Getting old!

[Stephenite]

Reading these posts makes me more determined...i shouldn' feel like I do.
Just turned 60 and tbh, I feel like an old man sometimes, I creak and groan and ache terribly.
I was diagnosed (without proper tests from my doc) with osteo arthritis and in the morning on waking up, I can scarcely bend over, everything from the waste down damned stiff and painfull. That eases but after an 8 hour shift...i ache in my hips and legs and feet...ache something terrible. Life without a hot bath in the evening would be unbearable.
One ibrufen at bedtime helps but I'm fighting against taking more. I always had a bad back and was prone to muscular rheumatism but this has reached another level this last year.
Been to the docs twice, I do try some stretching exercises but do feel like the docs have made a quick judgement and 'go home and take some tablets'
On the plus side, despite serious health problems 5 years or so ago, I am getting some fitness back but the constant aches are making it harder than it need be.
Docs on Tuesday, I'm going to push it this time.

I've 'liked' your post because I commiserate/sympathise. I'm ten years younger than you and I feel myself going the same way. I hope things get better for you. Are you up on your feet all day at work?

 

[gbb]

I've 'liked' your post because I commiserate/sympathise. I'm ten years younger than you and I feel myself going the same way. I hope things get better for you. Are you up on your feet all day at work?

Generally yes, although I do get a fair bit of sitting between jobs. I suppose 10 to 16k steps a day would be fair...nothing outrageous but enough.
Workboots? I always wonder about them, they'e heavy.
Varicose veins, I do have them a bit but not too bad.
Always been active, lightly built, 10.5 stone and fit until health problems 5 years ago and while I'm now 11 stone and a bit, I'm still active but do struggle toward the end of a day.
But then a weekend like this one, i feel blessed. Not too mjuch discomfort today ,I love to get playful with the youngsters, a 5 year old demanding boy keeps you on your toes, dinosaur wrestling, piggy backs, throwing him on the bouncy castle, feeding a beloved 2 year old at the table, chucking them around sometimes...it doesn' help my back but wouldn' have it any other way.
Given the stuff some folk have to deal with....today I feel like a very rich man.

 

[GaGa]

I'm well past 50, 66 last birthday, I'm not old yet, ask me if I'm old when I'm past 80.

Here, here Dave. Age is just a number. I'm 68 in September and thinking of doing some touring.

 

[gbb]

You have my full sympathy. It can get quite debilitating. I don't know your lifestyle or if you're a bit overweight or not but there are some things you can try out that may improve your situation. Firstly, check out your diet. Reduce your carb. intake. Cut down on sugar and salt. Eat a protein rich diet, plenty of oily fish lean meat. Make sure you cut the fat away from fatty meats. Plenty of vegetables and fresh fruit. This may sound like a weight watcher's diet and, if you are over weight , it will help. But generally we are looking at a healthy eating regime here. Using calcium rich foods such as cheese and milk will help with osteo arthritic conditions. Oily fish also contains Omega 3 which is good for osteo arthritic conditions.
Look on the internet for floor exercises for back and hip pain and gently start these.
Iboprufen will treat inflamation but not the cause of your pain. I would suggest 400mg three times a day to start with. It will also help relieve the pain.
These are just suggestions. You can take it or leave it.
Standing for long periods can put a lot of pressure on the spinal column and the disks become compressed and distorted and cause inflammation. If you can, try altering your position whilst standing and not stay in a fixed position for long.
I hope this has been of some help. Don't expect a quick fix. These things take time. But I believe you should see some improvement.
At any rate it will do you no harm and are natural things to do.
I wish you all the best.

Well, I've made a start over the last couple weeks.
Cut down dramatically although not altogether white bread. Eating porridge oats for breakfast, that's reducing my hunger in the mornings plus reducing the bread (toast) I'm eating.
Eating more fruit...although I did eat a reasonable amount anyway.
Increased my fish, going to aim to eat oily fish twice a week. I love fish anyway so that won't be hard.
Brought cod liver oil capsules today, going for 1000mg per day.
Now eating two fair sized portions of spinach a week, rich In vitamins and minerals.

Earlier this week was the worst pain I've had, my hips ache beyond belief. Thankfully it's passed although I'm still stiff. Went for a 20 mile ride today and didn't struggle, that was my first ride in two weeks, the aches have made it impossible.

