Is it that unusual to be in your 60s and not on medication?

[Mumblechum0]

This is just something that made me think this week; 3 separate groups of friends and family, all late 50s or early 60s.

im finding increasingly that a lot of conversations turn to various ailments etc. I find these very dull.

amyway, in all 3 groups (I know how bizarre this sounds), they talked about what medications they’re on, and were surprised that I don’t take anything, not even vitamins, hrt etc.

i had cancer over 20 yrs ago but have been to the GP twice in 10 years. If I get ill, I tend to just wait for it to pass.

anyway, I wondered idly whether I just hang out with a lot of very unlucky people in terms of health, or is it usual to be on 3 or 4 meds?

(one friend had an alarm going off on her phone all day to remind her to take her tablets which led to today’s conversation)

benefits but also why take it if it’s not needed - plus for some women it’s not suitable. OP already said that she was fine so didn’t need it but depending on her cancer she may not have been suitable anyway

62 no meds. 63 4 different meds for high blood pressure. Shot up wouldn’t go down. Only thing I did was get older.

I take things like headache tablets but I’m not on any prescribed meds regime (also had cancer 27 yrs ago). I definitely can feel some signs of getting older though, I can’t be walking round town for hours then going out in the evening like I used to. Once I get home after an hour or two I’m done for the rest of the day.

I wasn't thinking of other medication. I was thinking of exercise, eating well, resting, reducing stress, reducing alcohol, not smoking. Just generally living really healthily.

I have a family member who is in his 80s and is on nothing at all, never has been!

I'm 60 and don't take anything other than HRT. I would be outraged, irrationally I know, if someone suggested I did 🙂.

As I posted above there are pros and cons but reading the research appears to tell me that some cancer risk increases are not significant neither is DVT risk, compared to the benefits

Not having HRT also increases risk to you, so you pays your money etc etc

Pah, I take loads but then I am unwell.

Yes! As an optometrist we ask people aboit meds as they can affect the eyes and it's unusual for people to be med-free in their 60's.

It sometimes means that you've made good life choices.
Sometimes if means you're fucking stubborn and won't take prescribed meds

There is no risk from not having HRT if you are healthy and haven’t had an early menopause.

Women aren’t ordered to have HRT, far from it.

I wonder what caused it? I’m in my early 60s and a few month’s ago had my blood pressure done and she said I had perfect blood pressure (she took it again to double check) and to keep doing whatever it is I’m doing. But I’m not doing anything? I’ve always had a tendency to have normal to slightly low but I don’t really know what any of it means. I don’t work out, I eat chocolate, I’m slightly overweight 🤷‍♀️

I’m 60 in a few weeks and don’t take any medication at all. I’ve not even taken a paracetamol in a decade.

Im not aware whether most of my friends are on anything as it’s not a subject we’ve ever discussed. The only friend I know who takes daily medication is diabetic - not lifestyle related, just an inefficient pancreas

No, it's fantastic really. As long as you are getting the odd health check to back it up and bloods being taken. Well done for beating Cancer. You must be doing something right!!

My mum is 70 and won't even take a paracetamol. She's in amazing health, she eats very little and definitely never ever any sugar, and she walks miles every day and does yoga regularly. That's it.

I'm on HRT but apart from that I want to be the same as my mum .... I work in the pharmaceutical industry and I don't like or trust pharmaceuticals! I would rather maintain my health than turn to a pill to 'fix' something (I now feel I have to put in the obvious disclaimer before all the captain 'whatabouts' come at me! For a serious illness I would obviously follow the advice of a doctor)

63 no meds. I'm sure a large part of it is luck genetically. Looking after yourself with good diet must help and general avoidance of doctors unless something serious means they can't bung you on statins etc.

People have different lifestyles, different genetic inheritance, different levels of affluence and also different attitudes to medication and seeking healthcare. Some people like the OP are happy to wait for symptoms or illnesses to go away on their own, others are more keen to have things checked and treated.

Upbringing, luck, access to a healthy lifestyle, attitudes and beliefs are all part of it surely.

Sounds like a bit of a stealth brag, tbh.

I am late 60s and only take medication for Parkinson's. So I have one permanent condition but nothing else. Only other long term medication has been contraceptive pills. I frequently feel I am the healthiest person in any group of a similar age.

I've just taken antibiotics for H Pylori. Why are you still on PPIs if it was successfully treated?

My dad is 77 and on zero meds. I have a friend who is 86 on zero meds, rare but happens

Not unusual. I have a lot of patients in their 90s on nothing. I also have patients in their 40s on lots of medication. It's just if you lucky or not healthy wise.

Agreed. Is it some kind of stealth boast? Because being on no drugs means you are enormously lucky to have good health.
Someone will say that's because they live a healthy life, eat well and stay fit, as though to blame those who aren't well.
I can tell you that you can do everything right and still end up with a catalogue of health conditions.
Drugs do have side effects but on the whole people put up with side effects because the consequences of not taking the medication is much worse.
I'm on three drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. Without them I would struggle to walk and be in pain 24/7. With them I can live my life, go walking, go to the gym each day, dancing and enjoying life.

She said why, she has gastritis.

My dad is on PPIs for life for similar reasons.

Thanks, so did the treatment for H Pylori cause the gastritis?

health is a bit of luck, a bit lifestyle and a bit of genetics. Some people never need medicine. My grandma was 97 without any meds.

MIL is 82 and doesn’t take a single thing. Fab. Her parents were the same and lived to late 90’s.