To wonder what's normal re pain or health issues over 50?

[UncertainWife]

As of recently (early 50s) I have lots of things gone wrong, hip arthritis, lower back pain, shoulder pain, and some new stomach issues, but most of my friends in their early 50s seem fine with no health problems at all.

I'm quite shocked at how rapidly my health and mobility has gone downhill. I eat well, am good BMI, before my hip went wrong I took regular walks each day.

If you're over 50, are you fully healthy and in good working order? Or are bits of you starting to 'go'?!

Is it just a lottery? I did all the advised things, diet, exercise, no alcohol, good sleep, but I am falling apart much more than my boozy friends who eat a lot of rich food! And am in worse health than my smoker husband!

71 the bits of me that are failing are old injuries. caused by working in the NHS pre lifting and handling rules and going hip deep in a bog rough walking my dogs (now alas departed) at sparrow fart in the dark. Decided I could no longer do the attic ladder at will this year soemptied out the attic in stages on good days. So long as I can walk along beside the Reaper and keep dodging the blade I will be happy.

Having read all your stories. I feel guilty. Two years ago my back finally went. Had an MRI at the age of 66 discovered that I was born with scoliosis. How I managed three pregnancies I'll never know. Now I've bulging discs and arthritis in my lumbar region.

Had lunch six ladies two of them said that they could no longer eat onions, garlic, tomatoes, chillies, spicy foods. I was delighted because my husband a very good cook thought I was weird they're a decade younger than me 😄

I'm nearly 51 and my health has gone to shit since i turned 50. Everything aches or creaks suddenly!

51 and I felt like crying in my Pilates class this morning because everything hurt so much...and I know there is nothing but more of the same ahead. And I can never stop the yoga/pilates or I'm finished.

For people mentioning vaginal oestrogen- where do you get it? And at what stage? I'm early 40s and aware peri menopause is approaching in the next few years

53, my body is definitely ageing! A bit concerning how it will be at 63, 73, 83..
Had some lower back issues which with physio have improved but still get niggles and I think it's vulnerable.
Then I had a painful frozen shoulder and a year later my other shoulder also froze.
I slipped down some wet steps, injured a finger which now has arthritis in the joint and has gone up several ring sizes.
My knees are shot and I now "think through" getting up and down off the floor!!!
Gardening is becoming more challenging-just as I've got more time to do it!
Although thankfully can still walk for miles.
I've had two operations:
gall bladder removal in my late 30s following excruciating gall bladder attacks and uterine ablation about 5 years ago following a year of prolonged very heavy periods/flooding that left me anemic.
Also had stage 0, pre cancerous cervical cells removed by lletz procedure.
DH, 56, who is very fit, also is getting aches and pains and just had painful bunions removed.
Some friends have fared better than others, one has had breast cancer thankfully now recovered, my cousin died of breast cancer at 45.
Two friends have fibromalgia.
Another was diagnosed with MS and died about 10 years after diagnosis.
Ones been recently diagnosed as diabetic.
However despite the list above most of us are faring perfectly well apart from some aches and pain. I do think your body takes longer to recover.

55: obese but exercise regularly, on HRT but no other medication. No problems yet, though I notice that injuries take longer to heal (exacerbated by me not taking enough time off my sport to heal them properly!)

yes, I'm 45, and I seem to be faring a lot worse than my friends (except the couple that have already died). I've switched to only working two days a week so I can get on top of things as sitting at a desk all day was doing me no favours. Two months in I'm starting to feel a lot better and have no new injuries, thankfully. But the list of chronic ailments is long now. Anyway, at least I'm alive.

52 with severe osteoarthritis in my knees - very painful and I get help thanks to steroid injections, but the next step will be knee replacements. Dodgy lower back (bulging discs) and a slightly misshapen upper spine thanks to mild scoliosis, so I get a lot of back pain. Not much fun!

I'm 59 and no real health problems . Dr was amazed I don't have any regular prescriptions so must be a lot in their 50's . I have a few intermittent digestive niggles with acid reflux but take gaviscon as and when needed .
My parents are both enjoying good health in their 80's and hopefully I'll do the same .

