Exercise and well being during chemo and radiation

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  • Andraxo
    Andraxo Member Posts: 410
    edited April 2016

    Moondust - I am finding it a little harder to exercise during the last 2 weeks of radiation, than ALL of chemo....but I continue to push myself. Stick with whatever you do during chemo! It makes a huge difference :)

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    Andraxo, my experience was similar to yours.

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  • azrescue
    azrescue Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2016

    moondust - I love the idea of the March at White Sands. When is that? Also got me thinking if I could put something together here closer to home. I haven't found much for support here in AR. but we do have a lot of booking, hiking, outside activities here.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    While I would love to do something all together so we could meet and exchange war stories, an alternative would try to find events on the same day and do things that we like to do but that challenge us.

    Yesterday was a rest day - chemo day. Today my schedule is insane! So, I'm hoping to squeeze in something. It'll be a dog walk at the very least. Thinking maybe a 30 minute Pump workout to get some weights. Head is getting tingly and shedding has increased, so I'll soon just shave the ole noggin then my showers and upkeep will be a lot faster. :p So I can do more, theroetically.

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited April 2016

    Wow, you all are doing great! Andra love the henna- I was given a gift certificate for a crown during chemo, but never had time to get it done! So cool!

    Love the idea of a big physical goal to work toward. I haven't been making any great fitness strides lately- getting ready to start fat grafting for recon, and my PS told me not to lose weight. So, holding steady with the 1-2 hr workouts, adding some bouldering and yoga in as often as possible, and yes! Doing core work every day! Its snowing, and I'm hoping to get in one last day of snowboarding, but I'm afraid its too warm. Cheers!

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    Today was Fe Fit Upper Body (kind of a girlie workout, but if I go really heavy in upper body weights, I look like a line backer). And a long dog walk. I'm getting ready to visit a friend has gone through this twice, quit her job as a lawyer and founded Cancer Pet Companions. It's a pretty cook organization aimed at finding furry companions for people with cancer who need companionship. And rehoming pets if people get to the point where there can no longer care for their pets. They also do things like walk your dogs if you cannot, scoop cat litter... She's amazing.

    Then it's off for my Nuelasta shot. Go chemo ninjas go!!!

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  • Moondust
    Moondust Member Posts: 510
    edited April 2016

    azrescue, you can read about the Bataan Death Memorial March here. It is held in late March. I will try to do it next year if anyone else wants to do it with me. It would be even better to have a team, but even doing it with one or two people would be so great.

    CJ, I think your idea of having an "event day" even if we are not physically together is great. But if you want to consider that 21 miler next year I am willing! I see that we have to sign up in September. Another idea I had was that I'd rent a chalet up in Mineral King where anyone interested could stay for a few days. We could do some awesome day hikes. I know that area like my back yard and would love to have cancer sisters come up and stay with me.

    I love the Cancer Pet Companions idea. I'll have to stay in touch with that. Animals are a very important part of my life.

    I had a great hike yesterday up to a lookout tower on Milk Ranch Peak near Three Rivers. I was wiped out when I got home! The flowers were beautiful. The weather was warm and sunny where I started at 3000 feet, but up at 6200 feet I was in a cloud and had all my layers on including a scarf.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    104 miles past week, combo of spin class, biking, hiking, jogging, and walking. Small amount of weights.

    Trying to stop obsessing about how many miles I ride my road bike and incorporate a bunch of different activities to get some other things in the mix.

    Ksusan, might try Zumba next week too! I do love to dance

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    You're rocking it, T!

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    I did a 2 mile walk today with the dogs, then came home and cut the crap out of my hair. Then I took my dog clippers to it. I was tired of shedding more than my Aussies. :) So I have nice short do, and I am actually not too upset. I was told to have someone else do it, but it was kind of cathartic is a weird way - as if I was making the decision to cut it, not chemo. I digress.

    Moondust - I'm definitely down for the 21 miler at Big Sur. I'm going to try to shoot for the RNR half Marathon here is San Jose in October. I'm going to take the dogs hiking tomorrow if I'm up for it. I have a nice UV Buff thanks to the suggestions here! If not a hike, it'll be a good 3-5 mile walk. I want to keep up the mileage.

    Italy - I LOVE Zumba. It's fun and free and no one cares. If you can find a good class - there is nothing like it.


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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    My Zumba instructor is more on the "muscular" than Latin end of the spectrum, which I like. I find the more Latin-heavy classes harder on my knees. I'm walking a half-marathon in a few weeks and I need to keep my knees and feet in okay-enough shape for that.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    The Zumba class where I go to the gym has a large Asian population, so I am sure I will stick out like a sore thumb at 5'8" tall. But everybody in there always looks so happy, so why not?' Oh, and the instructor hands out belly dancing scarves with little jingle things on them, so that should be fun. I will be twerking my jingles!


