Older people, it this normal?

[lchoro]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

I am not liking aging. I am 53 and suddenly everything seems to be going wrong. I feel like I am in the same shape as my dad who is 86.

I was athletic, but I cannot do much of anything to exercise now. My knees hurt a lot all the time - running is out. My lower back is terrible I cannot bend over and pick anything up off the ground, sometimes I cannot tie my shoes and I have to have my wife tie them for me. At random times I feel like I am being stabbed int he back and the pain radiates down into my hip and leg. It is severe. Sometimes it makes me cry out in pain, much to my embarrassment. I apparently have planar facietis (or whatever). If I do not put pad thingies in my shoes, then after sitting for a while my heels/feet hurt so much I can barely walk. My hip hurts often maybe all the time, but I think that is probably because of my back. I have to sleep on my back with a pillow under my upper legs or my back hurts so much in the morning I cannot get out of bed without Advil. This is not a comfortable way to sleep. However I do not sleep well anyway. I have not slept well in more than 20 years.

My back has been a problem for decades, but not like this. It wodl just go out once in a while and i would evntually be able to exercise again and as long as I stayed strong, it would not be a problem. My knees have hurt for a while too (maybe ten years), but it was always when I got weak, and by exercising a lot I seemed ot build up the muscle to wear there was no longer a problem.

Now I cannot exercise much. If I do weights, I cannot get up off the bench by the second set. Leg workouts are out of the question. I do long walks it hurts a little, but it is bearable. I can do some bicycle riding without pain. Running is impossible. I also climb a lot of stairs due to where I park for work - lots of pain there, but not unbearable. Most of my exercise now is yard work. However I can only pick one or two things up then I need someone to hand them to me. As long as it is at waist level I can carry 150 pounds or so with no trouble, but I could not even think about picking that up off the ground. I can use a rake or hoe to pick up some items as long as I do not bend over to pick them up. If I sit in the ground, I need a person or a walking stick to get back up. If I sit in a chair, I need a hard seat/back and arm rests to push myself out of the chair. I cannot get out of those soft camping chairs without my walking stick. I also throw axes, knives and atlatl and that actually provides some exercise/strengthening. Problem is I need someone to pick them up for me if I miss.

It seems like I should not have this much trouble already. However maybe it is normal. One Dr. said it is just aging and that is how it is.

It is normal to have everything break down all at once like this? Is there anything that can be done about it? I have been to various doctors who all give me different diagnosis and different suggestions. Knee replacement, removal of torn cartilage, physical therapy, just grit your teeth and bear it, you are getting old. . . . Chiropractor gives me some temporary relief form the back pain, but it lasts for a day at best.

One Dr. said I should have surgery on my back, another said they will cut through the muscles and do more damage than good in all likelihood and I will never recover. Family Dr. said go get cartilage surgery for m knees, but he spent about 45 seconds diagnosing my issues. My brother had knee surgery and it made him worse. On the other hand, my mother had both knees placed and in six months she was able to walk without a walker. I have not been able to try physical therapy because they are never open except when I am at work.

They are suggesting these things without really doing a lot of testing or anything. I have had some X-rays that showed nothing, but the insurance company will not approve an MRI - at least so far. I have no idea whether an MRI will really tell them anything or not.

So I am curious about other people's experiences. Did others have this happen? At what age? Is this something that I should just expect from aging and live with? What helps? What kind of dr.s did you find provided the best advice?

I have always prided myself on being the hardest worker. I have a desk job, but I do a lot of community service/charity work and work on the yard/house. However now I cannot do a lot now except manage/organize. I feel like a chump walking around telling younger people what I need them to do and then standing there watching them sweat. I really want to be strong again. Is there any way to get there?

You might look into inversion boots for your back. They're sometimes called anti-gravity boots. You can use the parallel bars at the local school to hang upside down. It takes about 30 seconds to a minute to relieve a painful back.

It sounds like your muscles in your hip and legs have atrophied so you'll have trouble with chairs, car seats, bending down, and so on.

The yard work is sort of an intermittent workout. It might not help much.

You have to do a lot of bicycling or walking to get a real benefit out of those two.

If you're going for long walks, you might try doing them more often. You might want to cut them back to 30 minutes (1 1/2 miles) so you can do it everyday. I used walking to rehab my leg after a running injury. I had to put up with pain such as tendonitis in the foot and knee pain. As long as it wasn't damaging the joints, I kept going and the pain eventually went away.

[Chance and Change]

I think in the 50's things change for some more slowly than for others, so far in the 60's it seems that more adjustments are necessary, especially paying attention to what is eaten, and drinking water. Some states are different when it comes to outdoors exercise, unless one has been in a routine for years.
In the South, its too hot, then its too cold, or its too rainy or its too sticky.

California was good- its was much easier to go out in the weather. I think we can learn from studying places around the world and what people do in various places. We may need to broaden our view.

