Will my cardio stamina ever come back?

I'm curious about this too...I'm 18 months from chemo, and even light exercise (squats, lunges, plank) still makes my muscles sore to the touch for days. Stamina is still diminished, as well. I wonder how much the anti-hormonal contributes to this... It can't be the chemo this far out, right? Ugh.

I had serious anemia by the end. I could barely get from my car to my house with a bag of groceries without becoming breathless, winded and swoon-y.

My "bounce back" took about 8 weeks to feel normal-ish, eg not panting from a one block walk, and another 8 weeks to feel actually quite normal. The first time I did my old routine and felt the same energy level as I did before cancer was about 5 months after final chemo (4 months after surgery, and roughly 2 months after rads).

One thing that really helped me bounce back was Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment. It pushes oxygen into the cells and you get a boost. It helps your bone marrow ramp up and it helps tissue healing from rads.

PS: still sleeping more than I used to sleep though! Right now I am ~7.5 mos post final chemo.

I had my last taxol (after 4 Acs) last wednesday and I was wondering the same thing. I was so energized the 2 days after my last chemo- a combo of being so happy to get it done and a TON of steroids. Now I'm so fatigued again I can't imagine going to the gym I'm exhausted just with part time work, getting ready in the morning, doing minimal housework. And I'm very eager to exercise since as that will be a big part of trying to ward off recurrence as someone with Triple negative. And at my down moments I also wonder if I already have heart damage from the AC. I think its also an emotional rollercoaster...

Before diagnosis I was running 30 minutes at a fast pace several times a week at the gym, along with other exercise. Now I can only run 2 minutes in a row without needing to stop and walk. and that's on my best days (for example on my steroid day last week). I know I will work up to it again and trying to take it day be day. My big physical challenge today is needing to go shopping for a suit for my teen daughter, for debate camp. Which will probably be more grueling than the gym..

Hi bam320,

I am one month past chemo, still feel a lot of fatigue. I was never an exercise/gym person, but active in maintaining our property, 4 dogs, watching my grandson and active in a public ministry. Always seemed to have enough energy. Not anymore. My muscles hurt all the time. I think it’s chemo residual and maybe even radiation SE. Inthe middle of radiation, about half way done.

So ready to feel good again and some hair would be nice too. I know I expect too much from just a short time, but the muscles aches are discouraging.

I am a little over a year out of TCHP and six months out of Herceptin. At every appointment they ask how I'm doing. I always answer with "I just want my stamina!" I worked out, and worked, all through chemo, lumpectomies and rads. Some days the stamina is there, some days it isn't. I've really learned to go with the flow and cut myself some slack. My oncologist says a year after last treatment I should expect to be at 90%. So that will in be January of 2020. When I put that into perspective, I'm doing pretty good.

BTW, after my 6th TCHP, I figured the next day I would be done with it, over the side effects. Like the last five chemos hadn't stacked on top of each other. Yeah, right. It took a while. Just keep plugging along and pretty soon you are saying you are a little over a year out.

Bam320, Maybe you could try yoga or something calmer while you wait for your energy to return. And make sure you're doing the exercises to prevent lymphedema. Take good care of yourself, good luck!