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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2017 14:40:06 GMT
Thread started by casimiraIn that a good number of us are around the same age give or take a few years with of course, some exceptions, I would imagine that the majority of us are increasingly feeling, experiencing some not so pleasant aspects of aging. I know for me that quite a few have manifested themselves and it's very frustrating, depressing and an indication of what is to come. I have increased lower back pain (largely due to bone headed body mechanics all the years that I did heavy duty gardening). I try and do some back strengthening exercises and they do help. My eyesight is diminishing. Indications of the onset of arthritis in my knees which I also try to curb by cycling. Thinning hair (is there a female Rogain?) Memory loss (both long term and short term) While not a pleasant topic, it would be interesting and perhaps helpful to share with one another some of these unpleasant aspects of the aging process and ways that you help alleviate them to some degree.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2017 15:44:33 GMT
My eyes were almost perfect until about 3 years ago. Now the small print is a major problem unless I get my glasses out most of the time.
I have been rather blessed by having practically no aches and pains over the years, but I know they are arriving slowly but surely.
The thing that annoys me the most, since I have had the habit all my life on sitting on the floor a lot, is the stuggle of getting to a standing position from the floor. I used to be able to pop up as though mounted on springs.
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Post by bjd on Jan 3, 2017 18:10:54 GMT
I figure that, other than denial, there is not much you can do as you get older. I try to keep in shape by doing exercise, eat more or less correctly, avoid medicines if possible, and hope for the best. But on Thursday morning I have to go to the hospital for some tests because I have quite serious osteoporosis in my back. I'm not sure that there is anything to be done for it but I'll find out.
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Post by mossie on Jan 3, 2017 20:03:30 GMT
I won't start. Just put on a cheerful face however tempted you are to feel down. But press on regardless and trust it will all come right at the end.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 3, 2017 20:57:25 GMT
Growing older... Not having to go to work any more...no more 12hour shifts, nights and weekends free Time to pursue hobbies and take classes..joining the U3A Choose to shop carefully for groceries, visiting markets for fresh vegetables and fruit not being forced into buying a huge shop on days off simply because there is no time to do anything else...I waste less. Getting to know the neighbours instead of just nodding to them on the way from the car to the front door and vice versa Meeting retired colleagues for gossip and coffee midweek.... discounts for the over 60s...in fact lots of places do this. Swanning into the old workplace and realising that you could still do the job...but you don't have to...staying for a few minutes (being careful not to gloat) then leaving... Having the balls not to put up with any BS because you just don't care anymore. Nothing to prove...no more tedious pointless courses... It isn't all positive...I'm as cranky and creaky as the next man or woman, but I'm settling nicely into retirement. I do need to take responsibility for my own health, I'm too fat and I need to exercise more...getting a dog in the spring tho so hopefully that will help..long walks in all weather....lovely...just need to cut down on the baking and the brandy...
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 4, 2017 0:23:32 GMT
Cheerypeabrain ~ my heroine!!! ❤
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 0:42:46 GMT
Uhm, grey hair. Which I will dye until the day I die. I started dyeing my hair in the 80s when I was a kid, pink, burgundy, jet black, and now that I have to, it's medium brown. When my hair turns all white under there, I'll start going crazy colours again.
One knuckle has osteoarthritis, which is kept under control by supplements.
Other than those two physical declines, well, everyting else is staying put. I intend to keep my middle-aged attitude about life. Try not to give too many f***s. I tell people I was born 40. I've always been cranky and cynical and that hasn't changed, nor ever will.
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Post by mickthecactus on Jan 4, 2017 8:34:39 GMT
Mrs Cactus has the same take on her hair as lizzy.
I have arthritis too which comes and goes in various places. Thumbs quite frequently but left ankle today.
Stiffness in legs and feet after sitting for a while e.g driving but otherwise not too bad considering the huge amount of sport I once played. I expected worse particularly hands and fingers that got broken or crushed by cricket balls.
I seem to sleep more now too.
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Post by chexbres on Jan 4, 2017 8:42:25 GMT
I am pleasantly surprised each time I wake up in the morning. It's a gift that I don't take lightly.
I don't really believe in supplements, because they haven't worked for me, but take a few vitamins by force of habit. Now that I'm settled, and have something to cook on, I am making an effort to eat "mo' bettah". Having a dog is probably the best thing, since it's a forced march, whether you want to go or not. I'd like to get back to swimming, which worked really well for me. Finding a pool with public access is a little difficult in my neighborhood. If my back or knees hurt too much, I take some medecine and go about my business. I see something that absolutely fascinates me every day and makes me wonder about the Universe.
And I figure you just keep going along this way until you don't wake up anymore.
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Post by bjd on Jan 4, 2017 11:58:46 GMT
I'm not at the "pleasantly surprised" stage yet. I just take it for granted without actually thinking about it.