But one think that is important, is friends, if one has friends to "talk with", but also friends "to do healthy things with".

Medical issues should be addressed as soon as possible, don't let things linger. As to foods, I read all the labels, if there are lots of words in the ingredient section, and filled with words I don't know, I leave it in the store.

Taking Medications, one should pay attention to it, and know more about themselves as they possibly can.

Stress, it may be better to think of how to minimize it, we should have learned by these ages, we can't solve the worlds problems, nor can we fund everyone who has a temporary financial want. Family members have to be responsible, we can't be responsible for them, because they will ultimately do what they want.

Be of concern about our mental health, we need to feel well to be well, and it is amazing what a benefit it is to minimize the stress about material things, money and etc. If we are not wealthy, we may or may not become wealth, but we have to appreciate what we have and manage it with smarts. We must not become a miser to the point we feel deprived, nor a spend a holic, as if we don't care.

No matter what we buy, things require maintenance, so be careful to buy quality things when one can, so as to minimize the maintenance.

Be honest with ourselves. If we have not been a marathon runner, then we should not suddenly go enter one. If we want that, then we need to work our way to learning how to develop to become one. But don't have some illusion of winning a Gold Medal, but to work to finish at your own pace in your own time.

Keep a Dream Alive - Make sure to learn something each day. Thank God for every day you awaken and have your mobility as a blessing to appreciate.

[composter]

Originally Posted by Chance and Change

I think in the 50's things change for some more slowly than for others, so far in the 60's it seems that more adjustments are necessary, especially paying attention to what is eaten, and drinking water. Some states are different when it comes to outdoors exercise, unless one has been in a routine for years.
In the South, its too hot, then its too cold, or its too rainy or its too sticky.

California was good- its was much easier to go out in the weather. I think we can learn from studying places around the world and what people do in various places. We may need to broaden our view.

But one think that is important, is friends, if one has friends to "talk with", but also friends "to do healthy things with".

Medical issues should be addressed as soon as possible, don't let things linger. As to foods, I read all the labels, if there are lots of words in the ingredient section, and filled with words I don't know, I leave it in the store.

Taking Medications, one should pay attention to it, and know more about themselves as they possibly can.

Stress, it may be better to think of how to minimize it, we should have learned by these ages, we can't solve the worlds problems, nor can we fund everyone who has a temporary financial want. Family members have to be responsible, we can't be responsible for them, because they will ultimately do what they want.

Be of concern about our mental health, we need to feel well to be well, and it is amazing what a benefit it is to minimize the stress about material things, money and etc. If we are not wealthy, we may or may not become wealth, but we have to appreciate what we have and manage it with smarts. We must not become a miser to the point we feel deprived, nor a spend a holic, as if we don't care.

No matter what we buy, things require maintenance, so be careful to buy quality things when one can, so as to minimize the maintenance.

Be honest with ourselves. If we have not been a marathon runner, then we should not suddenly go enter one. If we want that, then we need to work our way to learning how to develop to become one. But don't have some illusion of winning a Gold Medal, but to work to finish at your own pace in your own time.

Keep a Dream Alive - Make sure to learn something each day. Thank God for every day you awaken and have your mobility as a blessing to appreciate.

Very well stated "Chance and Change". Would that you lived next door as I like the way we both believe.

Blessings Dear One...and a safe hug.

[Chance and Change]

It's interesting, No one gives us the real story about aging when we are young, they give us various hints but we have nothing to relate it to in our youth, except in cases where we may have been around aged family members whom we've seen loose their health in various stages.

Generally, we go about through our early adult lives, doing what we do, and the slow down is often times gradual. (except in situations of incident or accident)


I remember in my mid to late 30's I realized I could not jump and run on the basketball court with the 17-19 and 20 somethings like I use to.
As time moved on, by late 40's I saw my mid section get thicker, and it seemed to just linger and by 50 the mid section seemed to be fixed in place as to not only being thicker, but the flexibility changed, fewer quick turns, less bending that use to be normal in younger years, and all the things we slowly adapt to accepting as adjustments, until our habit pattern of how we move about changed.

When I was a teen I worked on cars, often bent over under the hood for extended periods of time, "now I know the late term effect of that".

Not only does out metabolism change, but our spiritual energy about doing various things change, we have chemical changes in the body. Some have talked about testosterone levels in men and estrogen levels in women. Some get those injection which can potentially carry some oddity of effects.
Then there is the prostrate issues in men, as well as the menopause in women, both of which has many effects on the overall, including the desire factor of the sexual nature. We should; as we grow older, have learned when we were young, that "patience is the passion", not "wild and overly aggressive vigorous acrobatics". That seems like the rage when one is young, but they often too feel that something is missing, because they have not learned that, passions is of enhancement within patience.

