Anyone exercise super-hard before BC??

ThePrincess · April 2016

I was a runner running at around 7:30/mile- I could run 10 no problem at that pace. Vigourous crazy hard bootcamp twice a week. Loved all of it and none of it ever felt very taxing - weights were heavy at the end, but I never felt like the workout was super taxing physically or got me out of breath for more than the moment. Literally as soon as the recovery was done and stretching done at the end, felt not-tired at all.

Now, after chemo (finished 9/1/15) and rads - and lumpectomy and SNB - working out seems to take so MUCH effort and energy? I'm barely keeping a 9:20/mile - and the ones I get down to 8:45 feel super taxing, like it takes ALOT of effort to run that fast? I can't make it through bootcamp, even with dinky weights without feeling like I'm OUT OF ENERGY. And the stupid lymph node removal is messing up all of my strength training exercises.

When does it go away and my normal energy levels come back?

AlacoqueS · May 2016

Hi The Princess,

I was pretty fit before my diagnosis and treatment. Now maybe not as fit as you were, but I would have done gym classes up to 4 times a week, body sculpt, TRX, kettle bells etc. I was really happy with my body this time last year as I'd finally got the sculpted body id always wanted. Then, bam! Diagnosed last August and mastectomy/reconstruction , chemo and radio to follow. Finished treatment mid March this year but haven't gone back to gym yet. I've been doing pilates all through treatment and doing it maybe 3-4 times a week but I just don't have the energy to do the classes I used to. Plus I couldn't possibly lift weights I had been lifting with the reconstruction.

I hate that my body has become so sluggish. Though I'm slowly learning not to be so hard on myself, it's still so hard to lose my fitness. Hopefully in a few months I can start the gy again. I'm also on ovarian suppression meds and aromatase inhibitors which gives me bad joint stiffness and pain particularly in my wrists and hips so it's an added bummer! Pilates helps though. I hope you get your fitness back soon. Keep at it! You'll get back to the way you were.

ThePrincess · May 2016

Thanks Abigail - it's funny - today with a personal training session, I began to feel maybe a glimpse of it coming back! I haven't been that happy after a workout since pre-diagnosis! (I finished chemo 9/1 and rads 12/21).

The main problem, is the CONSTANT reminder because my clothes simply do not fit now. It makes it hard to not care so much when I can't even get my clothes ON (I have ONE pair of jeans I broke down and bought in a bigger size) - and all of my shirts are almost too tight

Having a trainer has really helped, I think with being able to work around my arm motion restrictions (STUPID FREAKING CORDING) but I finally feel like today, maybe I'll get there.

Keep up the hard work, check in later and update me on how you're doing, you did just finish, please be gentle with yourself!

labelle · May 2016

So you are about 4 1/2 months post-RADs? It took me a good 6 months before I felt like I had all my strength back, not just for exercise (not ever as active as you) but also in a general way. I felt sluggish for quite awhile-treatment takes a lot out of us, even when you go into it in pretty good shape.

SusanBP · May 2016

Princess, did you continue to work out through treatment

ThePrincess · May 2016

Susan - Yes I did -I tried bootcamp at a slower pace a couple of times, maybe like 4? It was do-able but MAN did it make me tired. I ran the ENTIRE time except the last week of rads and the first week after (skin too sore for jog bra) - My pace dropped from 7:30 min/mil to ELEVEN-TWELVE min/mile - which damn near killed me mentally AND I had to take walk breaks, which NEVER in my life have I done - but I pushed through, hoping that it would make it easier to get back in the groove. I think I was 3-4 miles 3 times a week? I had read a study (it's here somewhere in the studies forum) that mice that ran thru chemo had a much more effective round of treatment - meaning the better oxygenated their cells were, the more effectively the body/blood system was able to deliver the chemo meds into the tumors. The mice that ran and had no chemo even had tumor shrinkage!

Also - my dr explained the tired is from lack of red blood cells/oxygen and that moving during chemo makes you feel better than laying aorund and stressed that I keep exercising to feel better.

Anyone exercise super-hard before BC??

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