Advocating for Exercise in Breast Cancer Groups
i just wanted to raise some awareness on an issue that has been bugging me and say something here. i have stopped participating in cancer groups because even though groups like this called "get active and keep well", the general fear and disapproval from other members is if someone starts exercising "more" than the generally accepted idea of what exercise is. anything more than that idea is frowned upon, and people have made me feel so angry and sad for sharing something that i am proud of and something that empowers me. with this group and other ones for breast cancer, after i share information about doing some exercise and training after my surgery and after chemo, i have had comments that really shot me down and basically either flat out said that i need "a reality check", or alluding to the fact that the best thing that i can do right now is rest, NOT exercise, and some had attacked me saying that i am putting myself up to put her down (!!). some saying "i wouldnt do that if i were you". well guess what... they are not me. and i am not them. most of these types of comments i have found came from people who have not had the same powerlifting training as me. or from people who did not have an athletic or regular exercise routine at all prior to diagnosis. and these comments have not only hurt me, but made me feel angry and frustrated with the very little emotional energy i already do not have. what i decide to do with my cancer experience is safe FOR ME. for example, women, let alone cancer survivors are fearful of anything to do with strength training. i will not go into the reasons for this and i will not go into the enormous benefits for strength training for women. but i'll give you an example. yesterday i went to the gym and felt great for it. amongst other things, i did 50kgs deadlift. now, if my best deadlift prior to diagnosis was 3 reps, 3 sets of 80kg deadlift prior to diagnosis, and i lifted 50kgs (3x2) nearly 2 months since recovering well from surgery with full range of motion, and 11 days after chemo, and assessing myself as i go, feeling fine and not really even puffed out, and not even sore the next 2 days, to me that means that it is safe for ME to do this. if i felt not ok before, during or after doing a 50kg deadlift 10 days after chemo i would stop. why would i stop doing something that is manageable? for me manageable means something different than the next person who has had recovered from breast cancer surgery and 11 days out of the first chemo session. i trained nearly for around 9 months prior to diagnosis. 50kg deadlift would be a different story to a competitive powerlifter who can lift triple digits in kgs, and would be different again to someone who only did walking as exercise prior to diagnosis. why are other people not to be trusted to their own intuitions and experience in something they already know? do we need to tell someone how to live their life? not usually. so why tell someone how to go through their cancer journey? i have my surgeon and oncologist's approval and support for powerlifting before, during and after chemo, and i have the utter wonderful and strong support from the fitness community groups. why must i be told like an idiot that i am doing the wrong thing for my body? why tell me that i am not doing what i should be doing? with all the new realisations in the medical field that building stamina, strength and muscle can help to improve the lives of people with cancer even during treatment, and that these increases in fitness and muscle can trigger lots of previously unknown properties for the body to heal itself, generate more energy and stamina to better handle treatment, why is that exercise and strength training is so frowned upon by the standards of 30 years ago? maybe we do not have that much information on the subject but at least what we do know 100% for sure is that even if you don't have cancer, and you did no exercise, and no resistance training, that your body will function very very differently than someone who does regular cardiovascular as well as strength training. you add muscle bone and energy killing chemotherapy on top of someone who doesn't exercise for months at a time, and you get far greater levels fatigue, far greater loss of strength and more difficulty regaining strength after treatment (and guess what helps combat loss of bone density, muscle mass and loss of energy? -strength training). i know that before my diagnosis if i do not exercise for 2 weeks i loose strength and stamina, i feel more fatigued and my lupus will take over and i will be more prone to simply staying in bed. why do people like myself, other fitness pursuing women and athletes who had been diagnosed with breast cancer have to feel like we cannot be supported in a group like this and other groups that advocates exercise? i want to feel like people respect my decisions to do what i need and what i want with my life, especially because i feel ok and great after what i do in terms of exercise. and i want to say to other women here who do exercise/athletic pursues, PLEASE share what you do for exercise! because the community needs to know that if someone knows their body, got doctors approval, and does exercise that makes them feel great not just physically, but mentally and that empowers them, that they should be celebrated! that they should be allowed to say and share and be proud of what they did especially whist going through cancer! you need to share your experience until it is normalised in our society. i have been made to feel so angry and ashamed because i went back to the gym when i felt ok to, during MY cancer experience, and i do not want that for anyone else. i am excited to share this with you as a last note in a couple of links. thanks for those who read and are willing to understand. https://soundcloud.com/abcnsw/resistance-training-benefits-breast-cancer-survivors http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4459555.htm <-- ABC catalyst documentary (chemo and exercise) http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067579 <-- the exercise cancer killer cells research https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Julie_Gehl/publication/294870149_Voluntary_Running_Suppresses_Tumor_Growth_through_Epinephrine-_and_IL-6-Dependent_NK_Cell_Mobilization_and_Redistribution/links/56e954d408aecf036b315403.pdf <-- how killer cells work on tumors 2016 research
Good and bad news
It has been 3 years since I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, this week I had my annual check up my mammogram, ultra sound and a bone scan are normal I have been on Tamoxifen as well minimal side effects Bad news 3 surgeons have advised me to I need a major spinal and knee operations with in 3 months, I am of the opinion the cure is worse then the problem maybe non surgical treatments are the way to go time will tell Regards Stork
Cramps 😩😩
Hi ladies. Well l have come through my surgery well. The pain was actually minimal and l am down to only one drain left. But the most difficult thing has been aching legs. Actually only my right leg and last night the cramps were horrible. I have never had such bad cramps. They were on my thigh and when l tried to stretch it would cramp in my calf. Has anyone else had this or have any suggestions. Fancy having major surgery and then having cramps bring me to tears.