About hair -- I didn't dye my hair all that much anyway, maybe twice a year I put in some colour to keep it sort of the same as before. But I decided to stop doing so a couple of months ago. I'm afraid that if it's completely gray or white underneath and I stop at once, I would look 10 years older almost overnight. That would be after looking like a skunk until it's all grown out.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 12:13:24 GMT
Maybe you can pull off the Agnès Varda look.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2017 12:37:45 GMT
How I would love to wake up "pleasantly surprised".
The vast majority of mine are hereditary so, at some point I expect cataracts will set in and likely some thyroid issues which I already expect is happening.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 4, 2017 15:00:05 GMT
cheery, yes a dog should help. I found smaller portion sizes (eating in a tapas dish) helped me lose weight, without eliminating anything I love. Obviously eating lots of veg, but everyone should do that.
lizzyfaire, I always vowed to keep on colouring my hair but just got sick of it at one point. If it ever turns so white that I become anonymous, I might put in some darker streaks. No crazy colours - I prefer hats and scarves for that. Of course it is different for you because of your line of work - there is a well-known theatrician here who went grey but I don't dare ask her whether it has harmed her work prospects as she is a bit overbearing, bless her...
Arthritis, mostly. And needing dental work I can't afford (it is about the only thing NOT covered by our universal health plan).
Yes, there do seem to be a lot of boomers and older Gen-X here, with fewer older such as Mossie and younger such as Rikita, NYCGirl and Anjain (sp?)probably our youngest regular poster.
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Post by bjd on Jan 4, 2017 16:42:29 GMT
Maybe you can pull off the Agnès Varda look. Sheesh! I just did a quick search. It looks as though she is wearing a white beanie.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 4, 2017 16:56:16 GMT
Perhaps she is vying to become the first woman Pope.
It is a scary look.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2017 20:22:48 GMT
I had my annual physical this a.m.
Slightly high blood pressure, cholesterol could do with some lowering.
I weigh in 5 lbs.less than I thought I did. (permission to go all out at Galatoire's this evening)
Haven't got my thyroid level results back yet, the one thing I am a tad anxious about.
EKG within normal limits.
GYN stuff all ok.
So, I guess I'm pretty healthy despite all my moans and groans.
I toyed with the idea of adding some highlights to my hair. It's a mix of a light brownish blonde and white. I did a survey among my friends and husband and they all nixed the idea and told me to leave it alone, so I am.
I don't have too much facial hair save some chin hairs that drive me crazy. I pluck them and they grow back so f'n fast. Maddening.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 29, 2017 17:02:54 GMT
Casi, as so often happens, you and I (born 2 days apart) are on the same page again. I was going to start a thread on The Indignities of Aging, but searched first and found yours, started just a few weeks ago.
I am noticing some annoying but not life-threatening signs of aging, but expect to live another 25 to 30 years, based on my parents' lifespans. Unfortunately, physical issues will likely be less prominent than cognitive decline, which I find very scary. I'd rather be "sharp as a tack" and in a wheelchair than ambling around nimbly and out of my mind.
My complaints: vision decline (partly presbyopia and partly due to a accidental vitreous detachment in 2014), ringing in the ears and decreased hearing, an injured shoulder that rarely hurts but reduces my ability to lift, etc, strange cramps in my legs (not like the calf or foot cramps my younger self would get when stretching in my sleep), and then all the disappointing skin changes that menopause brings: saggy eyelids, frown lines, empty arms (not looking forward to the bat-wings!), the odd pigmented spot here and there. AND, the tummy bulge that my nurse friend tells me is my body trying to replace the estrogen that my ovaries no longer provide.
And mentally, I'm pretty much a space case, very easily distracted, forgetting to complete tasks, leaving drawers open, misplacing items... This sh*t drives Mr. Kimby crazy.
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Post by onlyMark on Jan 29, 2017 17:20:01 GMT
My problem is getting easily distracted and forgetting to
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Post by lagatta on Jan 29, 2017 17:55:24 GMT
This thread has the neutral title "the aging process". Do any see any positives in such a process, other than the biggie of not being dead?
One small positive is that my appetite has decreased. I had put on some menopausal weight and was having a hell of a time losing it, though I've had more success over the last couple of years. Not really a diet, just smaller portions, as well as exercise of course. I don't agree with those who say exercise has no influence on weight loss or gain. For me it makes a huge difference, as well as food intake, obviously.
I also had extremely painful and heavy periods, and the end to that was a relief.
Still, ageing sucks, and I don't view the old as a whit wiser than the young. There are wise and foolish in all age groups.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2017 18:22:38 GMT
I am indifferent about many more things now, and I know that it is not necessarily a good thing. However, it is nice not to get worked up over a lot of trivial details like in the past. But that is perhaps just me, since I see lots of older people bitching about the most ridiculous things (a slow cashier, a crying child, a post office that opens at 8:01 instead of 8:00...). I never got worked up over such things in the first place.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 29, 2017 22:21:29 GMT
A plus to being "of a certain age" - I don't give a dam about whether what comes out of my mouth shocks somebody or dismays them or offends them. I am able to speak my mind without fearing the consequences.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 29, 2017 22:24:15 GMT
Most of my friends are older than me, and I've attended a couple 70th birthday parties recently. I've also attended a few funerals. I am getting a preview of what awaits me by watching my older friends blaze the trail....
