Anyone feel like they’re ageing badly?

[mummarunner]

I’m 42 and suddenly feeling like I’m falling apart! Anyone else feel like this? I seem to have so many things “wrong” or that I’m not happy with that I don’t know which to tackle first so end up doing nothing with any of them.

I’ve even made a list of what I’m unhappy with! Here goes... I have:

1. Rosacea (this is new since turning 40)
2. Weak pelvic floor causing stress incontinence (have resisted buying tenalady so far but pelvic floor exercises do nothing)
3. Stomach muscle separation (diastisis recti) making me look pregnant by the end of the day when I am otherwise slim all over (I have two DC, youngest is 6)
4. Bunions - painful!
5. Acne on back (never had this problem as a teenager)
6. Tinnitus (usually I can ignore but can be distressing at times)
7. Terrible frown lines that make me look permanently grumpy

Reading back I know it’s a bit “first world problems” but I’m really struggling with this and it’s not something you talk about with work colleagues or friends in the pub. I guess I just want to know if anyone can relate? If I know I’m in good company I’ll have a better chance of getting over myself!

Watch Dr Sam Buntings Vlogs for skincare .

I recommend Cerave . You also need a daily sunscreen and nightly retinol .

Highly recommend Pilates too

Acne on back you need to make sure you are washing bras and tops properly . Buy a loofa and some salicylic acid shower gel from Cerave .

For the rosacea try azelaic acid. Your GP can prescribe it for you and it helps a lot.

For the weak pelvic floor, you can buy vaginal toners that can help. Look online for different options and ahem orgasms are supposed to also help.

You can use the azelaic acid on your back too as it works for acne and inflammation.

With the frowns see if your GP can prescribe you retinol, or differing (also help with spots) and use sunblock to avoid further ageing.

The rest may need surgery.

I feel the same, ageing sucks and it takes a lot of effort and work to look presentable nowdays.

Physios deal with incontinance issues.

Nip+Fab hyaluronic serum is great for plumping up skin. Available from Superdrug.
Switching to soap from shower gel can clear up some skin issues (under boob rash completely gone as soon as I switched).

OP I can relate. You’re not alone.

I’m 43.

I had rosacea when I was late 20s which I got a handle on through a combination of rosex (GP prescribed), avene skincare and avoiding trigggers (air conditioning/fans/heating).

I’ve had tinnitus for the past couple of years. I swing between ignoring it for months to it nearly breaking me. Acceptance is clearly the key to living with it. When I’m anxious it flairs up- or my perception of it increases.

I had physio for incontinence as was having trouble when I ran. The excercises worked and I don’t have much trouble at all now.

I also look pregnant and am slim elsewhere. I have 3 dcs and after 2 c sections I have a hideous overhang. So be glad you don’t have that. I just ignore it and make the best of the rest!

I’m sure you are much more attractive than you feel right now. I often feel I’m falling apart but actually none of it is that bad.

Do you mean Differin ? :p

For ease rather than a GP I would go to Dermatica / boots online acne clinic

X

I'm 59. I have to look at my neck every day on Zoom calls.

Oh @startuprepair I hear ya. I was googling neck lifts in the middle of one this afternoon!

Nothing more useful to say than that, sorry. It happened to me last year...all started falling apart at once when I hit 45

Thanks for the solidarity everyone I was certainly having a moment last night! But it’s nice not to feel so alone when you feel like you’re suddenly falling apart. Thanks also for some top tips which I will look into. I think I forget sometimes that I’m 42 and things like the skincare regime I used in my 20’s probably doesn’t apply now!

As @zippyswife says I don’t think it’s as bad as I think it is, it just seems to have caught up with me so SUDDENLY!

Thank you all

Mutu sorted my diastasis out. It's an exercise DVD specifically for diastasis and pelvic floor. It's not cheap but it's very doable and cheaper than a private physio. Highly recommend making the investment if you can, seriously. No idea re tinnitus treatments, but definitely see your gp about it, because that's bound to affect your quality of life. Maybe baby botox for forehead? I don't think I'd bother, personally, but if it really gets you down then why not? No creams will fix that. My daughter had dreadful bacne and the contraceptive 'Yasmin' sorted it like a dream. Don't know if that might be a possibility? Good luck. I'm 41 and it's patch, patch patch from now on isn't it?

@anonacatchat

Do you mean Differin ? :p

For ease rather than a GP I would go to Dermatica / boots online acne clinic

X

Yes, autocorrect error!

It's free with a GP prescription and much bigger than what you would get via dermatica.

It's only free with GP for prescription if they decide that's the acne treatment they'd give you . Dermatica is much better formulated (compound v generic)

I am 43 and feel like I have recently fallen apart, so know just what you mean.

Partly I think it is because I have always been “lucky” with certain things which means I am low maintenance and don’t have the habits. For example, I have never had my eyebrows plucked as they were naturally about right, but now I am ageing they aren’t.

Likewise I have never dyed my hair and rarely wear makeup, which was fine in my 30s, but now in my 40s I suddenly look old.

Sometimes I look in the mirror and just don’t recognise myself as I don’t see myself as a 40 something. I guess this is something we all have to get used to as we age.

op *marks place hoping for further info