When your body starts back-talking

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ironlion269

ironlion269

Member
Mar 10, 2017
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North Central Indiana, United States
Hey sisters and brothers in the air gun community - been quite a while since I've posted. A common topic that resurfaces every so often in our discussions here are the effects age and the passing of the years have on our interests and pursuits with air guns. Now it's my turn as my body has recently been back-talking to me in no uncertain terms. For a long time I could handle the tinnitus and high blood pressure and pre-diabetes and the rest but now the gauntlet has been thrown down: an auto-immune disease that is robbing me of my strength and stamina. 2022 has been a challenging year for me physically and I finally have to concede my loss of passion (not to mention capability) for shooting my springer, multi-pump, and even some of my CO2 guns. If it requires repetitive work to cock the mainspring or pump up the air chamber I am unable to complete more than a few shots in a session. It's just not worth the pain and fatigue that accompany the outing. I'm so thankful that I crossed over to the "dark side" some years back and have a small collection (3!) of PCPs I can still enjoy while shooting off a rest. With those three guns I can continue to scratch my air gun itch and mentor my grandkids in the shooting sports. I'm also glad to have listened to B.B. Pelletier and pursued the sub-12 ft lb approach to shooting air guns. Since I no longer have the mobility to walk around a barnyard much less go on an easy stalk in the woods, I am relegated to my suburban back yard... all 25 yards of it. Sub-12 ft lbs is perfect for the mini-sniping and super quiet shooting I pursue now. Sharing all this as a reminder to all that the years will bring on changes in our likes and dislikes as well as our cans and cannots. Best wishes to y'all as you pursue your passions.
 
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ironlion269 said:
Hey sisters and brothers in the air gun community - been quite a while since I've posted. A common topic that resurfaces every so often in our discussions here are the effects age and the passing of the years have on our interests and pursuits with air guns. Now it's my turn as my body has recently been back-talking to me in no uncertain terms. For a long time I could handle the tinnitus and high blood pressure and pre-diabetes and the rest but now the gauntlet has been thrown down: an auto-immune disease that is robbing me of my strength and stamina. 2022 has been a challenging year for me physically and I finally have to concede my loss of passion (not to mention capability) for shooting my springer, multi-pump, and even some of my CO2 guns. If it requires repetitive work to cock the mainspring or pump up the air chamber I am unable to complete more than a few shots in a session. It's just not worth the pain and fatigue that accompany the outing. I'm so thankful that I crossed over to the "dark side" some years back and have a small collection (3!) of PCPs I can still enjoy while shooting off a rest. With those three guns I can continue to scratch my air gun itch and mentor my grandkids in the shooting sports. I'm also glad to have listened to B.B. Pelletier and pursued the sub-12 ft lb approach to shooting air guns. Since I no longer have the mobility to walk around a barnyard much less go on an easy stalk in the woods, I am relegated to my suburban back yard... all 25 yards of it. Sub-12 ft lbs is perfect for the mini-sniping and super quiet shooting I pursue now. Sharing all this as a reminder to all that the years will bring on changes in our likes and dislikes as well as our cans and cannots. Best wishes to y'all as you pursue your passions.
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Time catches up for sure, everything hurts more, longer to heal etc.
I used to box in the Army, run marathons with a pack and boots, jump out of serviceable aircraft.
Now, the golden rule is to eat properly, warm up, stretch properly before and after any exercise otherwise my back locks up.
I'm glad you're still in this thinking person's sport - which will keeps our brains young through continual learning and teaching others.

P.S. Nothing at all wrong with 12ft/lbs!
 
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Fun ain't it !! Brain surgery 6/22 to try to stop the tremors in my right hand.. I have never was bald before even when I was a baby!! surgery was a unexpected success !! Dominate hand tremors reduced at least 95%
Played 68 summers at the end of the month !!Now I just had hand surgery for TRIGGER FINGER !! Middle finger would snap or lock-up !! Just got the stiches out
 
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I'm in that age group now where a lot of people develop health issues. A lot of people develop problems that is not their fault. I'm very fortunate to be in good health. I want to maintain upper body strength for off hand shooting as well as for other things. I lift weights and do push ups. I also go for 30 minute walks as often as possible and of course I try to eat right.
As I continue to get older I cherish every day that I can do the things that I enjoy.
 
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ironlion269 said:
Hey sisters and brothers in the air gun community - been quite a while since I've posted. A common topic that resurfaces every so often in our discussions here are the effects age and the passing of the years have on our interests and pursuits with air guns. Now it's my turn as my body has recently been back-talking to me in no uncertain terms. For a long time I could handle the tinnitus and high blood pressure and pre-diabetes and the rest but now the gauntlet has been thrown down: an auto-immune disease that is robbing me of my strength and stamina. 2022 has been a challenging year for me physically and I finally have to concede my loss of passion (not to mention capability) for shooting my springer, multi-pump, and even some of my CO2 guns. If it requires repetitive work to cock the mainspring or pump up the air chamber I am unable to complete more than a few shots in a session. It's just not worth the pain and fatigue that accompany the outing. I'm so thankful that I crossed over to the "dark side" some years back and have a small collection (3!) of PCPs I can still enjoy while shooting off a rest. With those three guns I can continue to scratch my air gun itch and mentor my grandkids in the shooting sports. I'm also glad to have listened to B.B. Pelletier and pursued the sub-12 ft lb approach to shooting air guns. Since I no longer have the mobility to walk around a barnyard much less go on an easy stalk in the woods, I am relegated to my suburban back yard... all 25 yards of it. Sub-12 ft lbs is perfect for the mini-sniping and super quiet shooting I pursue now. Sharing all this as a reminder to all that the years will bring on changes in our likes and dislikes as well as our cans and cannots. Best wishes to y'all as you pursue your passions.
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I totally understand as I have all but the auto-immune problems. Did you get the Covid jab? Possible cause.

