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At what age did your health start to decline a bit?

missy said:
To all the ladies reading please consider hormone replacement when the time comes. Do your research and see if you are a candidate. Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone are critical to our well being and as we age we make less and less of these hormones (and others). They are critical to bone, heart and brain health. Unfortunately many physicians get very little education about the sex hormones in medical school. Be your own advocate and knowledge is power.
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I haven't done a lot of research on HRT so perhaps things have changed. But from my past experience, one should balance any consideration with the risk of breast cancer for Combined (vs. estrogen only) HRT.

My mom and one of my aunts both got breast cancer. They are the only 2 (of 5) girls in their family to get it with no history. They were the only ones to take HRT - not because of menopausal symptoms but because they read of the benefits. Of course it may be a coincidence, but they started taking HRT around the same time and got their breast cancer diagnosis within a year of each other. Also anecdotally, of my handful of friends that got breast cancer with no family history, all did HRT as well.

There are many benefits to HRT but it does come with risks to consider and not posting this to deter anyone...just awareness as you consider HRT (@missy - you've read a lot on this. Have treatments have improved to reduce/minimize the risk? If so, please correct me as I don't mean to misinform).
 
lilmosun said:
I haven't done a lot of research on HRT so perhaps things have changed. But from my past experience, one should balance any consideration with the risk of breast cancer for Combined (vs. estrogen only) HRT.

My mom and one of my aunts both got breast cancer. They are the only 2 (of 5) girls in their family to get it with no history. They were the only ones to take HRT - not because of menopausal symptoms but because they read of the benefits. Of course it may be a coincidence, but they started taking HRT around the same time and got their breast cancer diagnosis within a year of each other. Also anecdotally, of my handful of friends that got breast cancer with no family history, all did HRT as well.

There are many benefits to HRT but it does come with risks to consider and not posting this to deter anyone...just awareness as you consider HRT (@missy - you've read a lot on this. Have treatments have improved to reduce/minimize the risk? If so, please correct me as I don't mean to misinform).
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I highly recommend the book “Estrogen Matters”. Much has been shown to be incorrect regarding HRT especially the WHI study done decades ago. Hormones when used judiciously are life altering for the better. Even for those who have had cancer. There are safer treatments. We need estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.
 
It began when I got married at age 36. I can't blame it on my husband; I just adapted to him too much. Sleep, activity and dietary habits that were okay for him were unhealthy for me. I'm trying to improve my health, but it's an uphill climb.
 
Ibrakeforpossums said:
I've taken bioidentical hormones for 15 years, would not want to be without them.
My mother took Premarin for 40 - 50 years with no issues. When she reached her early 90s her doctor pulled her off. I saw her shrink and lose strength dramatically in the following year.
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Yes sadly all too true. There was no reason her physician had to take her off hormones. I’m so sorry. :(
 
When I was 45 I had a herniated disc between my c5 and c6 and the pain was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, even childbirth. I was immobile for 3 months and took five months off work. Neck, right arm, and shoulder were in excruciating pain. Took prescription sleep medication and two pain killers that didn’t work more than 1-2 hours. Slept in a neck brace for 3 months. It was insane. I now understand why there is an opioid crisis. They wanted to operate but my mom insisted I try eastern medicine when all the pain killers did nothing. She helped me topical rubs and poultices that were gross looking but eventually after constant regular treatment for 4 months it got better. I regained mobility and have only tingling and weakness in my right thumb, due to permanent nerve damage. But still so much better. I will say that my pain tolerance has increased significantly. Three months ago I broke my fifth metatarsal on my right foot and I did not take any pain killers. Not even Advil. :shock: Oh yeah. Brittle bones. Take your calcium and Vitamin D.
 
Apart from a medial meniscle tear 13 years ago (doing jujitsu and fighting off my trainer) and a slight tear last year, I’m 62 and in rude good health.
 
LLJsmom,
The body will often eat up a herniated disc IF you can hold out that long. OMG, I'm so sorry for what you went thru. A disc is absolutely awful.
I work in a spine practice and we try to get patients treated with surgery as a last resort. As much as you suffered, you may have done yourself a favor. I don't trust any of the surgeries (except an MSD) to not produce consequences down the road.
 
mellowyellowgirl said:
So I was chatting to my friends and we're all heading towards 40.
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Oh you kids.

Medically, there is no "threshold" effect. But if there were, most seem to agree it would be ~ 80. There are lots of changes in physical capabilities well before then but we are built for long life.

There. Happy? Thought you would be.
 
