Running through chemotherapy

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  • alaskamama
    alaskamama Member Posts: 91
    edited October 2014

    I started this thread because I did, to some extent, manage to stay active through dose-dense AC + T. But as others have found and advised, it was up and down, and I tried to find a balance between pushing myself and listening to my body. 

    In the end, I may have overdone it. Perhaps not during chemo, but I think I failed to give cancer treatment its due; I was so fixed on "mind over matter" and staying fit. Chemo was my first treatment step (before surgery to try to shrink my tumors in hopes of getting clean margins), and I think I got a little cocky about surviving it with relative ease. But surgery kicked my butt -- I didn't really understand til later that it was a modified radical mastectomy. They removed the fascia from my chest wall because the cancer went all the way down, and 22 lymph nodes. I started letrozole before radiation because my med onc wanted to be aggressive, and many of you know letrozole (femara) is tough. Then radiation ... my car died and my partner had to leave town and I kept pushing my way through it, thinking chemo was supposed to be the hardest part and I was almost done with treatment and it was time to ramp up. Yes, ramp up. I was trying to get back in shape before I'd even finished radiation. Dumb.

    With five radiation treatments left, I was hospitalized with severe chest pain that turned out to be pericarditis (inflammation of the heart sac). I spent the better part of a month in the hospital, had to have my heart sac surgically drained, and I am still dealing with the after-effects as I am stuck now on several drugs to control the pericarditis. The med onc and rad onc kind of pointed fingers at each other and the truth is no one knows what caused it, but I doubt cardiotoxic chemo OR radiation helped! 

    I'm sharing this as a cautionary tale. I was a big proponent of pushing oneself, and I pooh-poohed my docs when they told me to take it easy. In the end, I think I should have been more patient. Now, almost a year from my mastectomy, I am doing more strength work, walking and hiking than running.

    Listen to your body. Remember that you can always rebuild. As one of my doctors told me, trying to impress upon me the intensity of my treatment, "You had a nuclear bomb go off in your lap." Our treatments all differ, and our bodies all differ. Best wishes to all and be good to yourselves! 

  • Blondb3
    Blondb3 Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2015

    Just wanted to post an update! I started with a/c chemo (the Red Devil) and felt like death warmed up on a daily basis. I was lucky to make it to the bathroom, forget running. But then I switched to weekly Taxol and started to feel human again. A few months into Taxol, I was able to start walking, then jogging again, and actually finished a half marathon while still going through chemo. I just wanted to let anyone who is going through it know that you may feel horrible and running may be the furthest thing from your mind right now but you WILL get back to running, however long it takes. The chemo was bad, but the good thing about being young and healthy (you know, except for the cancer, LOL) was that I bounced back very quickly. You'll get there too!

  • Suzanne50
    Suzanne50 Member Posts: 280
    edited September 2015

    Running throughout this whole breast cancer nightmare has kept me sane. I got in to the NYC marathon by lottery in March. In May I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. I had two surgeries and was cleared to start running again July 22nd. Since then I have not missed one training run and have even run throughout my chemo. It hasn't always been easy but luckily, my side effects have been minimal. My toughest run is my long run after chemo. I struggle with it but have managed to get through them. Afterwards I am wiped out. The next two weeks are much better and then I start over again. I have one more chemo to go in early Oct and the marathon is Nov. 1st. I am determined to finish my training and finish the race. I think all this running has helped me feel better throughout this ordeal....getting those toxins out faster and just helping my overall mental well being.

  • KelleyZ
    KelleyZ Member Posts: 2
    edited November 2016

    thank you for your post. I just started chemo and tomorrow will have my 2nd round. Trying to figure out how hard to push myself. This helps a lot. Thank you

  • StefTri
    StefTri Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2017

    Suzanne50 - how did your marathon go? I was was recently diagnosed and start TC chemo tomorrow. I have a marathon scheduled for Septemer and wondering how this is going to go. I am also cold capping. We're you doing that as well? Just wondering how the heat may affect it

  • InLACA
    InLACA Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2018

    greetings.






    I am interested in learning about your experience with exercise during chemo. I had my surgery about a month ago and am starting chemo this week. I am a road biker and have a spin bike as well and im trying to figure out what realistic expectations are. I would appreciate youre insight
  • ChasSuz
    ChasSuz Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2018

    I'd love to get this thread going again too. I got my first infusion of AC yesterday and am hoping for my favorite half marathon in January. I'll do dose dense AC for 8 weeks then 12 weekly Taxol. Should finish the week of Christmas, hope it's not postponed for that. It would be so great to finish before the New Year.

    I had surgery on June 25 and was able to walk about 6-7 days later. Was cleared to run 6 weeks later, then got port placed and did NOT realize they would tell me not to run for a week or 2. This was 6 days after I was just cleared to start again. I cried! First tears during a medical appointment. I'm hoping to be able to run at least a couple of days per treatment round.

    What are you guys able to do, and how did the racers do?

    Run happy sisters!

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