Countdown To Fifty

Over my morning coffee and a bowl of cereal I caught a segment of the Today Show about the challenges of men turning 50. Optimistically the subtitle for the piece was ‘planning for the

next half century”. The segment offered the following insights:

• Matt Lauer is turning 50 on December 30 of this year. This must be the catalyst for the entire premise I assume.
  • In 1991 a fresh faced 34 year old Matt was in NY doing industrials. At the time I was with a major NY mutual fund company and they had just completed a training video for clients. The subject was teller referrals to financial advisors in the branch….wow he has come far.
• Men just don’t see doctors as often as they approach 50 and when they do they do not disclose all symptoms.
  • This almost 50 guy can’t stand to see doctors for another reason: excessive costs. The cost of health care is obscene and prohibitive…and I have insurance. In order to keep costs down I have a crazy high deductible of $7000 for me and the Mrs. This high deductible shifts the thought process to me as the consumer. I constantly find myself questioning if the procedure/office visit is necessary or excessive. As an example, why do I need to go for an office visit to request a cholesterol test? Just send me the damn lab order and I’ll go. I don’t need to pay you $75 for an office visit, on top of the lab work, to get the answer that keeps me healthy! Just this month I find myself with numbness in my right arm – a by product of a pinched nerve I believe. Will I go to the doctor? No. Why? Too much money to spend. I’ll see if goes away on its own first. My primary driver for not seeing doctors? COST.

• Starting at age 50 men should regularly receive the following tests:
  • Colonoscopy – every 5-10 years: my dad has been on me to get this done since I turned 45. I will, just not today.
  • PSA test – I’m good to go on this one and have been since 44.
  • Cardio testing – also good to go
  • Blood pressure test – all is good here
  • LDL at 70 – this may be a stretch. I have no desire to go on Lipitor like drugs as I have had a bad experience with them. That combined with poor family history leave me to manage this dimension of my health via diet and exercise.

  Other facts gleaned:

  • The brain starts to shrink – I did not need to have Today tell me this. I have been dealing with CRS (can’t remember shit) for years now.
  • Skin looses elasticity – that explains some of the embarrassing droopy areas…..
  • Eye sight declines – yes I know. In addition to the previous post on this subject, I recently moved to the higher strength reading glasses. I did find a great new (to me) name for these glasses though: “CHEATERS”!
  • 40% of men over the age of 45 have lower testosterone: yes and they are subject to MANOPAUSE
  • Men will loose 1 pound of muscle per year starting at age 50: all the more reason I am glad I started to workout.
  • The 3 most health issues in men over 50
    • Prostate
    • Health Disease
    • Diabetes

Apparently there are other installments of the series for the balance of the week.