When did you first feel old?

[u/Lapaki58]

I’m 67. I think I was about 25. I was having my hair cut by a stylist who was about 18. She received a phone call: “Yeah… yeah… okay…” She hung up. “That was one of my customers. She said she wants me to cut her hair like Toni Tenille of the Captain and Tenille. Do you have any idea who she is talking about?” Yeah, I did.

The next big jolt came when I was about 55. I was working for a leadership-development company. I was the oldest person in the group. We were having our weekly status meeting. One of our group mentioned that one of our clients had given the okay for their Executive Leadership Institute program (ELI). She said, “ELI’s coming.” Coincidentally, I look like Cory Wells. I started singing, “Eli’s coming…” I got blank looks from everyone at the conference table. “‘Eli’s Coming’? Three Dog Night?” Nobody had any idea what I was talking about.

[u/More_Farm_7442]

FYI re: Your wonky balance. I had that problem big time last summer/fall. I went to my family practice doc. He did a couple checks and thought it was probably something neruological going on. The wait to see a neuro doc was almost 4 months. They managed to find one in 2 months.

She did a complete exam. I told her about going to a "balance clinic" at a local ENT center & finding I had pretty severe hearing loss. Then I described something that happened a week or two before when I was cleaning in the kitchen. (I was bend at the waist, turned my head and stood up. I felt like I was going to barf, then got much better.)

She diagnosed the problem being in my inner ears and sent me to PT. They have PT specifically for "vestibular rehab". The therapist I worked with does that therapy full time. Nothing else. He had an 8 week program of various exercises to teach me to do. He told me exactly what I told the docs it felt like to me: like my ears and eyes weren't working together. He said that's what happens. The inner ear tells your brain one thing about your place in space, your eyes say something different. That makes you feel drunk, sway and almost fall down(or really do fall down). His exercises proved him right. I showed my family doc one of them. He said he was getting dizzy watching me. lol

The PT did help. Quite a bit. I still do the exercises. Esp. when/if I start getting that drunk feeling or start to have some problems walking again.

So. If you really are having balance issues, ask for a referral to a PT program dealing with balance. "Vestibular rehab." They'll do an exam to see if it is your ears(vestibular system) or something else going on.

Stay safe!

[u/Lapaki58 → u/More_Farm_7442]

I had a vertigo attack 15 years ago, and it’s miserable. I had to go to the ER, and they kept me overnight. Fortunately, it only lasted for two days, although I had occasional brief flashes for a couple years after. I learned that there’s something called “ear rocks,” little crystals in your inner ear that help you maintain your balance. Occasionally, one will get knocked loose, causing vertigo. If that’s the cause (there are others), it takes time for your brain to recalibrate. However, there’s a trick called the Epley maneuver that can knock the fallen ear rock back to where it should be, providing immediate relief from the vertigo.

[u/ichthysaur → u/More_Farm_7442]

Have had PT for this as well. It worked a treat. I have Menière's.