Hey pink ladies There seems to be so much contraversy about exercise and cancer I am finding at the moment. Between the media and freinds and family I am a bit bamboozled. Do you exercise or do you rest. I know which one is probably better for you BUT if you find it is just a mammoth task to get out of bed let alone have a shower etc. etc. how are you meant to fight the fatigue to get out there and exercise. What sort of exercise, when, for how long to exercise, when is it good for you, when is it bad, should you just push through the pain and fatigue barriers to get yourself out there and exercise. There is so much guilt already with no working, not earning, not keeping the house in the way it is accustomed to being kept and then on top of it you are made to feel guilty because you can't get out their and exercise. Your thoughts on this would be much appreciated as I am sure I am not the only one going through this dilemma as they go through their treatment. Mich x

You are still having chemo aren't you? Darl,just do what you feel like.We all react differently to chemo and also some days are way worse than other days. When I was having chemo I would try and do one or 2 things around the house and on bad days it was doona time! I have my daughter and her fiance living with us while they build. They are forever going to the gym but I reckon I did a bigger workout for an hour scrubbing their filthy shower/bathroom!! Do a small walk and see how you feel. Only you know what your body feels up to and you will get your energy back a few months after it's all finished.Go easy on yourself. love Tonya xx

When I am feeling OK, I try to go for a short walk (around the block or similar) but at present (2nd chemo was on Monday with mild Low hemoglobing before I began), I am having REALLY BAD fatigue, I am fighting to get out of bed and go to the Loo, so going for a walk is just WAY beyond me, So I am not sweating it, when I start to feel a bit better, I will go for a walk, until then I will rest and relax and sleep/ nap until I am up to doing more. I don;t even have the energy to want to eat (although I am forcing myself), I have decided that if I am still this bad tomorrow I will call my chemo nurses/ breast nurse or oncologist and see what I can do to help it (maybe I need iron suppliments or something to help the low hemoglobin as this HAS to be adding to the post chemo fatigue I get anyway), but until then, rest, rest, rest and I REFUSE to feel guilty about it. IF this is what my body wants, the is what my body will get. Good Luck to you and to finding a balance that is right for YOU. It is so HARD as like you said the information is conflicting and we are ALL so different, we all react differently to our treatments (our chemo meds are different, our bodies are different, our cancers care different, our genetics are different, our pre cancer fitness levels are different and so on and so forth), so I can't see how there can be a one size fits all answer. I say, do what seems right for you - if you go for a short walk - to your mailbox and that is fine, maybe try a little farther. If you get to the end of the street (and remember you have to walk the same distance to get back) and you feel fine, maybe try to go a bit further. I do recommend you carry your mobile phone with you though, so if it is too much you can call someone to pick you up in a car (even if it is form the end of the street or from 2 doors down), My hubby demands that i keep a phone with my if he is not in seeing/ hearing distance from me - JUST IN CASE, so I can call him, if I need assistance (we have walkie talkies for at home <LOL> as he is working in the garage a lot building our 4x4 motorhome. Good luck with find a balance for yourself (I KNOW it is a hard one).

Hi Annie Thank you so much for your greatly appreciated reply. I am so glad there is going to be an information resource on exercise in the future as I am sure, as you say so many people must be asking the same questions. I know it isn't going to assist me right now but if I can asist in helping some others further down the track then I have helped to do a good thing. The more aware we can all become about breast cancer, it's side effects and treatment of them and all the other physical and emotional issues we endure along the way and to also have the knowledge on how to deal with these issues the better for all concerned. Unfortunately I live in a rural area and the closest main centre is 65+ klms away. I did do as you suggested and looked at the directory but unfortunately the only thing available is Womens Health Resource Centre and it is this distance away from me. I have also been invited to join an Encore program through the Cancer Council but again it is this distance away. I so would love to be a part of these things but as I struggle to get out of bed at the moment it is too hard to drive this distance. Unfortunately as I have learnt this is one of the major downfalls in living in the country away from the "big smoke". Thank you for your support and taking the time to reply, much appreciated. I just hope as time goes on this cycle I get more energy to even get out there and do a little bit. Fatigue is probably one of the hardest things I am dealing with besides the loss of my hair and going out in public. Mich xo

TO EXERCISE OR NOT TO EXERCISE | BCNA Online Network

45 Replies

Donna_G
Member
13 years ago
Hi Tonja,

You were the first lady who answered MY STORY blog which I was so grateful for. Now I am trying to get my head around this blog site. Am not very smart on these things. Am certainly computor literate but.....! If I do a message to you does everyone on the site receive it.?? Also what else I am trying to do is get into a group of women who have boney mets or have had lobular carcinoma or any sort of metastisis. Can you or anyone if this goes to everyone help me with this one. I love reading everyone amazing stories of strength and courage and would like to continue doing that as well but for obvious reasons want to tune into the boney mets section to get the stories. Would really appreciate some help. Hope I dont sound too dumb. All this modern technology gets to me sometim es.

Many thanks and have a great day

Donna
TinaG
Member
14 years ago
Good to hear your positive work. I know how hard it is at the beginning of it all but yes i too now walk up & down the hill on my street easily half hour in the morning & half hour at night after dinner make feel better everytimes. Happy excersise to all you pink ladys & enjoy the spring seasons ;-) Love xxx
Mich_x
Member
14 years ago
Hi ladies

I am the one who instigated this exercise blog. Thought I would give you an update of where I am at.