Asked for some lighter safety boots at work, we're looking into that .

I do struggle with stretching exercises I must admit, I do some perhaps twice a week but it's not enough, I never was good at maintaining things.

It's not going to be a quick fix, but a starts been made.
Thanks for the time taken to answer. It's stuff deep down we all know but somehow bad habits set in....well not so much bad habits, I don't eat too much bad stuff, rather don't eat enough really good stuff.

 

[Biker Joe]

Well, I've made a start over the last couple weeks.
Cut down dramatically although not altogether white bread. Eating porridge oats for breakfast, that's reducing my hunger in the mornings plus reducing the bread (toast) I'm eating.
Eating more fruit...although I did eat a reasonable amount anyway.
Increased my fish, going to aim to eat oily fish twice a week. I love fish anyway so that won't be hard.
Brought cod liver oil capsules today, going for 1000mg per day.
Now eating two fair sized portions of spinach a week, rich In vitamins and minerals.

Earlier this week was the worst pain I've had, my hips ache beyond belief. Thankfully it's passed although I'm still stiff. Went for a 20 mile ride today and didn't struggle, that was my first ride in two weeks, the aches have made it impossible.

Asked for some lighter safety boots at work, we're looking into that .

I do struggle with stretching exercises I must admit, I do some perhaps twice a week but it's not enough, I never was good at maintaining things.

It's not going to be a quick fix, but a starts been made.
Thanks for the time taken to answer. It's stuff deep down we all know but somehow bad habits set in....well not so much bad habits, I don't eat too much bad stuff, rather don't eat enough really good stuff.

That is good. You are doing the right things. Getting rid of the bad habits and replacing them with good ones is not always easy. It requires some self discipline and reflection on what is needed. It is doing something about it that often gets pushed aside. I think we are all guilty of that from time to time. Keep at it. I'm sure you will see some good results.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

For a long time (back to my teens) I've always thought of my probable lifespan in terms of a 4 lap 1 mile running race (possibly inspired by Filbert Bayi beating Jim Ryun's long standing record back in the 70's - although I can't be sure) except in 4 x 20 year (approx') laps for a healthy UK person.

I've just set out on my last lap which is a little depressing but at least I've made it this far and I'm hoping that I'll make it all the way down the finishing straight and maybe get to do a lap of honour - or at least a bit of it.

 

[swee'pea99]

That is good. You are doing the right things. Getting rid of the bad habits and replacing them with good ones is not always easy. It requires some self discipline and reflection on what is needed. It is doing something about it that often gets pushed aside. I think we are all guilty of that from time to time. Keep at it. I'm sure you will see some good results.

Spot on. Little by little, don't expect overnight miracles, just keep nudging things in the right direction.

 

[Chris S]

You're as old as the person you feel

Did that apply to Peter Stringfellow's girlfriends?

 

[biggs682]

Did that apply to Peter Stringfellow's girlfriends?

not sure

 

[gbb]

Reading these posts makes me more determined...i shouldn' feel like I do.
Just turned 60 and tbh, I feel like an old man sometimes, I creak and groan and ache terribly.
I was diagnosed (without proper tests from my doc) with osteo arthritis and in the morning on waking up, I can scarcely bend over, everything from the waste down damned stiff and painfull. That eases but after an 8 hour shift...i ache in my hips and legs and feet...ache something terrible. Life without a hot bath in the evening would be unbearable.
One ibrufen at bedtime helps but I'm fighting against taking more. I always had a bad back and was prone to muscular rheumatism but this has reached another level this last year.
Been to the docs twice, I do try some stretching exercises but do feel like the docs have made a quick judgement and 'go home and take some tablets'
On the plus side, despite serious health problems 5 years or so ago, I am getting some fitness back but the constant aches are making it harder than it need be.
Docs on Tuesday, I'm going to push it this time.

I can sympathise with you, I'm in the same situation.
I initially followed the doctors advice and took the maximum dose of painkillers but the side effects were as bad as the pain so I stopped taking them. I only take them now either before or after I do anything challenging.
Getting my head round what it's doing to me is what I struggle with because it has stopped me doing a lot of things that were important to me. If you come up with any magic answers let me know.