Ionysis said:
Now age. I’m coming up to 44 and until Covid lockdown happened I was a comfortable US 8 with a wardrobe of clothes I fitted into. 18 months later I’m pushing a size 12, ache like a b@stard after a PT session and crave carbs 24/7 and wine as soon as it hits 5pm.

My fingers ache when they get cold and I get pains in my shoulders when I work late. My knees are not to be depended upon when I do squats now and I haven’t lifted heavy in two years because I train over zoom at home due to Covid.

My brain gropes futilely for words in work presentations and I’ve turned into Mrs Malaprop. I am barely functional if I don’t get 8 hours of sleep and when I have a drink my hangovers last two days and need 4,000 calories of junk food to assuage the pain.

Not sure how much is my age and how much is the pandemic situation but I’m sure being post 40 isn’t helping. I used to drop ten pounds just by skipping breakfast, whilst still enjoying 15 mimosas at brunch. Now I have to live on lettuce and air for six weeks to see a movement on the scales.

I’m basically weighing up whether this is the point at which I simply capitulate and prioritise enjoying food, drink and sleeping in at the weekend - even if it means turning into a slob and growing my armpit hair. It’s not like I’m dating. And if my husband leaves me for a 20 year old I get the house and all the dairy milk to myself. Could be worse.
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Blurted out my coffee! :lol: :lol:
This is SO accurate!
 
Thank you for posting this. I am 35 and I've been wondering, lately, is this just what life is now? Deciding whether each new ache and pain is "normal aging," or whether to see a doctor? I've not been gifted with the best genetics. I've had 5 surgeries in the last few years, so I don't feel like I'm lined up for my health getting any better!
 
Ibrakeforpossums said:
LLJsmom,
The body will often eat up a herniated disc IF you can hold out that long. OMG, I'm so sorry for what you went thru. A disc is absolutely awful.
I work in a spine practice and we try to get patients treated with surgery as a last resort. As much as you suffered, you may have done yourself a favor. I don't trust any of the surgeries (except an MSD) to not produce consequences down the road.
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Thank you for understanding @Ibrakeforpossums . You are so right. Eventually the body did absorb it. But oh my goodness, the first spine doctor's group immediately told me I would probably need surgery, to replace the disc with an artificial one, and put screws through the one above and below to secure it. I was like "hell no!". And it was actually a dear friend I met on PS that told me "don't do it" and referred me to another doctor that encouraged me to wait it out. That combined with eastern medication helped me get through that. I am really glad I didn't opt for the surgery and just waited. Yeah, no. Sad that surgery is often the first resort, but I guess it makes sense when you go to a surgeon.
 
About fifty. Cold feet (circulation), GERD, sleep apnea, memory loss.
 
Three years shy of 40 here. I don’t think I’ve reached that turning point yet but…
- I do have a good knee vs a bad knee (and nothing ever happened to that bast*rd as far as I can recall).
- I recently pulled my back trying to move my 25lb dog (embarrassing!).
- My neck can be messed up for a week if I sleep wrong.

I’m also having a harder time keeping my weight where I like it. I won’t lie, I have terrible eating habits and I always have. The difference is, I actually have to diet now...you know, in between packages of Oreos. :lol:
 
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stracci2000 said:
At 45, when I realized that reader glasses are worth their weight in gold......
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amen to that
i for stupid vanity refused to get glasses for years and hacking away on my phone two hours a day on the train for years was making things worse

but from the instant i got reading glasses 3 years ago i have not looked back
 
LLJsmom said:
When I was 45 I had a herniated disc between my c5 and c6 and the pain was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, even childbirth. I was immobile for 3 months and took five months off work. Neck, right arm, and shoulder were in excruciating pain. Took prescription sleep medication and two pain killers that didn’t work more than 1-2 hours. Slept in a neck brace for 3 months. It was insane. I now understand why there is an opioid crisis. They wanted to operate but my mom insisted I try eastern medicine when all the pain killers did nothing. She helped me topical rubs and poultices that were gross looking but eventually after constant regular treatment for 4 months it got better. I regained mobility and have only tingling and weakness in my right thumb, due to permanent nerve damage. But still so much better. I will say that my pain tolerance has increased significantly. Three months ago I broke my fifth metatarsal on my right foot and I did not take any pain killers. Not even Advil. :shock: Oh yeah. Brittle bones. Take your calcium and Vitamin D.
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your mom did good !
 
elle_71125 said:
Ooh, I forgot something. I have to pee like all the time now. :-o
Please, God, tell me I’m not alone.
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You are not alone! My friends/my husband/their husbands are like this!!!

They are always heading off to use the bathroom whenever we have a group gathering or going out for a meal.
 
