The Getting Old Thread

The preventing hot flushes angle is likely to be more productive.

Two of my friends partners have just started going through it recently. Ups and downs.

Meanwhile, I'm at my sisters sorting my pension out.

Pensions? Already? Blimey. That went quick.

Which is interesting, as anecdotal experience from everybody I've spoken to is that every woman from late 40s onwards has been pitching up at their GP asking for HRT in last few months. There's been some kind of campaign or something: Davina McCall's name keeps coming up (but I cba googling what she's been up to).

I find it quite entertaining as they've all apparently convinced themselves that GPs have all conspired to refuse to prescribe HRT to women so they pitch up primed for a fight and are all "I DEMAND YOU GIVE ME HRT YOU BASTARD!" and I respond "Sure, no problem, patch or tablet?" and then they get all confused.

Historically a lot of people over-reacted (imho) to the studies that showed an increase risk. When the Million Women Study results and some other data came out that showed the increased risks being on HRT everybody shat themselves, took everybody off HRT and often avoided started it for *years*. There were a few lone voices in the wilderness that would point out "a large relative risk increase doesn't mean a significant absolute risk increase and all medications have risk and for some women, the symptoms might be so intolerable they'd quite happily accept those risks and it ultimately the patient's choice" but they were generally chased out of town with pitchforks.

Over the years though a more nuanced interpretation of the data has prevailed (e.g. the women in the original trials were at a higher baseline risk anyway as they were older than lots of them women you'd normally be starting HRT on anyway, and there is evidenec risk goes back to baseline once stopped) and those lone voices above became more mainstream. Now people across the board are more ready to prescribe HRT.

It's often the way with medicine. Treatments fall in and out of favour, and often there is a single study or data set that causes a massive over-reaction. Then the pendulum swings back the other way.

My wife decided it wasn't for her based on the same evidence. A combination of nasty hot flushes and a decent GP changed her mind. The menopause has tended to be dismissed a bit but it does have a serious effect on a lot of women's lives. Davina NcCall's documentaries about it are a good thing IMO.

Affleck turns 50 this year. Seeing as he co-wrote that film, I wonder if that specific line is in his mind recently.

Currently watching Spiderhead and the kid from Whiplash seems practically middle aged now. That film was only a couple of years ago, Shirley?...

2014. Fuck.

What about if they’ve already had cancer?
Doesn’t hrt increase the risk of it coming back?

I saw the Sterophonics when I was at uni, and everyone I was with commented on how much I looked like Kelly Jones, the resemblance was pretty striking.
Seeing them on the TV last night I was struck by how much I don’t look like him anymore. Somehow he’s managed to age at half the rate I have. That rock n’ roll lifestyle must be good for you.

Being a midget helps.

I hate this, I'm always moaning about the rubbish people bring and leave at parks, beaches etc. Your brought it with you, TAKE IT THE FUCK HOME.

He's only 54? Fuck's sake

If that's true, he's aged like an avocado.

All the cool radio djs from my 20s seem to have moved to a ‘mom and pop’ radio station here in Belgium, and I have moved with them. My days are filled with “wait that’s not classic rock, that only released in… damn, 2007.”