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!

I retrained as a teacher in my early 50s, (now 64) going from a sedentary job to standing/walking all day and I think that is what has helped me to avoid pain etc. I do quite a lot of sport, dance a lot, play padel, row, cycle and just got back from two skiing holidays with no pain or issues with joints etc.
However I realise this is quite lucky compared to friends, so just making the most of it before the inevitable decline.

@mugglewump you're right that our bodies are so different, that's what I can see from the replies on this thread.

Though I don't agree that only my blood relatives can tell me what's normal. Neither of my parents experienced what I'm going through now. Whereas the thread has shown me there's a huge variety of experiences post 50. I've found the array of replies very reassuring. There are lots of other over (and under) 50s struggling with health issues so that gives me my answer, it's not just me, this is normal for some of us.

To those on this thread suffering poor health - hugs.

To those on this thread fortunate to have good health - long may it continue!

I am 50 and I have had issues with:
reflux, seems to be from dairy
dry eyes
recurrent iritis
recurrent shingles
anaemia
I am being investigated for sjogrens

No aches and pains or joint issues though I have noticed I am less agile than I used to be. I need to start up with yoga again - currently do weights 3 times a week but no other exercise other than walking.

Op you asked if it’s normal. No it’s not. If I get a health issue, I don’t think it’s just cos I’m nearly 54, I get it checked out . There’s no reason why you would have bad health just because you’re over 50.

At a routine mammogram check one year the nurse said that health is down to 3 factors. Luck genetics plus lifestyle.

I think lifestyle is very important.

58 and still running half marathons. I did find that I got achy in my mid 50s but now take vit d and tumeric and that seems to help. Not on HRT. I run three times a week, gym/weights ideally twice but usually once as I hate it and walk lots. I've also never really eaten UPFs and cook healthily and from scratch. A number of friends are now getting back pain or needing hip replacements but as one of my DDs had to have her hips pinned in her tweens and the other had to have a spinal fusion at 20 I just count my blessings.

The one thing I have noticed though is that if I bruise it takes a lot longer than it did to clear up.

Agree. Nature loads the gun, nurture pulls the trigger.

50 this year, and generally feel OK. Tireder than I used to be, bit stiff first thing, and memory not great - put all that down to peri. Hips ache if. I do a long hill walk.

Don't come from an especially long lived family which worries me, especially as my parents had healthy lifestyles. My diet is good but trying to cut down on upfs and increase Excerise now while I still can.

I'm 57 and find that HRT makes a difference with aches and pains. Just come back from skiing and as fit as I've ever been!

The only thing is if I run for any length of time my hips is no good so had to stop.
Have elevated cholesterol so had an internal scan of my heart and arteries, and no calcification at all. On statins though as I live my crisps. All in all it's ok.. so far.

I forgot to say, weight training really, really helps. I loathe it but would feel much older without it.

52 and 'blessed' with a dodgy hip and knees, which were Def made worse with menopause.
I made an effort to sort myself out though. HRT, supplements, healthy diet, weight training, running, pilates and I lost 7 and a half stone. In general I'm probably the healthiest I've ever been!

Genetics does play a big role though. My brother inherited high blood pressure and diabetes from our mother in his 30s. I'm glad I just got the arthritis and anxiety from my father instead!

Are you sure they're all fine?

If a friend asked how I was I'd say "fine"...I'm not on any meds and I can climb a mountain/do an hour gym class/walk ten miles.

However...when I wake up my hip aches, and I take a few minutes to loosen up in the mornings. My Achilles hurts frequently, and I get lower backache and knee pain some days too.

I just accept it's normal at our age to have some aches n pains so I don't bother mentioning them.

I’m completely fine! But I do take HRT! Sorted out my aches and pains and made me feel young again!

I am turning 50 and definitely feel more aches and pains but nothing that I would consider actually impacting my health or quality of life, I exercise pretty hard so do find I recover slower and it is easier to get small injuries/minor chronic problems but tut has always been the case to some extend, I switched to more yoga and lifting and stopped running a few years ago because of this. It is just more important for me to listen to my body now, make sure I sleep, eat well and take care of myself. A little change in routine can also has impacts on me now in terms of digestion etc. I still consider myself in perfect health and am very grateful for it.

@greengreyblue looking at the replies on the thread it does seem quite normal to have some health issues after 50.

I'm not suggesting that myself or others shouldn't get them checked out.

I'm just trying to find out how many over 50s suffer health issues.

In hindsight I could have better worded my post, perhaps to say 'how common are health issues and pain over 50'.

I'm 62 and exercise a lot and run a number of marathons a year.
I have a few aches and pains but nothing too bad.
I think a lot of it is pot luck. We are told that we should have a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of getting a serious illness, but literally all the people that I know who have died from cancer, excluding those who died from lung cancer as a result of smoking, did have a pretty healthy lifestyle.

Chronic Plantar Facilitis, other than that ok.
Nothing I've tried has got rid yet and God knows I've tried.

Foot exerc ises cured mine. Nothing else. Rotate your foot 8 times clockwise and anticlockwise daily plus push back towards you top half of the foot say 6 times. Hold the foot in the forward position a few seconds each time.

After months of problems it cured in no time! Wear trainers a lot too.

Sorry you have these issues.

It seems varied. I'm in my 40s and already I have friends with health issues. One has a rare condition and needs transplants. I have pcos. Another has a sinus issue but seems very health. Another has back problems, one has athsma and recently got pneumonia. Then there are an equal no with no conditions.

Personally I think it's a combination of genetic factors, childhood trauma and stress mainly that can be excacerbated by life-style issues.

I think that you have to look after yourself to age well. I am 60 and have a bit of arthritis. I have found that if I do 15 minutes of stretching every day it makes a huge difference to my mobility and prevents joint pain. I also take hrt and keep my weight down and fitness up.

I'm slightly less fit that I was but that's to do with less time due to increased work hours not age but I don't have any health issues. My friendship group is mixed but I'm by no means the only one whose fit and well

I've only come across this falling apart at 50 on here, it's not something that is ever mentioned in real life

Obviously some illnesses are luck or unluck of the draw but sudden falling apart as inevitable is just not the case

I'm 66 and have no aches or pains. I started strength training at 50 and I have a good diet.
Broke a bone 5 weeks ago and consultant said its healed very quickly " considering my age". I don't take any medications and never have.
I had an awful bereavement 4 months ago and am determined to look after my health and my wellbeing to get through it.

It is definitely a thing in real life for me. I work in a school office with a lot of middle aged women and there is a lot of discussion of migraines, menopause, bladder issues, auto immune problems, surgeries of various kinds, thyroid problems, frozen shoulder, worsening chronic long term issues that flare up.

A friend called the 50s 'snipers alley' and now I know what she means!

I have to say I actively avoid convos of this sort. The more I hear about snipers alley, the more it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy for me, personally.

I agree to an extent. While I think it's great we are all talking about menopause and ageing and how we don't have to just accept symptoms as part of 'getting old', sometimes it can counter productive.
I don't want every conversation to end up talking about HRT, I want to explore other options. I also don't want every single darn thing to be put down to menopause.