Forum Discussion
Exercise / Healthy Diet after BC
Hello all, I have been on the site more lately, you all help when things get you down. Just read Stop the Bullshit and it made me put this in writing. We all have been told (a lot) that studies show...
While I was going through chemo a 'friend' of mine actually said to me that I was the perfect example of what women shouldn't do and it was no wonder I got breast cancer at aged 47. After being a sports mad super fit teen and young adult, I became obese. I had an atrocious diet and there was a definite period of time in my life when I probably had too many wines a week. It wasn't something particularly helpful for a friend to say, but not for one minute did I really believe that it was the absolute reason for my diagnosis.
My husband's step mother was 43 when she was diagnosed with the same type HER2+ grade 3 breast cancer as I had. She was a triathlete, was super healthy and she still got it. Unfortunately she died at 48, which is the same age as I am now. Even though she had bumped her healthy eating and exercise into overdrive after her initial diagnosis she still got a recurrence which spread.
I have now lost 30 kgs since treatment ended. To be honest I didn't do that to prevent recurrence, I did it because my arthritis and joint pain were affecting my quality of life. I am no longer worrying all that much about recurrence because secretly deep down I think I will get it again. This is not pessimistic thinking, rather a view based on the overall risk relevant to my particular circumstances. Obviously I am hoping that if it does recur it will be in 15 years rather than 2 years, but my new normal is certainly leaning towards living life today rather than waiting for tomorrow. I must admit it wasn't easy to get to this headspace, my husband and I had lots of discussions about priorities, but at the moment, that's where I am at and it's kind of liberating.
Although, now that I think about it, maybe @primek Kath is on to something. After all I did get my first white hair at 42....... ;)
My husband's step mother was 43 when she was diagnosed with the same type HER2+ grade 3 breast cancer as I had. She was a triathlete, was super healthy and she still got it. Unfortunately she died at 48, which is the same age as I am now. Even though she had bumped her healthy eating and exercise into overdrive after her initial diagnosis she still got a recurrence which spread.
I have now lost 30 kgs since treatment ended. To be honest I didn't do that to prevent recurrence, I did it because my arthritis and joint pain were affecting my quality of life. I am no longer worrying all that much about recurrence because secretly deep down I think I will get it again. This is not pessimistic thinking, rather a view based on the overall risk relevant to my particular circumstances. Obviously I am hoping that if it does recur it will be in 15 years rather than 2 years, but my new normal is certainly leaning towards living life today rather than waiting for tomorrow. I must admit it wasn't easy to get to this headspace, my husband and I had lots of discussions about priorities, but at the moment, that's where I am at and it's kind of liberating.
Although, now that I think about it, maybe @primek Kath is on to something. After all I did get my first white hair at 42....... ;)