Why can't I get fit?

You are not the only wuss who can't get back in shape I'm right there with you and I even have a younger age on my side (mid-30's). Chemo + 2 surgeries completely knocked me down, my body is like mush. I finished chemo a year ago but feel like I haven't made much headway on getting back in shape. I figured that by now I would be back to where I was before treatment...The only area I see improvement in is my arms--I saw a PT for cording and range of motion issues last fall and she gave me arm exercises to do. So those have firmed up some since then.

Kendra

Maybe you just need to find the right exercise. I used to swim but gave it up when I moved from Florida (where I had pool) to TN with no pool in 1990. Then I jogged for awhile but gave it up due to it being too damned hard on my knees. Walking was good for a year or so, but I got bored with it. Tried spin classes and aerobics-hated them. Did nothing for several years, but now with the BC diagnosis know I need to do something-all the studies show our prognosis is better with exercise.

I started walking a bit lately, but it's still pretty boring IMO and it seems to rain all the time this year-indoor walking is waaaay boring. Tried Pilates classes, not a good fit, but now I find I'm really getting into yoga, have gone to a few classes at a local studio and bought a nice CD and I'm definitely enjoying it, even though it's not a form of exercise I found appealing in the past.

The point of all this is to try some different things until you find a good fit for where you are here and now.

kcat, yes to the mush

Water Zumba felt great following radiation sessions, agree with HartIrish, easy on the knees and joints.

I've fallen off fitness big time since landing in instant menopause following ovary removal last summer. Nothing fits.... Yes to the mush-kcat and Meadow.

Trying a Pure Barre class tmrw. Will share if it's worth checking out.

Good luck ladies!!

Veronica, I started doing a barre class about a month ago and I can actually feel the difference in my muscles. I went out for a short bike ride with my kids last week and for the first time since treatment didn't feel like I was going to die or my legs fall off from the burning/shaky muscles! So maybe I have hit on something that will work for me, hope it goes well for you!

Kendra

I am so sorry, Jennie. I am one of the exercisers, and what I can say is that I think you need both cardio (you mention your lungs) and also to rebuild muscle strength. This includes your upper body.

Have you worked with the LIVESTRONG program at the Y? Or tried physical therapy? I don't know how you rebuild from the ground up, but I do know it can be done.

For the record, I am well over 50. I will say that for anyone, whether breast cancer or not, it takes discipline to stay strong and fit after a certain point in life. I do a combination of cycling, running, walking, and crunches/free weights. Something every single day.

Really silly question, but are you eating enough protein? I was surprised at how much I still needed post treatment. Because it takes a while to get energy reserves back. I still need energy potions when I do long bicycle rides. And I find I drag if I don't eat enough protein early in the day. This is 5 years past final chemo.

Speaking of energy, I need to get it in gear and head out to do a ride through tulip fields (plus dodge tour buses). A wonderful sight, and should be a splendid day with sunshine. Restorative, and so grateful I can do these things.

I am here to cheer you on as you reclaim your fitness. Good luck with this journey. But I would start with professionals as probably very helpful in getting you on the right road. Happy spring! - Claire

i see you are taking Arimidex, that affects aches and pains as well as stamina, i too was uktra fit and feeling good pre diagnosis, now i feel creaky and hurt all the time, feel far from fit. I read getting breathless is a ide effect of aromatase inhibitors and one you should tell your doctor about, its on the keaflet with the drug, but my doctor did not seem that interested..........

I'm in the same boat, the mush, the joint pain (knees, hips, ankles), the sore muscles. I'm 6 months PFC, and so far I'm up to walking at least 3 miles, trying for 5 days a week. I finish walking, collapse on the sofa, stiffen up and hobble like an old lady to the shower. Every morning I wake up stiff & sore.

Progress is very slow, and I'm thinking of starting to incorporate weights or kettlebell or some kind of resistance training soon. It feels like every muscle in my body atrophied during treatment, even the small stabilizing muscles in hips, knees, ankles, core... My balance and stability was gone when I started walking, and then it rained (a lot) and the normally dry creek filled up so I had to do water crossings or take another route. I almost fell in on several occasions, holding on to overhanging tree limbs or my hubby's hand on others. We went skiing in Feb and he didn't understand my level of instability and took me on a blue hill (I only started skiing about 4 years ago, so that would be a challenge for me), thinking I was just being overly cautious and he just knew I could do it... I was so mad, crying and trying to explain to him, in the middle of the hill, that this body doesn't work like it used to, at least not yet. It feels completely different, not like my body anymore, missing pieces, bald, and just wrong in so many ways. Just b/c I was finished w/treatment doesn't mean everything is back to normal. It probably took me longer to get down that hill than the lift ride up!

Anyway, some days I feel stronger and some days I don't. I've just tried to ignore the aches & pains & get on with what I need to do. My MO said to let him know if the joint pain gets out of hand, as the hormonal therapy I'm on can make it worse. (?!?) I may try acupuncture for the joint pain, anybody had any experience with that?

Jennie...I never did the Y either as already had my routine down. But I do know it has helped a lot of women. I am soooooooooooo thrilled to be finally done with my trip through AIs. Not sure of the difference yet as just 10 days ago, but I think my head is a bit clearer in the AM.

I know that I took a dose of ibuprofen when exercising post treatment. I still do when needed. It got me through the training and through all the cycling events that summer. Some of them were brutal, but I made it through all of them!