DH fine at 56, I was fine till Sept last year when I did something dreadful to my back, I’m 58. As much as I am annoyed and I still get pain many days I have had 3 friends die before 60 and DH has had 1 die. Two were very regular women who didn’t live any kind of extreme lifestyle and two were women who I would say made an effort with food and exercise more than most. My physio said you have done everything right it’s just not fair, I could walk down town and see loads of people who don’t care for themselves but no skeletal or pain issues.

Remember the old saying of hard work didn't do anybody any harm. Well it was a crock of shoot. How many of us in middle age spent our lives in physically demanding jobs and now are paying for it.

I feel like that now at 38 😟 I was thinking about going to the Dr's...

GP when the time comes.

Nothing really until I turned 59 and I get backache if I've been running around all day.
Apart from that no other aches or pains.

Can you take painkillers beforehand? I find that helpful.

Half and half really. I'm late 50's and still running ultra marathons but have colitis which I fear will get worse with age. Also spent last year severely anaemic, had to have an iron infusion and blood transfusion. Had shoulder impingement which thankfully seems to have got better by itself after 1.5 years.My DM died from cancer at 60 so it's a peculiar feeling to be approaching that age.

Get exhausted easily, iron still lowish, hate not having boundless energy!

So, golden rules, judging by extended family, lucky ones who lived long ( 90s) and reasonably healthily
: chose your parents carefully
: don't eat anything your ( great) grandmother wouldn't recognise : work hard

Of course which comes first the chicken or the egg...............?

DF is 92 and utterly miserable being alive, not sure it's an aim for me ...

The trouble with this thread is our bodies are all different - there is no normal for someone in their 50s. I'm 62 with several autoimmune conditions, osteoperosis and scoliosis. None of these relate directly to my lifestyle - although it is acknowledged that there is a relationship between stress and autoimmune conditions. Sorry OP, but the only people who can tell you if what you are feeling is normal are your blood relatives. Hearing from those who come from long-life genes and are going to be active until they are 100 are just going to make you feel worse.

My health issues started in my late 30s when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and a rare gene mutation. Underwent chemo, radiation, and four major surgeries plus 10 years on Tamoxifen. Thankfully, my 50s are healthy, so far which is amazing considering what my body has been through.

My sister and I both have arthritis like our mother. She was obsessed with hardly eating anything in case she put on weight - she was always around 7.5 stone.
My granny lived to 88 eating fry ups all the time and never taking any recognised form of exercise.
I've had to give up going to the gym due to the pain and go for short walks and try to eat sensibly. Since I gave up the gym I haven't put on any weight.

Going into my 50s was fine. My biggest issue is weight - I know I'd be much better in terms of mobility (climbing stairs, long walks) I lost it (not so easy)! I yo yo and am definitely better when thinner.
My friends and I are now in our 60s but other than feeling a bit creaky on getting up are all in good shape.
Those who are active fare better, but seems like you were. I think it is just luck unfortunately.
There was some report when the Queen turned 90. It wasn't scientific or large but it was found the common factors in long and healthy life were:
Being active/maintaining healthy weight
Being involved with community
Genes
Luck (no diseases like cancer etc).

I was just thinking about this today I am 55

I started getting old in my mid to late 30s

started off with

IBS (had all my life really)
BPPV
Bile acid malabsorption
B12 deficiency
vit D deficiency
high cholesterol
got sepsis from a procedure
fatigue
fibroymalgia
coronary artery spasms
tachycardia
vision problems and migraines

last 4 years I have had embedded UTI, vertigo, depression and arthritis has really ramped up, I had a bone in my hand removed just before Covid but now all my joints are acting up and my fingers are all deformed, doc has just given me some stronger painkillers to try and to have another blood test next week

I hurt all over and am very stiff, cannot bend over or reach up to cupboards, etc, I feel and look about 80, I had to quit work at 44 and give up driving

i really feel that the lack of nutrients from my limited diet due to IBS has aged me before my time

Happy birthday 🎉