I have finished my chemo (last one 20th June) and I have 13 of 35 radiotherapy sessions to go.

I have had a lot of things to deal with a long the way as we all have. Recently I had chest X-ray and Heart Gait scan done again as because of my very bad shortness of breath, swollen legs and arms and fatigue they thought the chemo may have caused my heart or lungs etc. some damage. Results came back clear so they put it down to the chemo still causing havoc with my body.

I have finally found that in the last couple of weeks only (I am now 8 1/2 weeeks post my last chemo) I am now able to get out there and walk (do some exercise). I am very proud of myself to finally be able to get back out there. It has been a hard slog but I am finally able to walk for more than a few steps and not be puffing like a billy.

I am now walking backwards and forwards to the hospital every day for my radiotherapy and often various other appointments because I now also have lymphodeama in my surgery arm that I can do up to 80 minutes a day without any problems whatsoever.

So my advice is don't be too hard on yourself, the surgeries, healing, chemo, radiotherapy and all the other little bumps in the road on this journey that set us back take its toll and put a barrier up between us and exercise but you will get there eventually and slowly slowly build back up to what feels comfortable for you.

I am looking forward to finishing my radiotherapy and getting back home and hopefully being able to join an exercise group through Encore or Life Now or if that not possible going along to the gym and doing a program that is suitable for me and build up from there. I also plan to walk my dog every day rain or shine as I walk to my appointments now through rain or shine so no excuse when I am back home. It feels good to finally have the drive to want to get back out there but take it at your own pace and you will get there.

Good luck to you all and I will see you out there beating the pavements again one day.

Mich xoxo
TonyaM
Member
14 years ago
It takes ages to get your mojo back so you are wise to just go with the flow.Take a good book to read when you go to Tassie and just pace yourself. You can still have a good time without climbing the mountains so to speak. Hey,you can sip on a nice wine and just look at them! We know what we can and can't do and no one should tell us otherwise.

Tonya xx
TonyaM
Member
14 years ago
It takes ages to get your mojo back so you are wise to just go with the flow.Take a good book to read when you go to Tassie and just pace yourself. You can still have a good time without climbing the mountains so to speak. Hey,you can sip on a nice wine and just look at them! We know what we can and can't do and no one should tell us otherwise.

Tonya xx
Mich_x
Member
14 years ago
Thank you so much Cheryl for your kind words and understanding.

I must admit that I have thought about asking hubby to see if we can get a wheelchair so I can get around more in Tassie while on our holiday but I haven't and we have just had to curtail our decisions of what we go and visit/see etc. taking in to account how much walking is involved.

I am trying to not let this BC and chemo hold me back anymore than I have to but sometimes you just can't fight it. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful understanding hubby who will just go with the flow.

I hope you are travelling well and are able to get out and exercise :-) when and how you want to.

Mich xoxoxo
Mich_x
Member
14 years ago
Thank you so much Cheryl for your kind words and understanding.

I must admit that I have thought about asking hubby to see if we can get a wheelchair so I can get around more in Tassie while on our holiday but I haven't and we have just had to curtail our decisions of what we go and visit/see etc. taking in to account how much walking is involved.

I am trying to not let this BC and chemo hold me back anymore than I have to but sometimes you just can't fight it. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful understanding hubby who will just go with the flow.

I hope you are travelling well and are able to get out and exercise :-) when and how you want to.

Mich xoxoxo
Mich_x
Member
14 years ago
Thank you so much Cheryl for your kind words and understanding.

I must admit that I have thought about asking hubby to see if we can get a wheelchair so I can get around more in Tassie while on our holiday but I haven't and we have just had to curtail our decisions of what we go and visit/see etc. taking in to account how much walking is involved.

I am trying to not let this BC and chemo hold me back anymore than I have to but sometimes you just can't fight it. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful understanding hubby who will just go with the flow.

I hope you are travelling well and are able to get out and exercise :-) when and how you want to.

Mich xoxoxo
Cheryl_D
Member
14 years ago
I feel for you sweetie, Taxotere and Nuelasta combined is the worst.

There is no explaining it's fatigue to anyone who hasn't had it.

I couldn't walk in the end past about 2 metres. Youjust have to lay down and give in to it. I never thought you could be so tired you can't even bloody sleep!

It will surprise you though one day you will move those legs and they will just keep going and it comes as a shock, you areally are used to only about going 10 steps before you feel like a wheelchair, so hang in there it wont be long now and I wish you all the best,

Cheryl
Cheryl_D
Member
14 years ago
I feel for you sweetie, Taxotere and Nuelasta combined is the worst.

There is no explaining it's fatigue to anyone who hasn't had it.

I couldn't walk in the end past about 2 metres. Youjust have to lay down and give in to it. I never thought you could be so tired you can't even bloody sleep!

It will surprise you though one day you will move those legs and they will just keep going and it comes as a shock, you areally are used to only about going 10 steps before you feel like a wheelchair, so hang in there it wont be long now and I wish you all the best,

Cheryl

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