Balance is an interesting topic. Assuming no problems such as inner ear wonkiness, we do lose it over time if we don't pay attention. I think a lot of this is having the muscle mass in place to support the skeleton. But I will say there is another aspect. I know that cycling helps, and so does my crunches on the exercise ball. (Relatively safe if I fall off.) I also noticed a big difference after I started doing a bit of running. Having said that, I did invest in hiking poles a few months ago. (Were really handy last winter when we had an ice storm.)

I will also say that sometimes I find getting on my bicycle unnerving, but it normally resolves itself within the first mile or so. I push through it. I have learned to do a warm up ride the day before any cycling events.

Fortunately, I was just fine balance-wise during chemo. The joke is that during Taxol, I was able to out-ski my friend and cycling buddy Jim. I still give him a hard time about the fact that I did 5 (easy) miles to his 3.

On the other hand, I wigged out on a simple ride a couple of years later. So you do need to push on. I was just fine the next day, just not in the rain and wind. (We didn't make the Strawberry Festival either.)

Good luck everyone and enjoy the summer! I am planning a weekend featuring a canyon ride, vineyard camping, and perhaps a wine/food run on Saturday. I feel beyond blessed to be able to enjoy these events.

And yes, I will have my bottle of ibuprofen and Aspercreme with me. - Claire

Hi Jennie, you are definitely not alone in this struggle to get/stay fit. I cannot force myself to do serious exercise regularly on my own, I perform better with a coach or in a class. After the first surgery I saw a physical therapist two or three times and she showed me the exercises to restore arms range of motion. I religiously did these exercises through chemo and radiation, they helped tremendously with range of motion. I also walked a lot, except for the AC period by the end of which I was short of breath. After AC and while on taxol I started increasing walking distance little by little and eventually got it back to pre-chemo levels. I tried finding a trainer who specializes in post mastectomy/breast reconstruction but quickly abandoned the idea and joined the closest neighborhood gym two or three weeks post-rads. That was about a year ago. I attend some instructor lead classes - mostly step zumba for cardio and yoga for stretching - and signed up with a personal trainer for 30 min once a week. That session with personal trainer is very helpful: it forces me to go to gym after work in the middle of the week and the guy shows me the right positions, forces me to do more than what I would be doing if I were on my own and cheers me up. We do all kinds of exercises with focus on upper body strength, i.e. arms and shoulders. Recently, we started increasing the weights. I could not find much guidance on we cannot/should not do, even after I posted on this site - https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/58/topic/832316. I have been increasing weights for a few weeks now and so far I am fine. Hoping I will be able to lift my small suitcase and put it in the overhead bin of the airplane when I travel next time in August .

Jennie, don't get discouraged. I recently was able to drop 7 pounds, the first I have been able to lose since I gained back during treatment. I think my body was just ready. Stay at it, I think you will see results soon!

Hi Jennie,

I just finished radiation last week (15 regular treatments and 3 boost), and previous to that four cycles of chemotherapy, which included an allergic reaction to taxotere. I also had an allergic reaction to INH for latent TB just after finishing chemo. Now that I am finally finished all my treatments, I go back to see the medical oncologist this Thursday to start tamoxifen. I gained about 8 lbs during chemo - I had weight to lose prior to starting any of these treatments and now I have a bit more to lose. I want to hear what she recommends for getting back in shape.

I did look into the Livestrong program which is held at a local YMCA. Unfortunately, the program is only offered during the day and I work - no chance of my getting there. The director of the Y's in my area is looking to start another Livestrong program at another YMCA but probably won't have that ready until next spring. One of the hospitals in my area is doing a yoga for cancer for free. It's six weeks in the evening and I am thinking of giving it a try. I thought it would be a nice way to end all this treatment and start fresh again.

I have energy but not a lot of endurance. I know I need to exercise, change up my diet, and lose weight. It will take time. I was walking on my treadmill and then when the boost radiation started, I just got too tired to even do that. I will get back on track today though. I want to get stronger for next spring so I can garden without all the huffing, puffing and sitting in between plantings. I will give myself some goals to aim for next year and then develop a plan to get there.

I want to thank you for starting this thread! Keep trying - change things up as needed. Are you working towards a specific goal? Are there any free programs in your area for cancer patients, even at the hospitals?

Nope, I was never told that. Actually, I was told to get back to my life as soon as I felt okay with it. To clarify, I am BRCA2+ and had a preventative double masectomy with one small lymph node removed from each side for biopsy. I was up and walking 5 miles/day about a week later. Really. I am five years out now, have had no problems at all and don't expect to have any. I was very lucky.

You actually improve your lymph system through movement and sensible exercise. Tips from me (with 11 nodes removed) are.....

* start very slowly, walk, run, dance (Zumba and other workouts where you move your arms around but don't use weights are great)

*when you feel ready; do your weight workouts with no weights at all, then start really light. I started with soup cans, went to one pound, 3 pounds, and gradually went up to 5, sometimes 8, rarely 10. I have never gone beyond that, so if you were heavily into weight lifting I am not sure how that would go. I don't work the same muscles every day, or lift weights every day either, but am consistent. You will feel a little sore at first because you haven't been using that arm at all. But it should be 'normal sore'; if your arm feels heavy or uncomfortable, give yourself a break & then start back at a lower weight. You will have to experiment as to what will be right for you.

*as to yoga, again start really slowly with a beginners class or DVD and modify as needed. Instead of a down dog, start with a child's pose, do elbow planks or planks on your knees. As you gain strength, you can start with the down dog & go back to the child's pose if it's hard, same with the planks and other poses. I modified like crazy at first, but now can do everything without a problem (except the balancing....but that is a different story), again have a consistent schedule to keep the gains you make.

*so....if you are committed, consistent, and have lots of patience your body (because it will be frustratingly slow), most people really can get back to a good fitness level.