So as I have mentioned in another post, my last/4th chemo was 4 April and I am into my third week.My legs feel really heavy most of the time, knees and groin ache when i try stretching them or squatting. My neck feels tired too! I guess these are all side effects of chemo. Hope I am not the only one.Does any of you exercise while doing chemo? Do you find it help? I have gone on walks with the first three cycles but the tiredness built up and the rash I had in my last cycle made me decide to just stay home this last cycle. I have a port in my chest and mastectomy site is still recovering, so feel a bit scared doing more exercise, so it's pretty limited to the lower body. I feel so under-exercised, not that I have always exercise before BC, but certainly feel my joints are unlike before.What did you do to feel stronger for you? I hope these achy feelings go away soon and looking forward to heading out for more exercise soon.

Hi @au0rei, I had 16 rounds of chemo & exercised all way through but I was a big exerciser before I was diagnosed so that helped. After I had mastectomy I was walking & started back at gym about 2 months later. I took some time to heal as had seroma & staph infection. I am having radio now & back to running. It really helped with muscle stiffness & aching as chemo shortens your muscles. Maybe try some gentle yoga or Pilates to start & also you can get a referral through the GP for a care plan to an exercise physiologist who will put you on the right pathway.

Glemmis said: Hi @au0rei, I had 16 rounds of chemo & exercised all way through but I was a big exerciser before I was diagnosed so that helped. After I had mastectomy I was walking & started back at gym about 2 months later. I took some time to heal as had seroma & staph infection. I am having radio now & back to running. It really helped with muscle stiffness & aching as chemo shortens your muscles. Maybe try some gentle yoga or Pilates to start & also you can get a referral through the GP for a care plan to an exercise physiologist who will put you on the right pathway. Oh thanks lovely. I sure think having exercised and having a fitter body to start with is better for chemo. I hardly exercised before BC except for walks with my old dog. Thanks so much, that's what I am going to do, will see a GP for that! Should I only do that after radiotherapy as that is most likely what comes next? xxx

Hi @au0rei, my radiation oncologist told me to keep up the exercise during radio to stretch the muscles across the chest as radio tightens them as well. You could get your care plan now & use it when you feel up to it.

I tried to exercise throughout but didn't do much at all in my last 2 weekly cycles, I had 16 chemo cycles.(ACT-H ) I went to a hydro pool a couple of days a week and even slow walked on a treadmill when I could for at least 10 to 20 mins every second day if unable to get to the pool. My speed got slower and slower...I literally felt like I was walking in cement. And I too had neck aches. I was worried it was from too much resting. ..but I honestly believe it to be chemo mainly.From next week on you will probably start to have more energy back but find you tire quickly. I needed a nap daily. I foubd my walk speed suddenly improved. I still needed reconditioning. ..despite continuing some exercise through treatment. (Nothing like my 6 days week though ) so I started small. Short walks of 10 mins...enough to get your heartrate up. Every few days either try for another 5 minutes or alternatively do it twice a day. I went back to work for 4 hours a day 5 days a week...which was hard. I tried to move around a lot at work and once hours went up walked at lunch time. ..just to improve my fitness.I can now pretty much do a 40 minute workout but find I get tired after and it can last for days. That is what I have to be careful of. Getting that balance right is still hard. But if we don't push ourselves just a bit...we never improve. I still only do 3-4 days of structured exercise as well as work 4 days a week...but I'm getting there, 7 months on.You might find this interesting. I'm using this concept to push my fitness up.http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4319131.htmAn exercise physiologist most definetly will help. Plus there is the YWCA encore program and Redfern Gyms have a program for post bc patients also if there is one in your area.http://www.ywcaencore.org.au/

There is also a booklet through BCNA you can order or download.https://www.bcna.org.au/resources/booklets-and-fact-sheets/#Exerciseandbreastcancer

Achy joints and Exercise During/Post Chemo Treatment

Anonymous
8 years ago
Keeping moving does help and is a bit of a distraction as well. ♥️
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
@au0rei Carly is right, about a physio too. I've never heard them say they purely do Workcover. Mine was through income protection, so AMP organised it and she works with workcover too but alot are also Cancer Patients. Your GP absolutely can organize a care plan to see on. xx M
au0rei
Member
8 years ago

ccasper said:

@au0rei also see your GP first as most of the time you need a clearance to exercise too. Where are you located? Inbox me if need be