Swelling in the reconstructed breast
Hi all, this is my first post. September 2017 I was diagnosed with 6cm tumour with node involvement - not visible on ultrasound or mammogram. May 2018 I had a skin sparing mastectomy ‘L’ breast with a spacer. In July 2018 I had the reconstruction done. Since then I have been just getting on with life. This included taking up running which of course gave me weight loss to the point where my implant was quite visibly outlined. And I was happy with that. However, a month ago I noticed swelling of the reconstructed breast. I thought nothing of it. However, yesterday I noticed it was quite noticeably enlarged. Has anyone else ever had this before? Thanks Sonja
Memories
Yesterday I had major abdominal surgery in the same operating theatre where I had my lumpectomy on 12 November 2015. The experience brought back all sorts of memories of that time. I still find it strange I am tackling a whole new disease now just 3 years later. Breast cancer has been overtaken by Achalasia. Surprisingly, despite surgery, chemo, radiation and targeted therapy Breast Cancer seems to have had less of an impact on my life or maybe I am not remembering all that bad stuff. Still, I am extremely lucky. October mammogram was clear and while I'll never be cured of Achalasia, I have a new stomach and am slowly learning to swallow fluids again. Catching Achalasia early also improves my long term chances of keeping my oesophagus. I caught my breast cancer early too. So that's two for two now. Awareness matters. Eight more weeks of soft food and then hopefully I'll be able to eat solid food again. Hope everyone is well as can be and wishing you all the best for the holiday season. Nadine
Apparently ok to tell someone incorrectly they have stage IV cancer
Got the decision back from my complaint regarding my previous surgeon. For those of you that don’t know my previous surgeon told me the day after my mastectomy, and before receiving pathology results that I had stage IV cancer and was in the fight of my life (his exact words). I was sent away as a blubbering mess with a blubbering husband at my side for a CT scan which turned out to be clear along with the lymph nodes. I complained to the health commission as I thought this was totally unprofessional and caused so much stress to myself and hubby - what would of happened if one or both of us had decided to harm ourselves after this incorrect diagnosis!! Apparently him telling me this based on a pathology report (after partial mastectomy) that said lymphovascular invasion and swollen lymph nodes at the time of mastectomy (which can also be caused by inflammation and I had recently had 2 other surgeries) means it was ok for him to tell me this. They say him recommending for me to see an oncologist for chemo and radiation was fine. They seem to be missing the whole point of the incorrect grading prior to pathology results. Wait until you get confirmation. I wasn’t going to be starting chemo or radiation the next day so keep your mouth shut. I’ll never forget the horrified look on the nurses face when he told me this. I’ll also never forget that after that news was the first time I got on the forum - blubbering away whilst writing posts and getting support from you lovelies. I have sent sent his response to my oncologist for her review as she was confused by his referral letter which was still talking about stage 4 cancer, she had to request the slides so her pathologist could review them as the referral letter didn’t make sense. I’m also seeing my new surgeon in a couple of weeks and will get her thoughts. Im definitely going to be providing feedback to the commission and asking for a possible review!! Sorry for the early morning rant everyone. Tossed and turned all night thinking about this.
Nothing worked
I have spent the last two days in hospital with a blockage in the upper bowel which is in turn causing me severe leg muscle pain. Movicol, senna, coloxyl, enemas, nulax, dulose, osmolax, all on top of a hi fibre diet. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Morphine, endone, tramadol for pain. Nothing works for that either. They are doing the mastectomy on Tuesday regardless of whether I have managed to get things working or not. I am very tired and over it, crying at the littlest things. I have tried exercise even though my legs are weak and have given under me a couple times. Also tried heat packs. Water consumption is approximately four litres a day. I will seriously try anything.Sports Bra for runner
I am currently 10 days post bilateral mastectomy with immediate skin and nipple sparing implant reconstruction. I am also a keen runner who usually runs 70-80km a week. I now have a lovely set of 12D breasts and I am wanting to get a few super supportive sports bras ready for when I can return to training in 5wks. I also have a marathon booked 11.5wks post surgery. Thanks in advance for the help!
