Exercise
Hendrix
Member Posts: 324 ✭
Good evening ladies...those on Letrozole or other meds that cause muscle and joint pain. What exercise have you found helps. Thank you xx
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Nothing seems to work for me, either exercising or not. Some days the pain is really bad, other days less so. I hope you find something that works for you. K xox0
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I find exercise works to stretch things out but it's not a long term thing for me. As soon as I'm sitting down, the joints will seize up again (seem to be having problems with soft tissue now as well). But I walk and paddleboard when I can. Any exercise in water is good.2
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@Hendrix I have been on Letrozole since 8/17.
I have found walking daily for an hour sometimes two a big help.It was hard initially as I was not an exerciser and where I live is not flat. I also woke up stiff like I was 90 every morning and did have bone/ joint pain for a few months whilst walking but found I could walk thru it.I walked as I was terrified by what I had read about hormone therapy but knew I had to take it.I would say after a few months my bone/ joint issues eased considerably and am coping ok with Letrozole now.
I also found a local gentle stretch and balance class designed for older people twice per week very helpful.My medical oncologist also suggested Krill oil for joint pain which have taken daily since the start but no idea if it’s helped but unwilling to stop it.In additionprioir to breast cancer I was osteoporotic and had had a fracture.Letrozole thins bones so I also started 6 monthly Prolia injections.
Please be aware I did not have chemotherapy which I believe creates further bone issues.I say this as it may take longer for your body to adapt to Letrozole if you have had chemo. I am also 65 and had already been through menopause.
Re walking .I don’t like silence so walk listening to music on my phone.I find walking gives me thinking time and with the music I forget I am exercising.I believe walking helps with my mood and also sleeping.
Re Letrozole imo not all brands of generic Letrozole react the same on my body.I switched to a Chemist King brand for 3 months as was $12 cheaper and found myself feeling quite low.I switched to Sandoz brand from Chemist Warehouse and things are noticeable better.I had read the difference between brands is the coatings /fillers and from my point of view I believe there is something to this.There is much chat about it online.
Finally I think exercise of any kind is important for our health mentally , emotionally and physically..I think I have proven that to myself.
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Any exercise is good @Hendrix whether it be going for a walk , swimming or gym workout etc. You just have to find what works for you. For me going to the gym/pilates at least 3 times a week keeps me moving. It is unfortunately only a short term fix in the mobility stakes because as @Sister said once i stop and sit down everything seizes up again. Now that the weather is turning cooler I'm finding that my body is seizing up more in the morning so that means i need to do my stretching/massage ball routine everyday not just as a warm up for gym. If your body has tendencies towards osteoporosis weight bearing activities are good and you can do a lot of those at home with hand weights. I just find I'm more likely to do it if i get out of home and go to the gym. Pilates is also good for weight bearing, mat or reformer. There might be a studio or physio near you that run classes. Pairing pilates and gym work together has been really good for me because they compliment each other in so many ways. I thought because i was gym fit going back to pilates would be a piece of cake...well i proved myself wrong there! I think i would be in a worse place movement wise if i didn't go to the gym. Think about what you would enjoy doing or what you would like to try out.4
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From my experience I would say like @Sister, any movement seems to help at the time but those effects wear off quickly if you sit down for a while. I find a walk first thing in the morning helps and then just generally keeping moving throughout the day as much as possible.
I also think a strengthening program of resistance and weights can help to support your joints. This definitely reduces pain. Keeping as flexible as possible with stretches/yoga type of exercise is also very beneficial.
Letrozole seemed to cause swelling and therefore joint stiffness for me. I think movement can help to reduce the swelling making you more comfortable but it needs to be consistent. It can be a bit of a vicious circle if the pain stops you moving which I had a lot of in the last 6 months.
@Romla exercise is so important for general, emotional and mental health as you say. When I can’t do it my quality of life suffers. I am enjoying being fully active again at the moment and am the most content I have been in my whole (almost) 6 years since diagnosis. The key is to find exercise that you enjoy.
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Agreed @Deanne - keep moving every day and find an exercise you enjoy.I wanted one that was easiest to fit in my day - uncomplicated , close to home and not expensive.My choice just takes time.I also add to formal walks by taking any opportunities to walk a bit more eg not looking for close car parks at the shops , etc.Plus the inevitable household chores - it all helps.
PS For a treat the YWCA in all states bar Victoria runs a free 8 week hydrotherapy course called Encore
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@Hendrix
I think you said you are Victoria based. If so, please make an enquiry about the Exmed program
https://www.exmedcancer.org.au/
It's free and it is tailored to the individual and it will help to get you going again - ring and make an enquiry to see if there's one near you and what you need to do to apply
Walking is the best in my view, some days you may feel you can only do from here to the gate and others around the block but it helps with the physical and emotional wellbeing - even if you park the car at further distance away from usual when shopping or appointments, it all helps!
Take care and best wishes as you get yourself going again
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Like the others, I can get my body moving, but I do seize up when I stop and my GP is cautiously suggesting some of the ongoing issues are fibromyalgia.
I walk about 6 km a day and try to go to at least two group exercise class a week. Deep water aqua aerobics is good, yoga is good and a Les Mills program, body balance, is excellent. It all costs and I really can't afford it, but I know I don't have the discipline to do this stuff on my own, so the $20 a week gets cut out of anywhere i can manage it2 -
Same over here.
While I'm moving, all is good. If I sit for too long, which means about half an hour. everything locks up then clicks and crunches when I move again.
The amount of times I have gone ass up trying to get out of bed in the middle of the night quickly for a loo run is ridiculous. You think I would have learned by now.
I don't do any structured exercise but do a lot of incidental exercise, I average 12000 steps a day at work and goodness knows how many working around the farm probably double that. A lot of it is weight bearing, lugging hay, feed,the fence repair tool box weighs about 20kgs I reckon. At the moment I am digging a trench to run about 30m of ag pipe for a new trough.
I've been paying for that for the last few nights though.
Since chemo I have found my aerobic fitness is shot to bits and muscles just don't repair like they used to. I seem to get sore quickly if I do anything slightly out of the norm. I did a short walk the other day to a look out, it was a little steep but not very and was only about 600m long. I felt like I had been on the step machine for hours the next day, yet I can easily walk the entire property at a good pace several times over but it is quite flat.
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For those of us in Victoria, here's a chance to try out some physical activity for free in the month of April courtesy of the State Government. Have a look here :https://www.activeapril.vic.gov.au/0
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I am reasonably active during the day but really notice it later in the evening, as I am about to get up to go to bed! I then wobble around like a geriatric!!
Any exercise (if you can) is beneficial to you (keeping the joints 'oiled') so if you can, do what you can.
Well done, @kezmusc !!
Take care & don't over do it! xxx4 -
@Artferret yes I was thinking of Pilates 😊0
