Post Chemo Spa & Shape Up

Hello! Well, in spite of my residual head cold I started my exercise regimen yesterday. I did weight training on lower body and a mile on the treadmill. Today I will do upper body weight training and a mile. I am really, really watching what I eat.

At least it's a step in the right direction!

Forward on, girls!

Jo

Belindajo - I just looked at the chart and you are one beautiful bald woman!!!

MizSissy,

Thanks for pointing that out about my PM selecton. I had the wrong box checked! I wondered why I wasn't getting any PMs lately. It is been fixed so I can now receive them.

I am a little nervous about being on the chart! ha. Sounds crazy...I really just need to firm up. I am happy with my weight, just need to get rid of some flab. I joined Jenny Craig two months before I was diagnosed and lost 20lbs. When the onc said I could gain weight during chemo I was extra careful not to overeat! Easier said than done, let me tell ya! 120lbs currently, 5'6". Happy with that.

Jo, and yes you are simply gorgeous! I am 3 months post last Taxol and am not wearing wigs any longer. I actually got a compliment last night on my "hair cut" heh. So hang in there - in a couple months you can take that hot wig off (if you want to, of course). Some ladies feel comfortable wearing it longer, but with that pretty face, you will look stunning with the short short hair!

xoxo
Raye

Hi MizSissy,

Great job on the run! It does feel wonderful to get outside again!!

I finished chemo on 12/29. I plan on running every night after work on the trail or at the gym (I need to rejoin, I am on a medical leave of absence), doing pilates and some weight training, since I am now menopausal from the chemo!

I cannot get a photo to paste. Just imagine a brunette with very very short hair .

Raye

I ran/walked for an hour yesterday.

Not a pretty sight.

I have a slight head cold so I am using that as my excuse.

How is everyone else doing?

Hi, yes, it is the Arimidex. If you go to Breast Camcer Organization's website, you can see their report on the side effects of AIs, hair loss being among them. Many women lose their eyelashes several times on the AIs as well.

Because I'd just had a mastectomy and was going thru rads, my oncologist let me stop taking Arimidex. I will be restarting shortly and my oncologist is hoping I will not lose my hair again. She thought that perhaps starting Arimidex one week after dose dense chemo ended was too soon to let those damaged follicles recover.

I have been using two great products by Jan Marini, one for eyelashes, and one for hair growth. My hair is super fine but I just had a haircut yesterday - I have about 2 inches, and it is very thick, although like baby hair. I swear it is the Jan Marini product. I intend to keep using it when I resume the Arimidex, and hope this will make a difference.

Since I was diagnosed as stage 3, grade 3, 7 cc, I don't dare not take it. I'm also not going to color my hair again until I see if it starts to thin again.

I don't know if Arimidex affects hair growth, all I know is it can cause hair loss and hair thining. I think hair growth can be very stunted following chemo in many woman, and that it can take months before it really starts growing again.

I'm not looking forward to the other side effects, such as neuropathy and joint pain, but at least there are supplements that I can take for that.

You might want to give than Jan Marini product a try. Also, some women swear by Biotin for thinning hair, as well as Nioxin shampoo. I may start that Biotin, a supplement, as well when I resume Arimidex, just as insurance!

Take care and good luck. It seems so unfair that we have to go through hell during treatment, and then have so many problems with these medications to prevent recurrence. I wonder if I will ever feel the same sometimes, but it beats having BC again.

Valerie R

I have been trying to exercise for 3 hours per week (based on all of the studies). I have been doing pretty good but have not lost any weight yet. I think I am firming up because I hadn't done anything for a while after the bi-lateral. I am very hungry all of a sudden. Don't know if it's the Tamoxifen kicking in (I've been on it for 3 months) or if it's my body healing? Maybe it's all the exercise and I am boosting my metabolism (I can hope!).

I too was upset to hear about Elizabeth Edwards, but it just made me more determined to do everything within my power to help myself, which includes exercising a minimum of 3 hours per week.

Carol

Hi MizSissy,

I went for a run (well a walk/run on Monday) - 3 miles, but I was only able to run about 1 mile. It's so hard now.

I agree with the calories. I try and stay between 1200-1500 to maintain weight, 1200 or less to lose. It works for me, even with no exercise. But sometimes I get very hungry.

Raye

Mizsissy,
Now that my boys (11 and 8) are into baseball season, I work out whenever I can. Sometimes it's 2 or 3 nights in a row for 30 - 45 minutes, other times it's an hour 3 times per week. I just try to squeeze it in whenever I can. I am mixing up walking on the treadmill with strength training 2X per week. Last night I got home from baseball practice at 8:00 and did 30 minutes on the treadmill and 30 minutes of weights.

Carol

I agree with you about the alcohol Mizsissy!

I think I drank a bottle of wine when I went to the local pizza place with a girlfriend on Friday. (To our credit we did have the spinach salad and flatbread with goat cheese)

I went for a run on Friday; the weather was beautiful. Unfortunately the hills were tortuous and they seem to have irritated my right knee patellofemoral tracking problems. You'd think that as a PT I would be able to avoid injury. If the way the injury occured weren't so absolutely glorious then I think it would depress me. So I am stuck walking until I can get the thing quieted down again.

How is everyone else doing with theire weight and fitnes goals?