Average Age of Death and Aiming for it or Beyond

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Admiral Benbow

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At risk of diabetes
A little research bit of research reveals that the average age of death in the UK is 80.90 years. In my home country of Canada, it is 81.75. In Taiwan, where I am currently, it is like the UK at 80.9 years.
My question to you all, is do you think you will make it to that age in decent health? I know there is a meme going around recently showing a US senator, McConnell, who is 81 one freezing up when asked a question, and Mick Jagger being shown in good health after a lifetime of sex, drugs, and rock and roll (which is a complete myth, as he exercises frequently and watches what he eats).
Lot's of people here get frequent blood tests and visit their Doctor regularly, which seem to be a good predictor of life span as those who get regular checks most likely will live longer.
If you had to estimate you age of death or year of decline, at what age would you think it would be, excluding accidents or tragedy?
 
Considering my mother is above the average age of death in the UK and going strong including going to the gym multiple times a month as well as digging up new recipes on the internet, I plan to follow her lead and keep going through my 80s both physically and mentally.
 
Well, my mum is currently in her 92nd year and going strong but my dad died at 42 (heart attack) so it’s anyone’s guess how long I will last.

To be fair I hope I will age better now I have my diabetes under control 🙂
 
Barring war, natural disaster or being eaten by wild animals escaped from a zoo, and if I continue to walk 12km+ per day, eat lots of fibre & avoid becoming a meth addict, if I don't live forever I'm demanding my money back.
 
When I had my op to remove my pancreas and spleen (along with a fairly large tumour) I was 47. I didn’t think I’d make it to 50, I’m now 63, my parents died at 52 and 71, both with smoking related diseases. I’ve never smoked, eat quite healthily and do lots of walking. I’ll be happy to reach 80 as long as I have all my faculties, not bothered about getting any older than that. I see my mother in law at 86 just doing absolutely nothing with her life and just letting everyone run after her. There’s nothing much the matter with her but she gave up when she was widowed at 69. I can’t see the point of that.
 
I think I read/heard somewhere(?!?) in the past few months that the improvements in glucose management in T1, partially driven by developments in technology, have meant that T1D life expectancy is no longer considered to be shorter than a person without diabetes.

At one stage I think the suggestion was that it took about 20 years off you… then 10… but not any longer!
 
Anto said:
I am fortunate to have reached 80 years and 5 months. I am reasonably fit though I don't have the energy I used to have since I had a bad dose of Covid in August 22. Mrs Anto and I will have been happily married for 59 years in 30 minutes time. So can't complain.
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Your profile says you have type two diabetes. What are your stats, height, BP, fasting blood sugars, most recent A1C test, and have you had any complications of the disease?
 
eggyg said:
When I had my op to remove my pancreas and spleen (along with a fairly large tumour) I was 47. I didn’t think I’d make it to 50, I’m now 63, my parents died at 52 and 71, both with smoking related diseases. I’ve never smoked, eat quite healthily and do lots of walking. I’ll be happy to reach 80 as long as I have all my faculties, not bothered about getting any older than that. I see my mother in law at 86 just doing absolutely nothing with her life and just letting everyone run after her. There’s nothing much the matter with her but she gave up when she was widowed at 69. I can’t see the point of that.
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Just curious, how do you survive without a pancreas? I don't know much medicine which is why I frequent this forum. I thought Steve Jobs died because of pancreatic cancer, and diabetes gets out of control when pancreas doesn't secrete insulin.
 
Admiral Benbow said:
Just curious, how do you survive without a pancreas? I don't know much medicine which is why I frequent this forum. I thought Steve Jobs died because of pancreatic cancer, and diabetes gets out of control when pancreas doesn't secrete insulin?
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I take insulin just like a Type 1 diabetic, I also take pancreatic enzymes to replace the enzymes I can’t produce, these help me digest my food. Careful management also helps, be careful what I eat, exercise, just like a “normal” person. Lots of people do die from pancreatic cancer as it’s very difficult to diagnose as the pancreas is hidden behind lots of other organs and it’s quite often too late to do anything about it. I was very, very lucky. I’d had pancreatitis 7 years previously and when the familiar pain started again I went straight to my GP who very quickly sent me for various tests/ scans etc. that’s when the tumour was discovered and I was in hospital within four weeks having a distal pancreatectomy. And here I am 16 years later, alive and kicking. A mixture of inner strength, stubbornness, positivity and great support from family and friends got me through.
 
eggyg said:
I take insulin just like a Type 1 diabetic, I also take pancreatic enzymes to replace the enzymes I can’t produce, these help me digest my food. Careful management also helps, be careful what I eat, exercise, just like a “normal” person. Lots of people do die from pancreatic cancer as it’s very difficult to diagnose as the pancreas is hidden behind lots of other organs and it’s quite often too late to do anything about it. I was very, very lucky. I’d had pancreatitis 7 years previously and when the familiar pain started again I went straight to my GP who very quickly sent me for various tests/ scans etc. that’s when the tumour was discovered and I was in hospital within four weeks having a distal pancreatectomy. And here I am 16 years later, alive and kicking. A mixture of inner strength, stubbornness, positivity and great support from family and friends got me through.
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That's really motivational and inspiring. This is such a good website. What was your lifestyle before you had pancreatic issues? Were you you diabetic? Were you frequent drinker or smoker? Were you overweight? Or was it genetic or completely random in your mind?
 
