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!

I've never had any health problems so don't really think about my health at all aside from when I'm under the weather, which is infrequent. However I worry about other things. I believe in the worry hole theory. The human brain has a worry hole that must be filled. If you manage to empty your worry hole then something else will pop straight in there.

I wish my ibs would fuck off but apart from that I'm pretty ok

@Mlou32 I think we are the same person. I discovered through infertility that I had severe endometriosis & although the doctor was somewhat disbelieving when I said I hadn’t really noticed any pain, I was truthful.

Like you I joined Facebook endometriosis groups and had to back out very quickly. It definitely becomes an identity for some.

I do believe that different people have different, natural tolerances to pain & that shapes your experience. I know mine is abnormally high, and it’s inherited - mum is the same. I went back to work (from home) the next day after a GA for the laparoscopy. I don’t doubt that other people find it much harder than I do but I don’t know if tolerance for pain is psychosomatic or genetic - I lean towards the latter.

Well I've had a charmed life because I am in my late 40s and really haven't had any real health problems. I've had a tiny operation to have polyps in my uterus removed and I had to get some cream for a skin lesion which may have been cancerous but probably wasn't.

I suppose I have a few mild problems which can be annoying - regular headaches (interestingly they've reduced massively since I stopped commuting), heavy-ish periods and thrush. But nothing that really affects my quality of life.

If you have good health you can generally cope with everything else like losing a job or stress with the kids. Health is more important than anything but apart from watching your weight you can't really do much to influence it.

I'm 60 next month, I've never had health problems apart from tonsillitis as a child (I had my tonsils removed). I have had a few injuries though, I fall over a lot, possibly due to dyspraxia, and have really crappy teeth.
It does feel good. I try and make the most of it by doing what I can to maintain my health - keep my weight under control, reasonably healthy diet, lots of exercise, etc. There is a history of cardiovascular illness on both sides of my family, and diabetes T2 on my Mum's side. It would be silly to fuck up my natural good health with avoidable lifestyle factors.

Im very grateful for my health but I've also done what i can to look after it

Just catching up, not read all replies yet but it is very interesting!

I enjoy reading about someone who says they don't really think about it much, but that they obviously appreciate it when they stop to think about it - it's not smug at all. You're like an alien species to me but honestly in a good way, it's fascinating because I just can't imagine what it's like.

Really interesting too about the people who have had a run in with short term difficult health and then realise how good it is to be well once they recover. I guess it changes perspectives. I wonder if that can sometimes make people a bit anxious, perhaps if prone to anxiety?

to all my fellow chronically ill folks - it enriches the discussion to hear what it's like from both sides, and I think it's really important for us to explain our reality, it kind of helps to conceptualise ideas about what is 'good health'? What is 'normal'?

Thank you all for the conversation!

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.

Wrong on a few levels, sorry. I'll discuss what I want on an open forum.

I asked a question that interests me, about the experience of 'good health'. I realise it's not something many people may spend time thinking about - we can frequently assume our own experience to be the norm, until something makes us think about that of others. I am very curious about people's lives in general, especially those who have different lives to me, and this is part of that.

It is useful for the purposes of stimulating the conversation for me to volunteer what my 'normal' is like. It is good to hear from everyone, as far as I am concerned.

I don't 'feel crap about my type 1' - that is far too black and white. It has immense power to scare me at times yes, but that is only part of it/ me. I work damn hard and have huge good luck to achieve good numbers about 75% of the time - but no, a person without it does not have to do what I do.

I'm always chuffed and relieved to hear of type 1s who say their diabetes is no big deal/ they have no complications, so I'm very happy to hear yours causes you no problems. You are in an exceptionally fortunate minority if you can easily stay in range all the time and it's 'no big deal'.

Not sure if you're aware, but current research agrees that whether you get complications is partly due to the luck of your genetic make up - so again, good for you that yours is not a big deal, but not everyone is in the same boat with that.

I think it's interesting considering the impact of some of the 'invisible' (chronic) illnesses too

OP I'm really enjoying your thread.
I'm a physiotherapist and I did my first Olympic length Triathlon last year, aged 52.
I'm blessed with good health, and I exercise most days, - swimming, jogging, yoga, or walking. I cycle in three Summer. I gave up alcohol 2 years ago and lost 2st as a result. I feel better now than I did 10 years ago.

Sometimes, if I mention that I swam before work that morning, I hear back 'wow, aren't you amazing!' But I answer that as a physio, I meet people who would LOVE to be able to go for a swim, who can't, so I see it as a gift, not a sacrifice.

I've always had good health. Thank you for this thread, for making me think about it, and I'm sorry everyone hasn't the same.

If I could only have 1 exercise, I'd pick walking. I'd absolutely recommend everyone to get out for a daily walk.

I am 50 and luckily never been sick, never broken a bone, never been in Hospital accept to have 1st child, had 2nd child at home without any problems, no mental health problems as yet but I do realise I am incredibly lucky and this could all change tomorrow. Things could all go wrong tomorrow. I wish all those people suffering with mental and physical health problems a speedy recovery xx

I have thankfully no health issues at all however my DD2 has a very deliberating illness, I will forever wish I could swap places .

Ok, so I'm nearly 52.
No health issues.
Not allergic, take no medication apart from the odd paracetamol, I'm overweight and probably drink a bit too much wine!
I haven't had a day off sick from my job in 19 years. I rarely catch colds,viruses etc. I do a bit if walking,but other than that I don't get a lot of exercise. My Mum has survived cancer twice, sadly my Dad died from it.
I think I'm very lucky to be as healthy as I am.

It's lovely and I am grateful every single day for my health. I'm 53 and have sailed through life with no problems at all. I went to the doctor for a routine matter a few years ago and he was surprised that he'd never seen me. I had to explain that I'm never ill.

I have looked after myself very carefully since my mid 40s. I was very overweight at that time. Although it wasn't causing a noticeable problem, I was aware that it almost certainly would, given time, and so I lost the six stones of excess fat, started lifting weights and am aiming to become a competitive bodybuilder.

Love to all those who are experiencing problems