Weight Training Post Lymph Node Removal

OtraVez · July 2009

I'd be curious to hear waht she tells you, if you're willing to share it. I'm gonna check back with my docs and see what they say, too.

Anonymous · July 2009

will absolutely share and thanks for the post because it reminded me I want to call her and follow up on the msg I left her last Thursday... :-)

Anonymous · July 2009

asedge..sorry for the delay in posting - although nothing much to report other than I now have a list of lymphedema specialists that I can check out - two of which my oncology nurse recommended. So next step is to get on the phone and call and try and get a feel for their perspective on weight training. Once I know more I will post.

In the meantime, I continue to do my weights 3x per week using 10lb weights. Really being vigilant about how the arm feels and if it feels fatigued or heavy I stop right away. Still doing 2 sets and between 8 and 10 reps for each exercise.

One thing my oncology nurse did say that based on some of the research she had done, keeping the arm/shoulder area flexible is crucial. My yoga helps with the flexible bit and I also do additional stretches.

Oh, one more thing that I read is to use one of those small stress balls you can squeeze in your hand and to squeeze it while holding your arm straight in the air. No mention as to number of reps. Must get myself a stress ball.

afighter · July 2009

Hi Ladies:

Ivorymom: thanks for the info you posted in June.

My LE therapist was not excited about me going back to free weights, but when I promised to re-enter slowly she said (hesitantly) ok. She does not want me to go over 5 lbs., but I am not going to follow that; however, I don't intend to be foolish about it either. I was up to 15 lbs. with many of my arm workouts and was beginning to bench press.

PurpleMe: You go, girl! You are a woman after my own heart! I just added weight training back into my routine today and it felt great!! I used 5 lbs. (2x12) on good side and 3 lbs. (2x12) on the surgery side and will do that for a couple of weeks before adding a couple more pounds. Hope your toe is healing well.

Although my LE is conservative about you can and cannot do, she is very good. She gives good lymph massages, is teaching me how to do them on myself, has been keeping track of my arm measurements (and the surgery side has actually gone down!), and ordered the sleeve and night garments for me. When it is all said and done, I hope to change her opinion about the amount of weight one can safely use for strength training after having lymph nodes removed.

I was also doing yoga before all of this, but stopped...and I miss it. After reading the various comments, maybe I'll return. I did worry about the downward facing dog, but it seems that most of yoga will be okay. I will just have to listen to my body as I am doing now.

Take care, ladies and good luck!

Anonymous · July 2009

Hi afighter...I truly believe it would help us all - those with lymphadema and those of us who don't have it now and may or may not develop it - if the medical community would seriously investigate lymphadema and ways to improve the condition and prevent the condition.

Anyhoo, I do see a therapist who specializes in lymphadema this Thursday and will report back what she advises. We have already had a phone conversation and I advised her that while I do not have lymphadema (and hopefully will not develop it) I do want to do everything possible to prevent it from happening. Told her I really enjoy doing weights, that I do yoga and am also getting back into running. She certainly didn't indicate that I shouldn't do the weights...so we shall see.

It is interesting that some lymph specialists advocate NO weights at all and others believe that it can help.

By the way I still do downward facing dog when I do my yoga class...I just listen to my body and if my arm feels "weird" then I stop. Cool

Anonymous · August 2009

Sorry for the delay in posting...saw the physio a couple of weeks back and when I told her about doing yoga, jogging, getting back to the weights she said this is all good stuff. She did tell me that I should not do all my upper body exercises together but to split them up and do lower body and/or cardio between each upper body exercise. It feels weird to do my workouts this way however, I will get used to it and it will become my new norm.

Anonymous · August 2009

Long time no post...anyhoo..there was an article on WedMD (www.webmd.com) on Aug 12 with the title "Weight Lifting May Be OK After Breast Cancer". One of the lines in the article reads: " But the new study published in the Aug 13 edition of The New England Journal of Medicine" shows that weight lifting may actually help breast cancer survivors with lymphedema." The studied 141 US women who had completed bc treatment. Half the group were trained in weight lifting by trainers who were knowledgeable about lymphedema and the other half were not asked to train. The group that did the weight training reported greater improvement in their lymphedema symptoms.

Great article, one worth reading.

Cheers

enjoylife · August 2009

Hi I started working out at the hosp.rehab center for after cancer care its a good program and it will give you a kick start into working out again. Breast cancer has given me a gift of being over wieght and I hate that plus with Lyphemdema so you have water fluid so its something else to deal with it. I am writting down everything that goes into my mouth from a cup of tea etc so I can see why I am not loosing so hopefully this will help if anyone has any tips please feel free to help. I am also doing wieghts for my arm light ones but anything to move the fluid.

good luck to all of us to get back to a better than before BC person...

