Help! Cancer and Exercise...

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Permalink Reply by Sweetlife on September 11, 2008 at 11:00pm

Say what? I have never heard this before! I can't imagine exercise being bad....I would say exercise every day & don't over do it & you will reap benefits from it.

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Permalink Reply by Alicia on September 12, 2008 at 8:35am

Thanks for the reassurance! Maybe I was overdoing it...although I felt amazing the entire time! Anyway, I am not stopping!

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Permalink Reply by dianne on September 12, 2008 at 11:57am

hi all,
This is an interesting topic. It seems to be saying that if you spread you exercise over the week, rather than becoming a weekend warrior, and eat or drink you 5 fruits and veggies a day, you should be alright with out supplements. I agree that a sports doctor might know more for someone who is training strenuously.
Before chemo, I used to take Emergency-C from Traders Joes, for vitamins and anti-oxidents. I have to wait until I'm done with chemo before I start again.

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Permalink Reply by Callie on September 12, 2008 at 12:24pm

I think excersize is money in the back and that it is nuts to think any different.. someone once said cigarettes weren't dangerous too.. we have limbs and were meant to use them.. ha.. Just keep banking that health and strength I cannot live without working out.. it make my pain lower, my mind quieter, and my body healhier.. it is a trifecta.. I wonder what could be the impetus for this report.. wierd.. love ya.. enjoy..your body..callie

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Permalink Reply by Judy Walls on September 14, 2008 at 7:27pm

Alicia, I too overdid it when I went off my chemo. My immune system was not strong enough to take care of me and the extreme exercise I did...I am a personal trainer and I was teaching 2 weightlifting, 2 ball/pilates classes and 1 spin class a week, plus training for a triathlon. I was told that too much exercise can depress the immune system, which is not good for those of us with already depressed immune system. Now, I am in the process of building my immune system and detoxing, so I walk for 1 hour 3-4x a week and do 2 light weight training classes a week. I hope this will give my body a chance to heal.

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Permalink Reply by Sheila Wisdahl on September 15, 2008 at 12:48pm

Judy is right. You can overdo it and really tax your immune system. If you're cancer is late stage, if you are recovering from surgery or chemo or if your body is trying to repair some damage too much exercise can take healing energy away from where it needs to go. Once you are all better you can slowly resume your normal program as long as you are not working out to the point of damaging yourself. Listen to your body, it knows what it needs. If you are facing a major health crisis LIGHT exercise should do the trick.

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Permalink Reply by Blessed on September 19, 2008 at 9:51pm

This is a little off topic but not too far, I think. I've been on some sort of chemo since Feb of '07. I'm currently taking a drug that makes my feet sensitive and so I have been sitting around a lot! Today I hardly had energy to do anything. How do we know when it is medication related or getting weak from lack of exercise? I think about doing some exercises but I only seem to have so much energy and don't want to zap it all out on my exercise. Any advice for me? (one listed side effect from my current treatment can be extreme fatigue)

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Permalink Reply by Lea on September 19, 2008 at 10:55pm

Just listen to your body. Before I started treatment I was VERY active and in excellent shape. The chemo this summer has completely zapped all my energy. I try to take short walks outside when the weather is nice that way it makes my soul feel better too. I also enjoy doing some relaxing yoga poses. Just remember it is okay to rest. You deserve it and your body needs it!!!!

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Permalink Reply by Angelene Grace on September 22, 2008 at 8:13pm

I had the same question about whether I am just getting weak from lack of exercise. I'm on an agressive course of Taxol and Carboplaten and extreme fatigue and sore feet are my problems too. I've been doing a lot of sound yoga and pranayama (yogic breathing). It may not qualify as "exercise" but I can do it while sitting around (or lying down) and it works my lungs, oxygenates my blood, and reduces pain. I notice that whenever I push myself to exercise hard I feel worse the next day, so I've backed off.

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Permalink Reply by Blessed on September 23, 2008 at 7:16am

Thanks for sharing. It sounds like we are experiencing something similar. I'm not familiar with yoga but I will start doing some some stretching and light sitting exercises.

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Permalink Reply by Caroline on September 23, 2008 at 7:38am

How can exercise not be good? Your body needs to move to act efficiently. I am four days out from surgery and yesterday I only walked for 10 minutes. Today I want to do more - my body is crying for exercise - but I am going to go for a flat 30-45 minute walk. My digestion is all in a snarl between the meds and the lack of exercise.

All things in moderation though is definitely key. I expect it will take me a few weeks to get back in shape to be able to go for my hour long daily walks.

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