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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    Excellent. Photos, please.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    I will try lol. It will be comical, to say the least

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    True for everyone:

    image

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    Ha! I have this one!

    image

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  • pboi
    pboi Member Posts: 663
    edited April 2016

    Haha...funny ksusan and cjsharma! Never tried Zumba...now curious. Walking now part of my daily routine now finally, twice a day, but I need to mix it up. I don't think Zumba is in the cards for me right now, my GERD is bad right now.

    DH is picking up a new exercise bike today for himself, he has a bad knee/ankle and can't run much. Excited to add bike to the mix! My kids have had so much homework lately, so really looking for ways to exercise at home, since it's hard for me to get out. They will soon be out for the summer too, and while it would be great to go out to exercise with them, they start complaining after a while and I can't exercise enough or as fast as I'd like.

    Been very bad about addingstrength training to my exercise...must somehow motivate myself to do it!

    PB

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited April 2016

    I keep a chart that I check off each night. Keeps me honest, keeps me aware of what I'm not doing, and makes my docs shut up about how I should get more exercise.

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  • pboi
    pboi Member Posts: 663
    edited April 2016

    Thanks ksusan, I might just have to do that too! My SIL and I text each other at the end of every day with our exercise accomplishments of the day. It helps me keep going, cuz some days I just want to blow it off!!! I've been dragging my feet about the strength training! Think I'll need multiple methods to keep me motivated! Wish I loved exercise more...lol! I was like this last July when I started to walk regularly, took forever to become a routine for me, but now it is. Now on to tackling the next goals...building me some muscles!!!

    Happy Sunday everyone! And happy birthday again T! 🙂

    PB

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    I am really proud of myself today. I'm tired today, but I managed to do a mile dog walk, 40 minutes of Zumba (DVD) and 21 Day Fix Cardio Fix. I had to modify a lot of the Cardio Fix, but I managed to use the weights and get in a good workout. I'm so bloated right now from the steroids. Ick.

    I have an Excel spreadsheet - now a Google Doc - that I keep track of all of my workouts, my steps for the day, weight... I have records going back to 2011. Yeah, I'm a bit possessed.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    I took the dogs for a walk and felt great! Then did 21 Day Fix Upper Body which is not an intense workout at all, and I even modified down, and it kicked my butt. I'm glad I did it because I feel like I'm keeping up my strength, but man I hate being weak. I have a tendency to think I can do anything. :p

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited April 2016

    CJ- you aren't weak, your body's resources are just very divided right now. The bulk of you energy has to go to healing from each chemo. You won't lose much strength overall, if you let your body do its thing each cycle. I know its frustraiting right now, but think of it like this. Each treatment damages your body like running an ultra, so anything else you do is like how you'd do active recovery. You will be fine :)

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    So Little Blue Flowers - should I not be lifting, but wait until I have more strength? I think this is where I'm having challenges - trying to figure when to push and when not to. I recover well enough from my workouts, and i have cut them way back. But, I do get tired during them.

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    CJ, I viewed training during chemo as doing altitude training. I felt if I kept exercising, no matter how wimpy I felt, after chemo I would come out stronger. And I feel like that has definitely been the case.

    Hang in there, chemo will pass and you will get back to your normal self!

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    Italy - that's kind of how I'm feeling. I just want some kind of strength training because I feel that some is better than none. And I'll be stronger over all if I persist.

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  • littleblueflowers
    littleblueflowers Member Posts: 2,000
    edited April 2016

    Agree with T- do what you feel! My experience was that a lot of the weakness was due to my body dealing with poisons, and once chemo was done, I bounced back no problem.

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  • CJSharma
    CJSharma Member Posts: 464
    edited April 2016

    Thanks for the support!! I just needed to hear it.

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  • runaway
    runaway Member Posts: 16
    edited April 2016

    So for those of you who exercised throughout chemo- I have a question-- How long after did it take to return to your previous fitness? And for those who got herceptin- were you able to return to your baseline fitness during herceptin? I'm a few months out of the harder chemo, and improving all the time. But I still have 4 more herceptins, and so far I just can't get back that last 10% of fitness. It's pretty frustrating, and sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get back to normal. I'm still a little anemic, and that just isn't recovering either. How long did it take for your labs to get back to baseline?

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  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    I feel like I have finally started being "me" again, and my last Herceptin was February 26th. The only thing impacting my exercise ability right now is the 10-12 pounds of chemo weight gain that hasn't disappeared yet. Losing weight after menopause totally stinks! My exercise ability improved pretty quickly after chemo ended, but I didn't realize until Herceptin had been done for a month that it had impacted me too. I just thought what I was doing was my new normal, but that definitely was not the case since I'm back to bettering my ride times, etc.

    So I would say a month after final Herceptin I got a lot of me back. But it wasn't that bad after chemo ended, more like 90-95% recovery.

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  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited May 2016

    I feel like I have finally started being "me" again.... The only thing impacting my exercise ability right now is the 10-12 pounds of chemo weight gain that hasn't disappeared yet. Losing weight after menopause totally stinks!

    QFT. I haven't pushed on my ability to lift--trying to stick to my PT's recommendation to do more reps at a lower weight.

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