Maurea

enjoylife · August 2009

Hi I started working out at the hosp.rehab center for after cancer care its a good program and it will give you a kick start into working out again. Breast cancer has given me a gift of being over weight and I hate that plus with Lymphedema so you have water fluid so its something else to deal with it. I am writing down everything that goes into my mouth from a cup of tea etc so I can see why I am not loosing so hopefully this will help if anyone has any tips please feel free to help. I am also doing weights for my arm light ones but anything to move the fluid.

good luck to all of us to get back to a better than before BC person...

Maurea

Anonymous · August 2009

Hey there Maurea...kudos to you for getting back into working out again. I used to work out at the gym 5 days a week - weights, running, etc plus did yoga once a week - all pre-BC diagnosis. During treatment I kept up the yoga and would go for walks but that was about it. My "active" treatment (chemo and rads) ended Apr 29/09 and I started to get back into a more regular workout routine. So now I do weights (about 10 lbs for upper body), jogging and yoga. Feels so good. So hang in there. Writing down what you eat is a great way to lose weight..it's been proven one of the best methods. I wish you lots of success!

kayakgirl · September 2009

Lifting Weights Reduces Lymphedema Symptoms Following Breast Cancer Surgery, Penn Research Shows

August 28, 2009

Penn Medicine News

PHILADELPHIA - Breast cancer survivors who lift weights are less likely than their non-weightlifting peers to experience worsening symptoms of lymphedema, the arm- and hand-swelling condition that plagues many women following surgery for their disease, according to new University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine research published in the August 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings challenge the advice commonly given to lymphedema sufferers, who may worry that weight training or even carrying children or bags of groceries will exacerbate their symptoms.

"Our study challenges the historical medical recommendations for women who get lymphedema after breast cancer, and is another example of well-meaning medical advice turning out to be misguided," says lead author Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, an associate professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and a member of Penn's Abramson Cancer Center. "For instance, we used to tell those who had back pain to rest, but we know now that in many cases, inactivity can actually make a bad back worse. Too many women have missed out on the health and fitness benefits that weight lifting provides, including building bone density. Our study shows that breast cancer survivors can safely participate in slowly progressive weight lifting and gain those benefits without any increase in their lymphedema symptoms. In fact, this type of exercise may actually help them feel better." Read More

Resource Guide for Cancer Survivors Interested in Exercise [PDF]
About Penn's Breast Cancer Program and Cancer Rehabilitation Program

Other Sources

Morgan513 · September 2009

I chatted with my oncologist about this just last week. I have been lifting light weights (started at 3 lbs and now at 5 lbs). He said that generally they recommend the light weight 3, 5, 10 lbs. and up to 20 lbs. I assured him I stick with lower weights. I have firm arms and no LE.

Lorrie

Anonymous · September 2009

While I do not have LE, I believe, after all of the research I have done that weight training is good both for people who do not have LE and for those that do. So lift those weights!

Another thing that I found on another thread on this site was the whole "no bra" idea. One lady found that when she wore a bra she felt more swollen by the end of the day. I figured...what the heck I will give it a try. Go figure...I found the same thing. Now I do wear a sports bra when I run and work out, however, I now rarely wear a bra any other time including to work. Just a thought.

Anonymous · June 2010

Well...yep...I have LE. According to my LE therapist it is stage 1. I am still doing my weight training although I have cut back on the actual weight I lift at present and on the days I do my weights I do more of a circuit training doing cardio between each set of weights that I do. Also really keeping a close eye on my arm and listening very closely to how it feels.

I continue to do my yoga and my jogging because I love my workouts!

OneBadBoob · June 2010

Please be sure to see http://www.lymphnet.org/pdfDocs/Weight_LE_Misconception.pdf where Dr. Schmitz writes an article

Clearing up Misconceptions

regarding the weight lifting study and LE.

Anonymous · June 2010

Hi Jane...I actually just read the article earlier today...serendipity perhaps? I don't believe that weight training is a cure for LE however, I do think for some women - not all - it might help to keep the beast under control along with MLD etc. But not every woman will benefit from weights.

Part of my problem was before BC I was able to do fairly heavy weights - I loved weight training (and still do love it) so of course, post BC it was frustrating to have to really reduce the amount of weight I lifted. At least I am still lifting...

It could have been the two flights I took one a month after treatment and the other 6 months later - without a sleeve...didn't know I should have had one. Who knows.

Life is such an interesting journey!! Smile

ktym · June 2010

PurpleMe. I'm with you, very frustrating to have to reduce the weights. I just haven't been able to get my same level of weights back. I really am careful about how fast I increase and the number of reps because of my LE. I love weight lifting, love how I feel after. Miss the days of going to failure and having my arms shake afterwards.

Anonymous · June 2010

I so hear you kmmd!

Weight Training Post Lymph Node Removal

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