Anyway, thanks for posting as it lets me and others know that we are not alone. The tinnitus bugs me the most and for those who don't have it, I can't truly explain it to them. Not to mention the neuropathy (numbness with pain) in my feet (which is actually worse than the tinnitus) and significant loss of short term memory... etc, etc, etc.

As Bette Davis once said: "Getting old ain't for sissies!".

For pesting in my backyard, I have found that ~12fpe is more than enough power and seems to be better at clean kills than higher fps/fpe, not to mention saves air so I don't have to pump as much. Although I have let the fps creep up somewhat because of accuracy issues at the lower velocities. But that may change... (grin)

I understand what you are saying all too well. Without your health, life and the pursuit of happiness becomes less and less possible, but you have to keep a positive attitude as long as possible. (shrug/smile)
 
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I was having a lot of back pain over the past two years. Had a hard time figuring out the problem. When I was 7 years old I fell out of a building (2 floors) onto a pile of rebar, and broke some ribs. I occasionally get pinched nerves close to the spine. Usually if I keep my back strong and flexible, I can manage the pain. But the past two years it was getting awful, and I was worried this was something that was just going to get worse as I got older.

But I found out, I was accidentally causing the problem. It seems if you take Advil often-enough, it causes a little bit of swelling of your nerves. I had been taking an antihistamine just often-enough to trigger this reaction, and the swollen nerves were rubbing against my rough, mended bones, just enough to get even more inflamed.

Stopped taking advil, and over the past few months my back pain has slowly vanished. Kind of sucks, as I can't take my favourite antihistamine anymore, but headaches and a runny nose are far preferrable to this back pain.
 
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I have a Diana Chaser co2 in .22 caliber. I keep it in the rifle format. Did some barrel and valve work. Put a cheek riser on. Shoots a JSB 14.5 gr pellet at 11 1/2 ft lbs, 600 fps. At 25 yards inside of an inch. Get 30 good shoots per capsule I've had a titanium right shoulder for several years, so no big guns for me.
 
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I'm only 46, which isn't real old, but I am high milage and starting to feel some things that I never felt before. I spent 25 years in Commercial Construction and 31 years in Martial Arts and so my body has definitely been worked hard. Today I own a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school and that's what I now do for a living. I opened up May of last year. This year specifically I have noticed that I cannot roll with my students as much or as hard as I use to and I get injured more now and most of the time for no reason. It's been difficult for me to accept this but I am starting to accept it. I also use to have perfect eyesight my entire life, but this year, my eyesight seems to be starting to fade. Old age isn't quite here for me yet, but it's definitely auditioning for me right now lol! God bless you guys, keep doing what you enjoy until the wheels fall off! That's what I plan on doing(y)
 
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ironlion269 said:
Hey sisters and brothers in the air gun community - been quite a while since I've posted. A common topic that resurfaces every so often in our discussions here are the effects age and the passing of the years have on our interests and pursuits with air guns. Now it's my turn as my body has recently been back-talking to me in no uncertain terms. For a long time I could handle the tinnitus and high blood pressure and pre-diabetes and the rest but now the gauntlet has been thrown down: an auto-immune disease that is robbing me of my strength and stamina. 2022 has been a challenging year for me physically and I finally have to concede my loss of passion (not to mention capability) for shooting my springer, multi-pump, and even some of my CO2 guns. If it requires repetitive work to cock the mainspring or pump up the air chamber I am unable to complete more than a few shots in a session. It's just not worth the pain and fatigue that accompany the outing. I'm so thankful that I crossed over to the "dark side" some years back and have a small collection (3!) of PCPs I can still enjoy while shooting off a rest. With those three guns I can continue to scratch my air gun itch and mentor my grandkids in the shooting sports. I'm also glad to have listened to B.B. Pelletier and pursued the sub-12 ft lb approach to shooting air guns. Since I no longer have the mobility to walk around a barnyard much less go on an easy stalk in the woods, I am relegated to my suburban back yard... all 25 yards of it. Sub-12 ft lbs is perfect for the mini-sniping and super quiet shooting I pursue now. Sharing all this as a reminder to all that the years will bring on changes in our likes and dislikes as well as our cans and cannots. Best wishes to y'all as you pursue your passions.
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@ironlion269 - good that your reaching out to your fellow airheads. I've spent the last 27 years helping people deal with pain of all sorts... seemed like a normal thing to do after 21 years of beating my own body up in Specwar community. Pm me if you want some ideas or help with your issues. I'm not a Dr. but I have 27 years of people teaching me what helps make things better.
 
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Bob-in-WV said:
Getting old ain't for sissies. I got a new titanium neck last November and it is still healing. I lost the upper use of my left arm and my balance. I walk with a cane now but still try to shoot some. I ordered an FX Impact in .30 and want to do some 100 yd shooting. I try to thank God for every day I wake up on the green side of the grass.
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Right on!
 
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