Like OP, I'm active, but I'm 73 and am getting tired of trying to keep up with all the changes.

In retirement I am finding out that human contact is crucial to keep the brain functioning well.

I stopped wearing makeup, stopped straightening my wavy hair and let it go natural, and wear clothes that fit well and are comfortable, regardless of whether they’re in style. I don’t chase fads anymore, because I know what I like and what my particular style is.i stopped trying to be what I thought I should be, and started cultivating who I actually am—-and always was tbh, even back in the day when it didn’t make me very popular—-which is a whip smart, funny, nice looking woman who doesn’t take s**t from anyone, and has no qualms about calling them out for it. Love me or love me not. I’m not going to beg you to change your mind. I’m just as happy in my own company as I am in the company of others. I like the real me, now that I found her.

By family history, I should have died twenty years ago. So any current aches and pains seem like small time wannabes.

This is why there's been so many days I've lived off of take aways, mac n' cheese and just buying whatever looks interesting at the grocery store just to bring it home and let that eggplant sit to mold.

Sadly most female problems are underfunded. We would have cures for pcos endometriosis etc if the same levels of funding for things like erectile dysfunction was thrown at them.

There are symptoms with menopause you only learn about from other women who've gone through it, like the unexpected anxiety while driving (on highways, over bridges, in the rain, at night), the inability to tolerate heat, and how simple housework like vacuuming can make you break out in a heavy sweat. I felt like I was going crazy.

Had a hysterectomy at 42 but my ovaries were okay so they stayed. After 5 years of perimenopause I wished they had taken the ovaries too. I would have preferred sudden menopause to the 5 years of hell I went through. Did you know that your shins can sweat enough at night that the tickling sensation of the sweat running down your legs wakes you up? I do now.

It would be one thing if it was just monthly cramps (those were no picnic either) but the hot flashes, weight gain, irritability, brain fog. I've had enough.

I have hormones and want them for the rest of my life. I feel good.

I went thru a natural menopause at 40, yeah the hot flashes sucked but I was delighted that my periods stopped. Anyway, HRT took care of most of the symptoms

We don't have enough pain relievers!

I'm at the stage that I want to rip off every part of me that is a women. Everything causes me pain and grief and we are still at the stage that its private and to suck it up.

Menopause is a normal and natural stage and process. Some women sail through it with barely a notice, others experience some issues.

Repetitive movements, over-exertion, pushing your body to it's limits catch up to you in seemingly small ways that end up with big problems, such as physiotherapy and surgeries. It could be wearing the wrong size, wrong fitted shoes for years. Trying to crack your back by twisting around. To an untreated issue you've been holding off forever. Take care of yourself now so you can enjoy a good retirement later.

My husband and daughter are all the family I have left.

Isn't ageism illegal when interviewing? I this treatment being 40 at work. It's not so much they won't hire me or look at me as too old. More like, my younger manager tries too hard to one-up me, either ignores me when I tell her I need to ease up on my tasks so I don't injure myself or turns it into a personal comparison. "I did it alone when I was in your position. And I was pregnant." And I also get the "You need to watch your tone. That's part of growing up, you know. Learning how to control how you sound to others." Then 30 seconds later shouts at the other team while laying an F bomb. Yeah, real mature. /s I mentioned this to my mom. She told me she's gotten the same treatment at her jobs, telling me that people are intimidated by strong women who command boundaries. Not sure if she's entirely right that it's just something fellow women experience as we get older, or if men experience it as well. But I do get the authoritive, firm tone=b***h mentality unfairly placed on women. js

This. As I'm writing this, how the hell is it September already?! Seems like in the blink of an eye, it'll be Christmas again... (not that I have a problem with that, but the fleetingness of time is unsettling sometmes)

I don't.. I treat people how they treat me. So if they are nice/supportive during hard times as well as good times etc... Then it's no trouble for me to be nice and support them during their hard times and good times. If I don't bother with someone (Family included) because they treat me badly.. So in that respect, it's not a waste.

My wife is 35. We have...just so many f*****g boxes, broken down and stuck in the garage "just in case" I was in the garage a couple weeks ago, and discovered a box (filled with other boxes) from FOURTEEN YEARS AGO. Why do i know it's from 14 years ago? Because it's something we bought the first week i moved here. It's a sickness, and it's avoidable.

The kids don't realize that birth to around 21 years old will have been the longest part of your life. The rest comes fast and hard.

Lol, it's all relative! :D

So much to do, so little time and money.

Can't help but disagree. Maybe it's because I work for a NFP providing services to homeless people, DV survivors ,etc - my days are full of deep and meaningful conversations at work. And also when I see my friends.

I get 8 hours sleep. I wake up and want to sleep more

Everything is higher now

Whiskers! I'm a woman.

I see this as a plus.

On the other hand, quicksand has played far less a role in my life than we were warned about.

I was about 55 when my body went over to the other side.

And then they die, and you realize you're on the frontline, now, the next one to go.

The real question is how many times did you have to get up to go to the bathroom?

Most people just want something from other people.

Don't forget the time you lay there contemplating if you should get out of bed or not hoping you can hold it in. You can't and you eventually get up and do your business.

My hands look older than the rest of me.

I had my 61st birthday last month. Being 60, the 'Big Six-O', didn't feel so bad, 'hey I made it to 60' - now however I'm 'in my sixties' - not so keen on that feeling.

Has a dream about a year ago, where I walked down the stairs in the house I live in now, which is not my childhood home btw, and when I got to the living room, there were all my brothers—-I’m the baby and only girl, my brothers were between 9 and 18 years older than me—-but they were all young men, about the ages they were when I was about 12. I’m 63 now, so that means they looked like they did 50 years ago. That’s also the way they look in my mind’s eye, like they’re fixed in my memory like it’s 1972. The feelings in the dream were warm and happy, and we were all smiling and talking and having a great time. That’s my only memory of the dream. It was nice to be all together again, because of my four older brothers, only one is still living. That’s the hardest part of growing old.

I freely admit I'm old and am going to die at some point. I accept it and life is so much more relaxed.

Retired, lots of free time and no stress. Bored out of my mind. But there is always that nagging thought wondering when the next health crisis will hit me.

Batwench

Batwench

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This is me, I was stoked when my new kitchen bin arrived. I may also be in love with my foodi ninja.

That's the least of my complaints. If someone of the younger generation showed me that sort of respect, it shows they have been brought up with a decent amount of respect and consideration. I'm more bothered with coming across younger people who behave recklessly around older and disabled people who can't move as quickly. But that's not limited to older people. My daughter walks with a cane due to lingering injury last year. Some jerk on a scooter swerved within inches towards her, on purpose, with a sarcastic "excuse me". It's painful enough for her to walk. Sorry for the tangent, but that s**t pisses me off. Everyone can always practice using tact and consideration unto others, regardless of age.

It will only be a problem if you let it. I don't have kids - a lot of my friends have kids and we still have lots of interactions. You do have to be prepared to work around the kids - you don't get exclusive access to your friends, but you do get to be "Uncle/Auntie", which can be pretty awesome.