Exercise during radiation treatment?

I was able to exercise (walking, treadmill, and rowing machine) for 4 of my 6.5 weeks. At that point my radiated skin was getting a bit sensitive and I was becoming fatigued, so I only walked and used a low treadmill for a few weeks. In week 6 the flesh itself hurt, so I was careful. This continued for a couple of weeks after treatment.

A couple of things to think about: Sweating a lot, and having fabric rub the radiated area, may be uncomfortable and irritating. Also, radiation increases the risk of lymphedema. You didn't have nodes out, which helps, but if it were me, I'd avoid free or circuit weights or other activities that put stress on the lymph system during radiation. Just my 2 cents.

I can't help on the sports bra issue since I had BMX without reconstruction. However, many of my shirts felt to scratchy, for what it's worth.

If you're going to be in the US or GB for radiation, you might want to see if there are BCO-related groups or people nearby. There might be some new friends close at hand, For example, if you search the threads here, you'll find an active Tampa, Florida group.

I treated rads like a burn from day 1. The minute I got back to my car after treatment I put a cool wash cloth in my bra over the radiated area. As I had a bit of a drive home I changed the cloth a couple of times along the way. A few hours later I put on the cream. After 30 rounds my skin was only slightly pink and I had one little blister in the crease where my arm joined my body. I had a MX, I'm sure that made it easier, as some other women being treated at the same time were having problems where skin rubbed against skin, such as under the breast.

Exercise is good for you during this time, you might just need to adjust what you usually do as treatment progresses. I'm sure it helped me avoid the fatigue often associated with rads. Good luck.

No you're not overly optimistic--just smart. With hearty approval and exhortation from my surgeon and radiation oncologist, I continued to exercise regularly and vigorously throughout treatment, just as before diagnosis. In fact, my rad onc urges her patients to start exercising while receiving rads if they are couch potatoes.

A regular bra is fine (no underwires), but a sports bra is binding and is likely to chafe already irritated skin--especially at folds and by the sent. node incision. My rad onc suggests using pure (kitchen) cornstarch on the treated area, especially at the crease below the breast, to reduce irritation from rubbing, (You can see her recommendations here on bco in the section about getting through radiation.)

No, my breast didn't hurt--just "itched" sometimes--don't scratch! At home, you can also minimize further aggravation of the breast tissue by doing a few simple techniques: going braless when at home; facing away from the showerhead to avoid pelting the treated (traumatized) breast area with water; avoiding temperature extremes--no really hot showers,no icing,

Hope this helps.

Definitely not to optimistic.  I was a regular and aggressive exerciser when I received my diagnosis in August of 2016.  I had 6 treatments, 3 weeks apart, of chemotherapy, consisting of taxotere, cytoxan and adriamycin, and was very ill during the first week after treatment.  By the third week after my first three treatments I was back on my treadmill walking and even jogging. Unfortunately after my 4th treatment I developed an upper respiratory infection that eventually went into bilateral viral pneumonia with a fungal infection in my lungs.  I was hospitalized for 12 days.  I started radiation on March 10, 2017.  Even with that, I have begun exercising again while I am receiving my radiation.  While I am not at the level I would like, I incline my treadmill while walking to increase intensity and for strength training I use an exercise ball to assist with my abs, squats and arm exercises.  I wear exercise tops with the built in bra and have not had any real discomfort.  I have had 15 of my 33 treatments.  I am determined to come out of this as healthy as possible as I am sure you are as well.  Wishing you the best.