The Damn I'm Old Thread - Putting Up With Being a Geezer

[Vic2012]

How many people here DON'T consider themselves overweight? I would say I could lose 10-15 lbs and be just fine, but my lifestyle (and beer and food intake) keep those pounds on. I'm not fat, by any means, but I'm not at the weight that I would feel is ideal.

I don't consider myself "fat" but I need to lose 20 pounds. That's doable but my current lifestyle, and lack of discipline keeps the pounds on. I'm sure if I stopped drinking beer and , and worked out one extra day during the week I'd drop those pounds in a reasonable time. Without getting into details, my life right now is VERY stressful. Some people lose their appetite when they're stressed, some people's appetite's increase. At this point I'm not ready to give up my social life to lose 20 pounds. The pub visits help me deal with my stress on weekends. Honestly, if I didn't go to the gym at least 3 times a week I'd look like the Michelin Man. I'm pretty stocky from years of weightlifting but that flab around the middle ain't going away without dieting and eliminating the beer on weekends (which is when I do my workouts).

I've cut back on weight training drastically, but not because I've got back problems or anything like that. I feel great. I feel strong. I still do light dead lifts once in a while but I prefer cardio workouts more than anything. I can get on a stairmaster for 35-45 minutes and then maybe do some light dead lifts. I'm taking Duncan's advice and start doing them (dead lifts) once a week, but using light weights. But no more bench presses. I want to get smaller, not bigger. One day I'll buckle down and get serious about losing those 20 pounds. Right now it's not a big priority.

[Gizmotron]

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Indeed.

Glad you are doing better, Philsunset.

[philsunset]

^^^^^Thanks Gizmotron.

[Jerjo]

Question for Casey if you're still hanging around this thread: what's this crap about one out of three people over fifty getting shingles? I've seen those ads way too many times but every time it occurs to me, I know a lot of people over fifty and I don't think I've heard of any of them getting shingles.

[WHORG]

I got the shingles about 5 years ago and it gave me the sads.

[NogbadTheBad]

I had shingles about 30 years ago, it was not fun.

[Shadow]

I used to put shingles on houses.

[mogrooves]

I got the shingles about 5 years ago and it gave me the sads.

A couple of years ago my wife had the bright idea that I should get inoculated for shingles, which required getting a blood test which, in turn, showed an elevated PSA number, which took me to my urologist, who performed a rectal digital dance that led to a diagnostic cystoscopy, which went well but created an infection that required a week of intravenous antibiotic infusion, which knocked out the infection but caused an adverse reaction to the antibiotic resulting in something called migraine variant balance disorder, a form of vertigo that took two months to dissipate. The good news? No shingles! (But I'm now prone to run-on sentences).

[Buddhabreath]

Thanks for all the interesting glimpses into your struggles. I'm 56 and have been in and out of shape - periods of fierce exercise including lifting weights to muscle failure followed by months of inactivity that destroys all the gains. Fighting the inner demons I guess. Each time I do more and more, but each time I quit for whatever excuse (vacation, long hours at work, sickness, injury, miscellaneous crises etc. etc.).

A selfish concern is finding time - work takes it out of me and I wonder what it's for - to save for retirement when I may be to old or sick to travel and do the things I love?

We here in the US have a shit life style - you take two weeks of vacation and it's like you don't care about your damn career. I remember going to Belize for two weeks - a group of Germans had already been there two weeks, two weeks later when I was finally unwound it was time to go and my German friends still had two weeks of vacation left. But we here in the US just take it and think we're the best...

[Duncan Glenday]

I had shingles.

I had a very rare (but according to my dermatologist, well known) type : No visible marks, but 100% of the pain. Weird.

[SteveSly]

Question for Casey if you're still hanging around this thread: what's this crap about one out of three people over fifty getting shingles? I've seen those ads way too many times but every time it occurs to me, I know a lot of people over fifty and I don't think I've heard of any of them getting shingles.

I had shingles a few years ago. I had no clue what it was when it started. I thought it was an allergic reaction to something until I finally got it checked out. It was not fun.

[moecurlythanu]

Wow. I saw the shingles commercial and it's "stats" too. Never met anyone who had shingles. Scoffed. But this thread gives pause...

