Is it all downhill after 70?

Oh how I empathise!!

Since I reached 70 (only in January) I have had a bad cold and a chest infection and a sinus infection. I despair of ever not feeling tired!!

Added to which we have had lots of hospital appointments for dh. Thankfully, he is fine.

Prior to my birthday I coped with everything and no one believed my age. I feel about 110 now and wish I had let my birthday pass with no acknowledgement. Pride goes before a fall in my case.

According to my DH, yes, it is. Since reaching that milestone 3 years ago he has had a hip replacement, an attack of labrynthitis which still causes dizziness after two years and a terminal diagnosis. Before 70 he never had any illnesses. (I am also very aware that neither my parents or grandparents even reached 70 years of age).

When I retired at 60, someone said to me 'make the most of the next 10 years because after 70 things will probably go wrong' . Well I'll be 70 in a couple of months so we'll see.

No, it isn't.

I am coming to my 76th birthday. I had the dreaded winter lurgy in February, which left me feeling very run down throughout March and most of April and feeling like you. I am now over it. Yesterday I was in the garden for three hours doing lots of pruning and tidying. I also painted one wall of the LR and spring cleaned the spare bedroom. Today I have put the second coat of paint on the wall, spring cleaned another room and DH and I are going to start putting up an insulated wall lining on the inside of an outside wall of the living room

In a word 'YES'.
I was always fit and active, but on hitting 70 I developed Polymyalgia Rheumatica, a painful but self-limiting condition. Then, just as I thought it was improving, along came Rheumatoid Arthritis which is for life. Hey ho!

You have my sympathy regarding the Labyrinthitis. I had my first attack in my 20s when expecting my first child. Since then I have had many recurrences and live my life trying to avoid the triggers, fortunately successfully for a few years now. Take care. Onwards and upwards!

At 72 I’m breathing, walking, and like Shysal have PMR.

I have one friend with early dementia and another with terminal cancer, so all in all I’m not too bad.

It’s all downhill after 39 ?

Lucky legs so sorry about the dizzies. Have had bouts of labyrinthitis/menieres for years and take betahistine every day which has helped. It will go so don’t be too downhearted, though it’s absolutely horrible.
You will be back zumbering in no time. Good luck.

Ha ha Iam. The descent just becomes steeper and more slippery after 70 and sometimes you end up sliding on your bottom.......

Generally health can be less smooth and more bumpy I think, things take longer to recover from and in my case pain issues grow daily. Having said that there are more comfortable days than uncomfortable ones. Just enjoy what you can, even something as simple as looking at a lovely view, it does help. Chin up luckylegs, labrynthitis is a horrid condition, no wonder life seems difficult but it will pass and you will be able to enjoy being active again.

Yes, got to 70, no problems.
Then I had a heart attack; cataracts done; total knee replacement, and the other one now needs doing. Atrial fibrillation and tinnitus, (not too bad)
But, I am Ok if the aches and pains are not too bad ?

Keep buggering on folks. That’s the only way to go. I’m 73, recently tripped over the heated blanket cable and landed on my shoulder and it is so painful and taking ages to get better. Age I guess. If I get into bed at night, lay down and think no pain anywhere it is a real bonus.
Having had a life threatening illness (breast cancer) I try to wake up every morning and think good still alive, and enjoy every minute.

My DH says so long as you are looking down at the daisies and not up everything else is a bonus! . So far I am still okayish at 71!

At least if you wake up in the morning with aches and pains you know you're still alive! As they say it's not for sissies but what's the alternative?

Labyrinthitis can make anyone of any age feel at death's door! I had a bout a few years ago, in my 50's, and was so ill, I was twice taken to hospital by ambulance. Thankfully, after that (crosses fingers) I only had very minor attacks so I hope I've seen the last of it. It's so very debilitating, though, you have all my sympathy.

75 here and totally agree with all that has been said, old age is crap! Still caring for 5 youngest 2, 20 and 13 totally dependent for all care the eldest 3 Down Syndrome very little help available. Poor old bones ache tired and grumpy but I suppose my health is not too bad, good luck to all oldies.

Oh dear Luckylegs is your doctor treating you for viral or bacterial? I understand both are manageable and I do hope you feel better soon. It's so miserable to find your life disrupted like this.

If I told you all the things wrong with me you'd never stop laughing some of them I've battled since I was 22 years old.

My poor wee GP was so worried when I was ambulanced to hospital in February (twice)
But I told her, 'Look, you can't make me immortal, summat will carry me off eventually.'

And because of that, I try to make the best of time left.

When I joined Gransnet, I read about so many people with real problems, not fiddling little issues like mine.

I wondered, and still do, at the amazing founts of strength some people find to help them cope with truly shattered lives.

So because I know nothing will make me immortal, I bear all this in mind and try to be kind to myself and others; take each day as it comes, allow myself to weep if I want every now and then (sometimes for Gransnetters who are battling terrible odds) and as much as possible, be grateful for every blessed minute I'm here.

Well said BradfordLass. I too try to be grateful for what I have.

I didn't make it to 70 before the buggerations kicked in, half my bowels removed at 69 and have been cripple creek ever since. Chemo did as much damage as the illness, left me with sore and painful feet.
DH did slightly better, he made it to 72 before the lightning struck, before that he had never taken a tablet.

YES!

I'm happy being a " creaking gate !"

I'm with your husband midgey still looking down at the daisies although with some problems. Hearing some of the stories on GN makes me so grateful I am relatively fit.
My thoughts and sympathy to all Gransnetters who have health and family problems.

I'm only half way to 70 but am disappointed to find, having looked after my health, that things just start to go wrong, injuries take longer to heal, joints grow stiff, digestion doesn't work so well, sleep becomes problematic.

Last year I was diagnosed with a potentially serious immune disorder, I've always caught every virus going and I suspect I now know why. I have osteoarthritis, painful knees, elbows, thumb joint. If I don't starve myself, the weight piles on and then I get awful heartburn. I have to take serious hold of myself or depression kicks in. Still, I'll be fortunate if things don't get worse, too many around going down with serious illness or dying. Whoever expects to live forever!

Are you only 35 notentirelyallhere?

I’m 70 and fairly healthy, but find I take much longer to recover from colds, etc