to me) most healthy people don't realise is that it's not just feeling awful, it reaches into every part of your life. My youngest DC was two years old when I became poorly. I feel guilt every day that I'm not the mother I intended to be, not even the mother my eldest DC had throughout his childhood. I do get frustrated when I see people making horrendous lifestyle choices but I'd never comment on it. I have a positive outlook because many who have been through similar are no longer here and I'm still around, albeit a shadow of my former self.

I know how awful it must be for those with difficult health issues. I should have added above I don't take any pil;ls either. I have never even been on the contraceptive pill. I probably take a lemsip about once every 5 years if I get a cold but that's it. That does not mean I am against pills if they are needed. and I am certainly not anti vax either. In fact my siblns and I were some of the first people to get the measles vaccine in the 1960s I think in our area as our doctor father never mind our teacher mother were very keen to avoid all those awful child hood diseases which used to kill off so many children.

I have never been been under a general anaesthetic either.

(User, that sounds really awful. I am so sorry. I remember talking to a man in a wheel chair - in fact we went on a date - and for him the worst thing was constant pain. It was very interesting for me to hear about the impact on his life. Not being able to walk was neither here nor there. It was the pain that for him was the worst thing.

I’m mid 30’s and so far I have been lucky with my health. I don’t think I’ve been to the doctors as an adult for any non pregnancy/ contraception related things.

I was considered epileptic as a child, but grew out of it.

I feel very lucky, I’m one of 5 siblings and 3 of them have type 1 diabetes, when you think about it, it does really make you appreciate your health, though day to day I probably don’t give it much thought.

user53976478853, I'm really sorry life has dealt you such utterly shit cards.

And, I hear you.

I definitely cope best when I don't stick rigidly to being cheerful: when I give myself permission to feel justifiably sorry for myself on occasions, and a great big fucking pat on the back for actually managing quite well considering.

Having other people validate that my life is genuinely a bit hard is really helpful: then I can put that in its box and move on to being a fucking hero. When I don't have that validation, I tend to blame myself for just not being good enough, or not doing it right, or... whatever.

I’m having health issues for the first time in my life at 54. I’ve got asthma as well but that has never caused me any problems really. Currently awaiting a ct scan to confirm possible diagnosis although my consultant thinks I’m low risk for it and many of my symptoms could be attributed to anxiety, peri menopause and low iron.
I’d give anything to go back a year or so. I’ve exercised for years - running, spinning and just generally enjoyed being physically active but at the moment can’t do any of that apart from taking my dog out for a longish walk. I didn’t realise how much I depended on it for my mental well being and miss it so much. I see runners and feel resentful . To cap it all a ‘friend’ has taken up running and that’s all she talks about which isn’t helping.
One thing I have done is massively improve my diet. It wasn’t bad particularly but I now make sure I eat my 5 a day at least. I agree that most people take being well for granted - you really start to question your mortality if issues start to arise.

I feel resentful of anyone who has the freedom to live their life without having to worry about their health.

I have epilepsy, it dictates so much of my life, ruins a lot of it and everyday it’s at the forefront of my mind. I hate it. I hate that for for the last 20 years, and for the rest of my life, my life is under the control of a shitty health problem.

I have Hashimoto’s, and try to remember that of the autoimmune conditions, I’d rather have this than lupus, say.

I do have the funds to throw money at my ills, and essentially live a normal life by doing cryotherapy, following an AIP diet, getting reiki, working out five days a week. The list goes on! It’s when I travel and am unable to rely upon my coterie of treatment options that I run into trouble and deal with insomnia, neuropathy, stomach problems, aches and pains etc.

I make sure I use it - sports events, pleasure in the small things, working hard. If it goes, I want to know I made the most of it.

My physical health is fantastic- only hospital visits I've ever had were giving birth and a minor car crash. Go to my doctors once every 3yrs on average.
My mental health isn't as great however I am medication free for that and making strides every day. I'm very aware of my mood (often linked to my fertility cycle actually) but am very good on spotting signs I'm going downhill and have many coping mechanisms

No idea for me as born with a heart condition so don't know any different and had open heart surgery twice. Haven't let it stop me from living. I'm 36 now, try to keep fit and very lucky to have a 1 year old daughter. Been told I'm not fit to have anymore children so grateful with what I have. I'm very positive and a realist so that keeps me going.

I'm very healthy at 46, and I try not to take that for granted. I saw my Dad managing a chronic condition (severe asthma) when I was growing up, which maybe helps me to appreciate my good fortune.