Exercise during chemotherapy

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Comments

  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
    @Sunshine0206 I'm on a waiting list for an programme run by exercise physiologists. Really looking forward to it.

    Thanks @Mollygirl!
  • Twiggyjumps
    Twiggyjumps Member Posts: 116 ✭
    About 2 weeks after my last chemo - docetaxel, carboplatin & herceptin combo, my muscles across the top of legs and lower back were on fire! They felt like I’d run a marathon with bad strain the next day. I walked and did a bit of push bike riding as well as rode my horses as much as I could during chemo. I feel I have encountered a kind of slight ‘paralysis’. My body is tight and stiff since. I take magnesium, turmeric, glucosamine, vit c, d and calcium. My L5 disc has now herniated and pressing on my sciatic nerve giving me great pain every day. It changes all the time but I’m trying everything and everyone for help. I believe the chemo ‘docetaxel’ especially sent me off into this after all I’ve been through bc now this. But I swim regularly, have therapies, and try not to overdue to much. 

    I am interested to hear how others manage nerve pain and what they do and taje as well as dose and at what times at night/day. 

    Just got to keep tough! Xx 
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
    edited February 2018
    Oh that's no good @Twiggyjumps. @Sunshine0206 reckons an exercise physiologist is the go, have you seen one of those?

    I'm interested as to why you think it's the docetaxal.

    I had shocking sciatic pain with my second pregnancy. You have my sympathy for that alone!

    We do indeed have to hang tough with this bugger of a disease. Hope you come good.
  • Zoffiel
    Zoffiel Member Posts: 3,374 ✭
    Your symptoms are really similar to mine @Twiggyjumps As I've said before, I feel like I'm slowly turning to salt. I'm just on twelve months since my last Docetaxol. Same as you, about two weeks after my last chemo the pain started in earnest and hasn't got much better. Regardless of what I do.

    Swimming, walking, yoga, body balance and massage.
    Tramadol in the mornings, Panadol during the day and 150 mg of Lyrica at night. I'd take the Tramadol all day if the quacks would let me because it does help. But no. Long term I'm restricted to one a day lest I get addicted. Personally I wouldn't care if the bloody aching went away.

    I now find I have developed nasty degenerative changes in Lumbar 4 and that large and small joints are all showing signs of a shit load more damage than was there last year. I'm having tests today to see if I have imflamatory arthritis. You bloody beauty. 
    Could all this be just a coincidence?
  • Twiggyjumps
    Twiggyjumps Member Posts: 116 ✭
    Awww hugs to you. I do believe it’s docetaxel. Or maybe the Herceptin. I finish in April. I kept busy during chemo and now I’m thinking perhaps to much toxicity for my body to break down as well as other acids muscles etc have to deal with during the time. But doing nothing would have been much worse. So perhaps go moderately. Before I get up out of bed I’m icing my L5 lumbar just know. I am going to buy myself a portable ultrasound therapy machine as I found some relief from the physio’s one. So doing ice and heat.
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
    @Twiggyjumps @Zoffiel A TENS machine might help maybe?

    I love Tramadol too. Bloody marvellous. Takes the edge of my emotions too but yeah, the docs don't like handing it out...
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961 ✭
    Jumping into this thread... Does anyone know if exercising helps tolerance in the days immediately after the chemo infusion.  The reason I ask is that fatigue and breathlessness after the port surgery meant that my fitness level plummeted before my first AC. Since day 8, I've been managing 5km every day and I'm hoping this might translate into coping with the chemo better...or am I dreaming?
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092 ✭
    Just a suggestion but please check with oncologist before acting on it as it may conflict with chemo drugs and treatment.I have a a very fit friend with a pinched nerve getting a lot of pain relief with Curcumin which is a refined and concentrated form of Turmeric thus is a strong anti inflammatory.

    Here is a website recommended by BCNA and many members on this blog which is focussed on natural supplements and their impact on cancer treatment including breast cancer.I have found it very detailed but please check with your oncologist too before trying  Curcumin as I note there is cautions about it as well.

    www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/herbal-remedies-and-treatment 

    It is a NY hospital which specialises only in cancer treatment part of which is thoroughly researching natural supplements 
  • Sunshine0206
    Sunshine0206 Member Posts: 146 ✭
    There’s a heap of evidence supporting exercise Physiology. I did have the articles saved. Can’t find now. Will keep searching. I’m so glad you are lined up for a programme. My contact was via the cancer support service (Bloomhill) and the public hospital. X
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092 ✭
    @Sister when I did the Y’s Encore course one of the participants used to come straight after her chemo treatment on the floor above.I remember on at least one occasion she looked shocking but she did it as she maintained it helped her cope with chemo.
  • Sunshine0206
    Sunshine0206 Member Posts: 146 ✭
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5406418/

    this is is a decent article.
  • Romla
    Romla Member Posts: 2,092 ✭
    PS Encore is a hydrotherapy exercise program
  • Sister
    Sister Member Posts: 4,961 ✭
    @romla - They're going to send me out info when the next Encore is on as I'd love to do it.  However, the evening timeslot is going to be an issue for me, I think,
  • jennyss
    jennyss Member Posts: 2,083 ✭
    Dear @Sunshine0206 , Thanks for the link to the interesting article about exercise benefits. I think the mice were doing most of the 'heavy lifting'!

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