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I’ve never smoked, or drank much at all. My pancreatitis was caused by gallstones when I was 41, which I didn’t know I had. It was totally out of the blue, I’d had pains for about a month, thought it was heartburn/indigestion, one day they just got so bad I was projectile vomiting. I was rushed to hospital where I stayed for six weeks, I had my gallbladder removed and pancreatic pseudo cysts drained. I was very ill and it was a long recovery. I was probably slightly overweight previously, had a busy life worked part time and had three young children. I wasn’t diabetic that didn’t happen until three years after my operation. The tumour grew on the dead part of my pancreas ( pancreatitis does that) it was just bad luck, nothing could have stopped it. I don’t say “ why me” because it’s pointless. It is what it is. I make the best of my life as I’m just happy to be still here.
 
Admiral Benbow said:
A little research bit of research reveals that the average age of death in the UK is 80.90 years. In my home country of Canada, it is 81.75. In Taiwan, where I am currently, it is like the UK at 80.9 years.
My question to you all, is do you think you will make it to that age in decent health? I know there is a meme going around recently showing a US senator, McConnell, who is 81 one freezing up when asked a question, and Mick Jagger being shown in good health after a lifetime of sex, drugs, and rock and roll (which is a complete myth, as he exercises frequently and watches what he eats).
Lot's of people here get frequent blood tests and visit their Doctor regularly, which seem to be a good predictor of life span as those who get regular checks most likely will live longer.
If you had to estimate you age of death or year of decline, at what age would you think it would be, excluding accidents or tragedy?
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If only diabetes was the only factor in all of this.

Of course, lifestyle and "looking after ourselves" will influence how we go, but, so will attitude to life (glass half full/empty), genetics, poverty, and not forgetting pure old luck, and several other things not springing to mind right now.

I am already older than the age my father died, but have a good few to catch my mother up. I want to outlive both, well.

I don't think about it, or focus on it. I focus on living my best life - which doesn't mean either sack cloth and ashes or hedonistic excesses. It just means having adventures, building positive memories and approaching the hurdles we all meet with a "can do" attitude.

Don't get me wrong, all of us waver from these fine dreams and aspirations - especially when some disaster or loss befalls us, or those around us, but as they say, it isn't how often you fall you will be remembered for, but how you get back up.
 
Admiral Benbow said:
Your profile says you have type two diabetes. What are your stats, height, BP, fasting blood sugars, most recent A1C test, and have you had any complications of the disease?
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5 feet 8 inches, 125/75, 6.2 to 7.4, 48, no complications.
 
Yes, I believe my GP took 'the easy way out' by labeling me type 2 and putting me on medication (500 mg Metformin per day)
 
Thought I better check in and Eggy some of your journey has parallels with mine with major exception being your cancer diagnosis and surgical intervention.
I too had necrosis of pancreas due to an acute attack and hospital stay with similar symptoms beforehand and caused by a gallstone.
Diagnosed with Type 3c a month ago and some 18 months after my pancreatitis but managing fine and settling into routine.
I developed a large pseudo cyst and Consultant advised to leave it rather than drain it as risk of infection was greater than leaving it so I just lived with it and actually forgot about it as life pretty much returned to normal with help of Creon.
Subsequent CT scans revealed it slightly reversed and last week I was told it had resolved completely as happens in 50% of cases so good news.
Getting back to how long people live I refer to my own mother who 15 years ago was in hospital with suspected pancreatitis/ pancreatic cancer.I was told it did not matter about which diagnosis was correct the poor outcome was very similar( his exact words were think weeks rather than months).
Cue forward a week when they eventually got a diagnosis of cirrhosis even though she never drank alcohol in her life ( possibly long term use of NSAIDs) and I spoke to the hepatic consultant and mentioned the prognosis of the previous doctor.
She said that prognosis was not accurate but think in terms of 18 months and 2 years if lucky.
She lived a further 10 years and died at 91 and did nothing special to fight her condition just lived her normal life.
So basically we don’t know but many on these forums are simply seeking a better way to live their life as fully and as long as possible.
GLA
 
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