Unfortunate many don't learn this, and get frustrated with their sex lives as they get older, and think they should "do more or be more youthfully vigorous". When fact is, it should likely be the opposite, more patient and more whole self involved, appreciating the realism of it all. (when young it takes nothing to jump in the sack and do acrobatics of sort, but many young people are often disillusioned quickly and their interest fades as they seek more fictions and antics and always think they are missing out on something else or someone different as they switch partners like changing clothes) They have not lived to learn the beauty of patience's enhancements unto passion.

When we get older, its not about the fiction and the antics, its about the "whole self", and communication becomes the value point that drives the connections.

If we are 50, stop trying to be 20 or 30, if we are 60, stop trying to be 30-40.... you are whom you've developed to be!!!
Relax and appreciate the fact that life has been of the grace to give you such an expanse of living. It does not mean, don't dance, or don't enjoy going out, and such things. But, its not likely that one would go to a hip hop club and start twerking.
there was a dance style you adopted during your hey days, which still fits if you were one that got into the groove of the music that you liked.
Now if you were a head banger into punk rock. maybe that's a different things, It's not likely you will be body diving from a stage into a crowd at 60.

Now for the good part:
DON'T ARGUE WITH PEOPLE !!!!! Share your information, share your thoughts, and your wisdom, but don't expect people to "flip on a dime and do as you suggest", GIVE THEM TIME TO "DIGEST THINGS" IN THEIR OWN WAY. They are far more likely to heed your wisdom, when it is not "force fed" into them. Allow them to digest it in their way, because what they digest will shape itself to fit their lives as they continue living and growing.

All of us can look back and know when we obstinately fought back wisdom's from others, and then we realize as we get older, we actually fought ourselves. Then we come to digest it as it comes to be understood in our lives.

STOP ARGUING WITH PEOPLE. What's the point? You can't live their life, and they are not mandated to replicate yours, if you want to do something, be willing to not harbor resentment, or the "I told you so, type of anguish"; it only makes you a bitter person and others are less likely to want to connect or hook up with you.

Many people whom are older, can come to have less friends, as people pass away and various things. If one gets longevity into the 70's and 80's it is necessary to find some means to create a network of like minded friends who can keep each other inspired about living and doing things.

I have relatives, many whom live and lived into their 80's, and what I learned from them, is they need to feel needed !!!!!!
Today, young people don't have time to appreciate older people. It's a sad thing, but they are on a different trajectory during that time. So, don't distress yourself if they are not there being the idealistic imagery of grand-children and great-grand children. It will only make you uninspired about your own living and enjoying your own life.

Keep something that you enjoy doing alive, arts, crafts, learning new skills, learning new things and trying to improve your ability at what you enjoy and desire to do. Death will come soon enough, there is no need to just sit idle waiting on it.

What is truly important is our mobility, as best as we can maintain it, and certainly our sanity, but more so our mental sense of well being, in that we "appreciate life and the gift of the new day, each day. Everything else is a luxury.

The next time you go to the Grocery store and you see an elderly person, strike up a conversation, by asking them questions about some product, or how to cook something, or what product is good. It can lead to a moment where you learn of the richness of their history, while at the same time, you share a moment of lightheartedness, as it too, lightens your heart. You'd be amazing as what a moment of good nature human interaction does for the spirit....

If you have a mate, "stop arguing about stuff" !!!! stop being bitter about what you did not do in previous years !!! stop being anguished thinking you missed something in life !!!! you can't go get yesterday, but you can destroy today with trying to re-create yesterday.
Maybe many may find that shared "appreciations" can often turn relations that have become docile, back to levels of inspirational engagements. We often take each other for granted over time, and forget to continue reminding each other about the things we appreciate and what we appreciate about them. Yes, these things are IMPORTANT to our HEALTH.

....... just talking about what's real ....

[lchoro]

There's muscle atrophy from aging (Sarcopenia), and there's muscle atrophy from inactivity. There is probably some of both with the original poster since his chronic back pain reduces his level of activity.

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/s...nia-with-aging

He should see about receiving physical therapy which will guide him toward activities, such as massage, stretching, and exercise, which will restore function and strength. He may also need OTC pain medication from time to time to do the exercises.

He is only in his early fifties. These things will get harder to overcome because of the pain from weaker joints and muscles.

[composter]

I, myself, am in my late 60's and going to the grocery store is an adventure. Reading the words of many I find I am drawn to the words of those older than I. Even as a child I was always drawn to those in their later years and I am thankful for the things I learned by listening.

I can get downright defensive when someone refers to me as an old hippie because of my age. I set things straight quickly and appropriately. Expanding my mind w/ drugs was not my idea of expansion-I saw it as stupidity and still do.

Thanks to all of the input spoken w/ wisdom and not cockiness.

We are all here for a reason and when I see how disrespectful the youngun's are their behavior saddens me. I do not waste my time w/ anger and negativity. Whining and complaining gets no one anywhere.

Wishing all of those older and wiser than I to keep up w/ a positive attitude. I am pleased w/ many of the words I have read.

Composter here once again dismounting soapbox. Phil. 4:8 tucks me in at night.