Well almost one month on and I've made some changes...and failed a bit at others but maybe, just maybe I'm seeing some improvement.
I've been eating two cans of sardines or mackerel a week, occasionally eating 'fresh' mackerel when it's been available at the shop, stretching exercises maybe only twice a week (not enough) and failed last week to eat my spinach . 1000mg of cod liver oil capsules taken every day. Fruit intake has improved a lot, satsumas, apples, pear and bananas, more than I had been for some time.
I was forced to take an ibrufen each night just to ease the aches in the morning but the last two nights I havnt taken any and woke up feeling stiff but not too much and definitely not too sore...a bit sore but a big improvement.
Still feeling sore toward the end of the day but improved enough to leave me WANTING to go out on the bike...im still not doing enough miles to keep me happy but it's better.

It may be a blip but so might the terrible aches I was suffering for the last 6 months have been...lets hope this continues and I'm perhaps getting top side of it.

My 88 YO mum has had osteo arthritis for decades...now I know why she was always taking soluble painkillers....the aches are terrible.

 

[postman]

I am 68,i find i am doing things more slowly,and they don't seem as important,they can be done tomorrow attitude now.At the moment bikes rides are just about 25 ish miles.But i will up that,it's a mental thing.I get more enjoyment out of doing the diy,just that i can still do it,just like Tuesday when i re pointed some slabs for the aged in laws,even i was pleased with the results,what with me being a perfectionist.

 

[colly]

Well l'm 66, cracking on a bit l suppose but l really don't 'feel' old.
I hear stuff on the radio offering advice to over 50's and it makes me laugh.
None of it do l find relevant. I can't be the only one who feels this stuff is for other people.
I am fortunate, so far at least, in that l don't take any medication for any complaint at all. I'm sure most of that is down to good genes but on the other hand l have always been active and have done some form of exercise ever since l was in my teens.
I don't smoke but do enjoy a bottle of red. Quite often. l eat well but have always eaten reasonably healthily. On the other hand if l fancy a cake, bar of chocolate or a plate of chips then I'll tuck in. Im not any kind of health freak.
I do get aches and pains or wake up stiff and need to spend time loosening things up but when l think of how my grand parents were at my age there is no comparison.
I can see age creeping upon me in the mirror every morning and things are dropping at an alarming rate elsewhere but apart from taking care of yourself there is nothing to be done. So why worry about what is inevitable?
Im sure mentally l have changed although l'm not sure how. A bit more forgetful perhaps but l have always been like that.
I'm less interested in some things and I'm exercised more by other things than l would once have been.
Having just about retired lm slowly getting used to having a less hectic daily life. Actually maybe just as hectic but in a different way.
I do find ' dropping off' at all sorts of times quite amusing as do.my family.
I know some 'old people' (whoever they are) find kids and teenagers noisy and irritating but so far l don't find that. I love kids about the place and all the chaos they bring. Have to admit it's nice when they have gone sometimes.
No one really wants to get old l suppose but we are stuck with it. So just get on and enjoy a new phase of life.

All of which is from the point of view of someone who is fit and healthy and with no mobility problems.

 

[gbb]

I've 'liked' your post because I commiserate/sympathise. I'm ten years younger than you and I feel myself going the same way. I hope things get better for you. Are you up on your feet all day at work?

Again, just an update. This is the 5th day with no painkillers. I can't tell you how much better I feel. Yes I'm still stiff and a tad sore first thing but it eases quicker. I've finished work...not too much time on my feet today but still, my legs feel fresher than they have for a long time, my hips aren't bothering me yet...all for a bit of a change in diet, cod liver oil capsules daily, more fruit, other odd stuff but nothing that really tested me.
As said a couple of posts ago it could be just a blip but crickey, I feel better than I have all year.

 

[Biker Joe]

Again, just an update. This is the 5th day with no painkillers. I can't tell you how much better I feel. Yes I'm still stiff and a tad sore first thing but it eases quicker. I've finished work...not too much time on my feet today but still, my legs feel fresher than they have for a long time, my hips aren't bothering me yet...all for a bit of a change in diet, cod liver oil capsules daily, more fruit, other odd stuff but nothing that really tested me.
As said a couple of posts ago it could be just a blip but crickey, I feel better than I have all year.

That is terrific news. I'm so pleased for you. Onwards and upwards.

 

[pjd57]

Slippers, I always hated them.

Now at 61 , my feet get sore if I walk about the house bare footed.

Just wear and tear I suppose.
But I can still pedal all day without a twinge.