Aren't I too young for this?

Welcome, I also have macular degeneration, the dry variety. Do not give up hope yet.

It's a bit of a shock isn't it, to find so many bits of ourselves are ageing. I have dry macular degeneration, along with a number of other tedious health issues. I'm still here though, for which I am thankful every day

Hotmama That is hard to deal with.

We can do our best to keep healthy not smoke, drink too much, get seriously overweight but still these ailments can get us.

ooo sorry about all that hotmamma but yep me too severe osteoarthritis of most of my stuff came to get me in my early fifties as a nice extra on top of the Lupus; mitral valve regurgitation, insomnia - possibly caused by pain make me a bit cranky BUT its not going to get me. I play golf three times a week and walk on the other days. The only real trouble is fatigue but when I look back to what my parents were like at my age I have a much better quality of life largely through refusing to be old. DH is in fine fettle apart from hypertension and hypercholesteramia and we have a lively life. Don't go out much at night and don't fancy long haul travel any more but that's about it. Keep on keeping on folks

Yes, SueBailey, you are right when it comes to our parents as my mum died of cancer when she was 50 and I was only 10, so that puts things into perspective. I must try and be a bit more positive but I just think it's all coming a bit too early for my liking! I have a lot to be thankful for including a wonderful, younger husband so despite everything I think I'll be like you and refuse to get old and tell my body that too!

I have a number of musculo-skeletal problems - hip, back, broken foot etc. I am 65 and these jollities have been around for a long time. We have to stay positive hotmama - this is the beginning of all sorts of limitations and the only thing to is to go with the flow - anything else would just make you miserable.

I share your frustration - i have just been to the village fete with lots of my family and have had to come back because I could not stand any more - I am pig sick about it as I want nothing more than to be involved with all they are doing and have a great time. But wishing changes nothing, so I will just be here smiling when they all get back and listen to what they have been doing and react with enthusiasm. No good getting crabby and grumpy, though I feel it a bit at the moment!

I too am 65, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, WED disease, insomnia. And 2 weeks ago I fell out the back door and I'm still hobbling. Waiting for a second blood reading, last one had low thyroid.
I will not give in.
2 kiddies coming for a sleepover in an hour, then 8 for Sunday dinner tomorrow.
It would be so much worse if we were sitting alone all of the time, counting the flowers on the wallpaper

Love Sue's comment - keep on, keeping on.

Coolgran65- unfortunately we do not all have an action packed life with GCs.

I feel like I am falling apart in bits as well, mitochondrial myopathy, coliecs disease, reynauds disease, arthritis, and now some sort of IBD!!Im only 54 for gods sake Heigh Ho, my DH , who calls me sicknote incidentally, swear I;ll live to be 100 as the creaky door never shuts !

I used to go out with Sicknote...

I started to get arthritis when I was 40. That was a bit of a shock. I would be here all night if I started to make a list and I'm still in my 50s. Yes, I feel it's too young to find it hard to walk down steps without either aid or looking like a crab, but apparently we should all be dead once our child-bearing days are over anyway!

The reynauds on top of arthritis in the winter time can be very exciting, can't it, especially on slippery pavements!

Charleygirl - unfortunately I don't have an action packed life with DGC, couldn't cope with it with my various conditions. But this weekend is certainly busy for which I am thankful.

I only wish it could be like this more often.
The degenerative conditions that creep up on us certainly change our ways of life.

janerowena - and others, those of us with inflammatory arthritis are at greater risk of osteo a and p. We are also likely to have other auto immune diseases, like Reynauds, dry/inflamed eyes, connective tissues problems and on it goes. Still, we're still here aren't we - let's make the most of it

I've developed arthritis and various joint problems over the last few years. I can sit and worry about it or adjust my lifestyle so I have more time to get going in the morning and more time to rest when I know I've I overdone it - this usually means I've been down on the floor with DGCs and struggling to get up, or bouncing twins on my legs for nursery rhymes. My mum had rheumatoid arthritis from her twenties, but in her 60s and 70s she made it a policy to venture outdoors everyday, even knowing she would be in severe pain on her way back home. She kept knitting to keep her deformed hands working. I don't want to sit and fester in my comfy armchair, so I keep doing things that result in pain and fatigue, but I'm lucky to be around and getting older.

I've got several bits dropping off or not working as they should and go to Pilates in order to keep working the parts that remain. I was amazed to find lots of younger people there in a similar position to myself - some could do more than I could whilst there are some exercises I can do as well as or better than they can. It helped me accept what I've got and made me feel better about myself

It has to be said though that it is not always easy to be positive. and sometimes a good moan helps.
Being a worrier and when waking aching in the middle I start imagining the worse about how decrepit I might be in 10yrs time.

I ought not to be like this. I was chatting with my co-inlaw this morning who is about 5yrs older than me. Her mobility is very bad, she lives on a hill with steps around her house and needs a rollator to move about.
She makes me feel ashamed of my moaning but she was saying "well you just have to get on with it as best you can don't you? True really.