I've told my 9yo I'm going to stop carrying him after lockdown. My back is not quite the same after giving birth and I don't want to do any damage! But it's lockdown and he needs his love bucket filled so I'm like "No more carrying after we exit lockdown!!!"
 
40. My eyesight started rapidly going downhill and I quickly went from no glasses to bifocals. I also developed sleep apnea and could no longer entertain hangovers and started going to bed at 9.

early 50’s and everything has maintained and not gone downhill except for my knees.
 
I've always had health issues, so I'm amazed that I've managed to make it this long.
 
41. Started having extreme shortness of breath and elevated heart rate during exercise, extreme night sweats, lack of sleep, that got progressively worse throughout the year. It was also right when covid started, so I was (lazily) diagnosed with it during a televisit. It was not covid; it was Graves disease, but it was another 6 months and a new provider before I found out. I'm on meds for it and am doing fine, but an autoimmune disease definitely was not on my radar. I'm pretty healthy otherwise.
 
My hair started turning grey at 25, then when I turned 30 more things started to hurt that didn't hurt before :lol:
 
Just going to chime in here because this is a really interesting thread. I turned 58 at the end of September and I feel pretty darn good. I went into menopause around 40 years old and was such a mess (didn't know what was wrong with me but was pretty sure I was going crazy) my gynecologist put me on HRT and I've taken it ever since. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid 70's and it was "estrogen fed" from her HRT. She had a mastectomy and never had one single cancer treatment and took a hormone blocker for 5 years. According to the evaluation I have done every year my chances of getting breast cancer are very low. My mother's oncologist told us that if a woman is younger (like me, late 30's...40) and goes through menopause then her chances of having breast cancer is less than a woman who goes through it in her 50's or later, like my mother. My gynecologist told me that an older woman is more likely to recover from breast cancer than a woman in her 30's, or younger. During quarantine I lost a good bit of weight and have kept it off. My blood glucose and blood pressure stay pretty stable, except when some work situations make the top of my head want to blow off....but I tell myself that retirement is on the horizon! Seriously though, to me age is simply just a number. I feel like MY best is yet to come...and I make it a point to be positive, about almost everything. (I plan on making it to 100....no joke!)
 
LLJsmom said:
Thank you for understanding @Ibrakeforpossums . You are so right. Eventually the body did absorb it. But oh my goodness, the first spine doctor's group immediately told me I would probably need surgery, to replace the disc with an artificial one, and put screws through the one above and below to secure it. I was like "hell no!". And it was actually a dear friend I met on PS that told me "don't do it" and referred me to another doctor that encouraged me to wait it out. That combined with eastern medication helped me get through that. I am really glad I didn't opt for the surgery and just waited. Yeah, no. Sad that surgery is often the first resort, but I guess it makes sense when you go to a surgeon.
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I'm glad you were able to recover without surgery! When I first met with the neurosurgeon who did my surgery, one of the reasons I felt confident in my choice of surgeons was that he went through what they generally require before he will agree to perform a surgery and let me know that the process can often take a year or more. We talked about what was going on, what I had already done, why this other treatment wasn't a good option for me, and laid out two possible routes based on what we discussed. He and I both agreed that the severity of the issue and the complete lack of quality of life and continued deterioration despite efforts to avoid surgery made me one of the rare instances where surgery right away was best. He proposed a minimally invasive option (hemi laminotomy and microdiscectomy). I was shocked. My expectation had been that a surgeon would just say forget the rest and jump straight to surgery including going a more "sure fix" route than minimally invasive. I wish all surgeons were as careful that way as he is!

ETA: I never got proper PT after because of COVID. In the two years since surgery, I have had two times where my disc started to herniate again. I'm still dealing with that second time and doing all of the massage, chiropractor (very good Dr not just a crunch crunch sort of thing), PT, icing, stretching, etc that I can to hopefully avoid having to go through surgery again.
 
I started noticing some issues in my early 30s. Never figured them out. Probably related to my MS diagnosis I ended up getting just a couple of weeks after I turned 33 (32?). Then surgery for a herniated disc two years ago (when I was 34).
 
Over 60 and still good! I had a physical this summer and all my labs were good except Vit D, and I take a supplement for that. I have never been on any long term prescription and take none now. I could definitely lose at least 20 pounds, but I am not greatly motivated to do so at the moment! I did have perfect vision most of my life, but eventually I did need reading glasses and my distance vision has declined a little so I do use them sometimes for driving longer distances or watching a speaker from a distance.
 
36. Diagnosed with lupus. Three more chronic ailments have since tagged along.
 
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