Thanks. I am in 3150.
ccasper
Member
8 years ago
@au0rei also see your GP first as most of the time you need a clearance to exercise too. Where are you located? Inbox me if need be
ccasper
Member
8 years ago
@au0rei your GP needs to do the referral and they should be able to search in their database for EP's. If all else fails, you could find a physio that has access to gym equipment or exercise equipment in the clinic. The referral is called an EPC and physio's are included in there too. Good luck!
au0rei
Member
8 years ago
@melclarity @ccasper so I called two exercise physiologists in my suburb today and sadly they only see patients referred by Worksafe and won't see me who's a home-maker lol. May I ask if I should see a GP to get a care plan or do I call up an exercise physiologist who will do a care plan and then get a GP once I found one that does? I am not sure what to come first. xxx
au0rei
Member
8 years ago

ccasper said:

Hi @au0rei

i exercised the whole way through and like others felt the benefits of reduced fatigue and some side effects. I was an exerciser before BC too. I am continuing through rads and am back at the gym. I was an exercise physiologist before I became a teacher and it would be perfect for you.
I have been writing a blog on my experience through chemo. Including exercise. If you wanted to have a look. https://carlysfighttowin.wordpress.com/
Good luck x

Oh thanks @ccasper I will definitely check it out xxx
melclarity
Member
8 years ago
Hey! I think the key is to try and find things that alleviate the symptoms. A kinesiologist I saw last year helped me alot. Now hoping the Exercise Physiologist gets me moving a bit more. There are absolutely alot of women who exercise through Chemo and have coped with it all well. Unfortunately I couldnt walk let alone exercise through it...my body gave up in every possible way which was frustrating and upsetting. Doesn't matter how positive or how much you want to do it...being put in hospital wasnt a choice, it was hard not to beat myself up that I couldnt exercise.

I know we should be thankful...but Chemo has alot to answer for and I don't think they inform you enough of the complexities of it. After 6yrs I am alot wiser and I would do things very differently, but hey at the time we dont have a crystal ball and we do what we believe we should and recommended. I know I'll never be 100% and it has honestly exacerbated my Fibromyalgia....brought it on worse than I ever had it. They say that's normal....ummmm really?? we put on a smile present like we always did, but nobody really gets the ongoing battle of symptoms side effects or pain. Its shit!! no doubt, but how amazing are we all?? we just get on with it because we have to. Hugs Melinda xo
ccasper
Member
8 years ago
Hi @au0rei

i exercised the whole way through and like others felt the benefits of reduced fatigue and some side effects. I was an exerciser before BC too. I am continuing through rads and am back at the gym. I was an exercise physiologist before I became a teacher and it would be perfect for you.
I have been writing a blog on my experience through chemo. Including exercise. If you wanted to have a look. https://carlysfighttowin.wordpress.com/
Good luck x
au0rei
Member
8 years ago

melclarity said:

@au0rei I think everyone has different experiences as we can see. For me, Chemo was incredibly debilitating I was very ill and had to stop working after 6 weeks, was in such severe pain. By the end of it I literally had to learn to walk again.I have constant cramping throughout my body, even walking has taken along time to get back to.

Im 14 months post chemo and have been seeing an Exercise Physiologist since November, she has helped alot, something I learned is Chemo shrinks the sheath across the muscles!! so thats my cramping, and pain all the time. So stretching is helping alot. She said she doesnt work with anyone going through Chemo, as the body is already stretching itself to cope with healing from the treatment. Apart from some light walking she said post is when you can rebuild. This has been really true for me. I'm in alot of pain and mostly due to chemo still, so work in progress. It is further compounded by Arimidex so am hoping if I switch it will help.

MY Oncologist said that everyone is different, some pick up sooner than others, but its not unusual to still be debilitated 1yr plus...hmmm yep thats me...so I do what I can to improve things and praying that it gets better than this, as it SUCKS!!!

Hugs Melinda xo

Hi Mel, I certainly agree chemo affects us all differently seeing my friends, me and on this forum. A friend had 16 rounds of TC and she was generally well and she found radiotherapy worse. For me I found chemo wrecking me more and more with 3rd and 4th rounds, nails are now sore, knees and groin ache, feels like my throat is non-existent, dry eyes, and these two days inner of my wrists and fingers are affected. I also feel weak and easily startled at times. I know I do have a lot to be thankful for and I hope I will recover from these soon. Outwardly I look about the same me with wig and prosthesis on but definitely not 100% me.

i will surely get to a GP to get a careplan and see an exercise physiologist soon.

Said a prayer for you that you will recover from any discomfort. You are a brace lady. Xxx