[Casey]

SHINGLES: It represents a reactivation of a virus most of us got when we were young(er): Chicken pox. The virus stays dormant in our nervous system. (I'm not going to get too technical.) Anyway, when our immune system drops it's guard (e.g.: when we get older, when we experience a serious illness/psychologic stress, when we get too much sun exposure, etc.) the virus can reactivate. It then gets to the skin by traveling down a nerve. As many of you know, the skin infection can be painful. And that is why the vaccination is being marketed: it boosts your immunity to the point where the virus has to remain dormant and you don't have "skin pain". Th vaccination does not prevent an initial infection by the chicken pox virus. I used the quotes because you can have repeated bouts of pain in the area without a rash. Usually you get a rash with the initial reactivation. Duncan, I wonder if your physician submitted a paper on your case. It's rare not to get the rash as part of the initial reactivation. Ask him/her.

What these ads may not be saying (I haven't seen them) is that the Zoster vaccination is proven (statistically) to work for about 5 years. So, if you're still around, you will need another vaccination.

Remember, medical science changes. So stay tuned.


The doctor is out...

[Yodelgoat]

I went to get a shingles shot and my Dr told me that they normally dont treat people under 60. That doesnt sound like that has been the case with some of you... Maybe I need a different doctor?

[Vic2012]

I was told by my doctor that my insurance would not cover the shingles vaccine if I'm under 60. I'll take my chances. I'm 60 in less than 2 years.

[Lopez]

I got the shingles vaccine last year after being pressed into it by she-who-must-be-obeyed. Now I'm glad I did. Those commercials scare the heck outta me.

[spellbound]

I had chickenpox as a child, and got shingles twice as an adult. The same virus causes both ailments, and although having chickenpox prevents you from having chickenpox again, it does not make you immune to shingles. A year or so ago I had one of those new shots for shingles, that will hopefully prevent me from ever getting another case of that painful malady. Knock on laminated formica.

[-=RTFR666=-]

I had chickenpox as a child, and got shingles twice as an adult. The same virus causes both ailments, and although having chickenpox prevents you from having chickenpox again, it does not make you immune to shingles. A year or so ago I had one of those new shots for shingles, that will hopefully prevent me from ever getting another case of that painful malady. Knock on laminated formica.

My oldest is 25 and she's had a few bouts with shingles. With all the crap I've been dealing with since 2013 no thanks to my hospital care-induced maladies, that's one thing I'm thankful I don't to deal with...

[BobM]

I had shingles about 15-20 years ago, on my forehead. I didn't know what it was at the time but the crazy migraine headaches made me go to the doctor. As bad as it might be on your torso, imagine it on your scalp. It sucked big-time. Haven't had any relapse since, thank God, but I understand it can come back at any time.

Anyone know what might trigger it?

[Plasmatopia]

It's like a special kind of herpes for old people.

[walt]

I'd better stay out of shingles bars.

[Vic2012]

^

[progeezer]

Rimshot for the other old Queens Jew!

Which (unfortunately) prompts:

"A pox on these shingles bars"
"There has been a rash of pain from these shingles bars"

[Duncan Glenday]

I'd better stay out of shingles bars.

LOL

[jake]

Thanks for all the interesting glimpses into your struggles. I'm 56 and have been in and out of shape - periods of fierce exercise including lifting weights to muscle failure followed by months of inactivity that destroys all the gains. Fighting the inner demons I guess. Each time I do more and more, but each time I quit for whatever excuse (vacation, long hours at work, sickness, injury, miscellaneous crises etc. etc.).

A selfish concern is finding time - work takes it out of me and I wonder what it's for - to save for retirement when I may be to old or sick to travel and do the things I love?

We here in the US have a shit life style - you take two weeks of vacation and it's like you don't care about your damn career. I remember going to Belize for two weeks - a group of Germans had already been there two weeks, two weeks later when I was finally unwound it was time to go and my German friends still had two weeks of vacation left. But we here in the US just take it and think we're the best...

I hear ya - I left the UK to follow my wife home to NY - after spending 21 years at my previous company and changing jobs to a new company (earning a hell of a lot more mind you) I am now back to two weeks vacation a year. Thats ok when you are 21 and doing more on a weekend than an old fogey does in a month, but at my age two weeks vacation is vicious - so much so that I am thinking of packing it all in and moving to Chiang Mei in Thailand. My net worth here in the US would keep me for about 10 years - and I would probably have to do at least some part-time work - assuming I never get sick, in that case it could all go overnight. But in Thailand it would see me good for at least 30 years - and that would not require working.