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Post by lagatta on Jan 30, 2017 0:34:11 GMT
I was also on the tail end of a cohort and have gone through the stuff you mention. One friend (though he has obviously always been an 'elder' with respect to me turned 80 this past year. Fortunately I also have younger friends in community associations and such, so I shouldn't remain all alone if the older ones all predecease me, though there again, nobody knows...
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Post by onlyMark on Jan 30, 2017 5:11:52 GMT
Do any see any positives in such a process, other than the biggie of not being dead? I always knew I was right, and I now have the experience to back it up.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 30, 2017 5:28:18 GMT
My walking companion who is 10 years older than me hasn't been able to walk with me for several months because of weird leg pains related to veins and now bursitis. Last night she gave us quite a scare.
Mr. Kimby and I had just come in from sitting in the hot tub under a starry sky when I noticed the answering machine was flashing. The message was a frantic and disoriented-sounding call for help from her.
She had fallen, passed out, woke up, and was unable to rouse her husband who'd fallen asleep in front of the TV downstairs with his hearing aids removed. So she crawled to the phone and fumbled with her glasses and the phone and called me.
I got dressed and walked over to their house to find the door locked, but ringing the bell got their two yap dogs barking which woke her husband. The two of us went upstairs and found her slumped on the floor against a chair, weepy and scared. I tried to remember the tests for stroke (smile, raise your arms, stick out your tongue) and she passed those, but she was slurring her speech and had a very hard time getting onto her feet.
I thought she probably should see a doctor, but she claimed she was feeling better, so we tucked her into bed and I went home to bed myself. She DOES need to see a doctor, because she admitted this has happened three times before and she hadn't told her husband because she was afraid he'd make her stop driving.
Somehow I don't think we'll be walking together anytime soon...
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2017 14:33:29 GMT
I hope your friend is able to get back into taking walks with you Kimby.
Some gentle encouragement from you might help.
I hope she does seek medical attention (did your husband have any medical opinion to offer?).
Over the weekend I lost my balance while out walking with my husband in the evening.
I tripped on/into one of the many potholes (which I should know by heart by now, they have been there so long...)
Anyway, I fell down flat face forward, bunged my self up pretty good, several bruises, cuts, an almost split lip. The following morning my whole body ached awfully.
Gratefully no major damage although I do look a horror and even more grateful my husband was present.
I don't know if I can blame it on the aging process but I really should have been more alert.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 30, 2017 15:15:35 GMT
Casi, she has always cut back on walking in the winter, due to fear of falling on icy roads. But she used to use an exercise machine in her garage till fair weather allowed us to resume walking. Because of her painful legs, she's been seeing a physical therapist for the past month or so. I have a piece of unused exercise equipment, a stair-stepper, and I suggested I bring it to her garage and we could work out together till spring. The physical therapist nixed that idea. For now, anyway. So if I want to walk, I guess it will be with Mr. Kimby.
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Post by lagatta on Jan 30, 2017 15:19:14 GMT
Casimira, I think that in your case, it is more a matter that our recovery is slower as we age. You seem pretty fit. I've often fallen over (and no, I had not overindulged in any substance) but when I was younger could just spring up. I hurt my shoulder riding my bicycle in 2003, due to a crack in the road (common here, as are potholes). But the "frozen shoulder" took a long time to heal, which identical falls when I was in my teens or early 20s would not have caused.
Kimby's companion could recover completely, but she needs immediate medical attention to see what is wrong.
Kimby, you are right about the icy roads. I love to walk, and when I can't ride my bicycle due to winter snow (and age) I usually walk for at least an hour unless I have a huge rush of work. But I hesitate to walk much when it is icy. This means for example waiting for the bus which has a stop one minute's walk from my house to take it to the métro station, which is less than 10 minute's walk when it isn't icy.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 30, 2017 15:25:30 GMT
Lagatta, that's what I told her. Passing out and slurred speech are NOT normal. She takes medication for high blood pressure and anxiety, so could be side-effects.
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Post by Kimby on Jan 30, 2017 15:49:21 GMT
Casi, sorry to hear about your tumble. Glad you didn't break anything. My balance is also getting worse. First noticed it a few years back when I could no longer walk a log across a creek with my backpack on. Now I notice it on the stairs. I think it may be related to sensory issues, as both my eyes and ears are going downhill. My mom had Ménière's disease, but I haven't had vertigo - yet. The constant cicada's chirping in my head, and a sense of congestion in one ear may upset my equilibrium. With my eyes going downhill, I usually have my cheaters perched on my nose, and that affects my foot placement going up stairs. I need to get some testing but with my ACA health insurance, nothing will be covered till I spend $6550 in one year (AFTER the $811 per month premium payments). I do get a "free" physical and blood work, though.
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