Will I live to 80?

[Herk7769]

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?'

'Oh no,' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?

'I said, 'Not much.... my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'

'No,' I said.

He looked at me and said,... 'Then, why do you even care?

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I recently picked a new primary care doctor. After two visits and exhaustive Lab tests, he said I was doing 'fairly well' for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 80?'

He asked, 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer or wine?'

'Oh no,' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs, either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?

'I said, 'Not much.... my former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'

'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'

'No,' I said.

He looked at me and said,... 'Then, why do you even care?

Good one! Guess we're in the same boat. I only have 8 yrs to go!

[F and E Damp]

I recently had cardiac surgery (stents installed). The cardiologists insist that I take a certain beta blocker in addition to my existing BP meds, even though my BP is towards the low end of acceptable. Their comment was "if you don't take this medication, you'll probably die of a heart attack within 6 years. If you do take it, you'll die of something else, probably quite a lot later".

The drawback is that the medication increases fatigue. As a result, I'm taking a 45-minute nap almost every afternoon. Now I hear a TV news item that people who take naps during the day are 3X more likely to develop Alzheimer's.

So, I take the meds and might live to 88, but the last 10 years I'll have Alzheimers, which is in our family medical history. I don't take it and I die at 76 or so. Choices, choices!

[B47]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

I recently had cardiac surgery (stents installed). The cardiologists insist that I take a certain beta blocker in addition to my existing BP meds, even though my BP is towards the low end of acceptable. Their comment was "if you don't take this medication, you'll probably die of a heart attack within 6 years. If you do take it, you'll die of something else, probably quite a lot later".

The drawback is that the medication increases fatigue. As a result, I'm taking a 45-minute nap almost every afternoon. Now I hear a TV news item that people who take naps during the day are 3X more likely to develop Alzheimer's.

So, I take the meds and might live to 88, but the last 10 years I'll have Alzheimers, which is in our family medical history. I don't take it and I die at 76 or so. Choices, choices!

All I can add to this is eat the right foods, exercise, and do everything that you are supposed to remain healthly (sp) and when your time comes - you can be happy that you died healthy.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by F and E Damp

I recently had cardiac surgery (stents installed). The cardiologists insist that I take a certain beta blocker in addition to my existing BP meds, even though my BP is towards the low end of acceptable. Their comment was "if you don't take this medication, you'll probably die of a heart attack within 6 years. If you do take it, you'll die of something else, probably quite a lot later".

The drawback is that the medication increases fatigue. As a result, I'm taking a 45-minute nap almost every afternoon. Now I hear a TV news item that people who take naps during the day are 3X more likely to develop Alzheimer's.

So, I take the meds and might live to 88, but the last 10 years I'll have Alzheimers, which is in our family medical history. I don't take it and I die at 76 or so. Choices, choices!

Had a stent put in 6.5 yrs ago and was told the same thing and was on 7 medications after the surgery even tho' I was on nothing before. 2 yrs ago my cardiologist reduced the meds to 5 and last yr reduced it to 3. Family vet determined I was borderline diabetic and put me on Metformin and told me to loose my gut. 40# later, still on 4 meds and feel fine. Hope I match my grandpa. He made it to 98 and was still sharp as a tack. Big difference is I retired at 66, he retired from driving a farm tractor for hire 10hrs/day, 6 days a week at 96.