Kicking LEs butt!! Exercise & Self Care Log
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70 min Oceanside walk with dog. Yup he gave me those eyes again!!
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Hugz, glad to see you are staying faithful with your walking. I am enjoying the varied exercises of LiveStrong, as well as my swimming at 5:30 in the morning 3 days a week. Not looking forward to the time change this week. Darkness will come so much earlier in the evening. Hope that the lull in people’s reporting here just means they are all busy with life (and exercising). Happy Halloween! We had 700 trick or treaters in a 1-1/2 hour period last night before I was out of candy. It was lovely weather and fun to see all the costumes
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I'm always reading the post I'm just so busy I can't do both! I am missing my pool. DH closed it officially a few weeks ago. It makes a huge difference in my LE. I have stayed active everyday. Last week my fitbit died and I had to order a new one. I got the new Charge 3 and it's waterproof! I can wear it in the pool next summer!! So excited about that. This fitbit also counts floors my old one didn't so I have added 20+ floors a day to my routine. I make sure I run up and down our steps atleast 20 times each day. My goal for November is to check in everyday even if it's just with my distance and floors. I am trying to run a mile everyday plus my usual steps.
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I have no idea how I’ve been doing time wise but I’ve closed all of my activity rings on my watch at least 3 days a week. So I must be doing good with getting more active! I’m just still tired all the time.
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Tareena great job. The whole point is to move snd your doing it!
Me to. Rowed a good heart rate yesterday. Be careful starting on a rower if your arms not use to it. After three years I’m only up to 10 min on highest level. Don’t want to stress my arms.
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I'm still exercising. Will be hiking thurs. How bout all of you! Let's try to move. It's so good for you!!!
Sorry I haven’t posted of read your posts. I have dry eyes preventing me from being on computer. Ugh. What next!!!
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I'm still running around like a crazy grandma! Have had the 2 little grands a lot. DD had several dentist appointments. My steps are off the hook! 24,000+ a day and my new fitbit counts floors! One day I ran up and down my steps 50 times! I knew I went up and downstairs multiple times a day now I know exactly how many!
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
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Happy Thanksgiving!
I was busy today!
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I saw that Minus Two has breast lymphedema. Anyone else? I have this and it seems to be rare in comparison to arm lymphedema. I could use advice on what works!
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Cynne - Breast and truncal LE are not as prevalent, but it's out there. My goal is to keep LE from progressing to my arm(s). To that end, my LE therapist originally saw me once a week for a couple of months and taught me how to do MLD that seems to work. I must admit I don't do it every day, but I do go to a chair yoga class where I get lots of good breathing & stretching, and Silver Sneakers classes. And I love the Tai Chi breathing exercises.
I wear sleeves & gauntlets when I fly - again as a preventative. My therapist measured me & ordered for me. I put them on before the plane departs and leave them on for 30 minutes after landing. I also try to wear them when I'm going repetitive or heavy duty exercise.
I also wear a heavy duty Belisse compression bra when I fly, and again leave it on for 30 minutes after the plane lands. Otherwise I wear a a lighter compression bra 24/7. I use the Wear Ease Sydney Bra. It is comfortable, provides the support under the arms & up that back that my therapist wanted, you can step into it, and it really decent looking. I've always ordered directly from the company. They are great on the phone & will accept any returns as long as your careful when you're trying something on. (bonus - woman owned company, product made in the USA). And they run email specials at least every other month.
https://www.wearease.com/products/sydney-bra?varia...
Are you aware of the Step Up Speak Out web site? Several BCO members were instrumental in contributing. I'm going to put the link because there is such valuable information.
https://www.stepup-speakout.org/
Others will probably chime in. Do let us know how you're doing.
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Hello Clynnejohn5,
I also have breast LE and I also have found very little info specific to it. I , like Minus2, have not had it in the arm and am super careful to follow all the advice I have read to avoid it! I am glad Minus sent the link for step up, because I have found it VERY helpful. When you click on the section about garments, there are links to several forums from this website that have good info about bras to look into. I purchased the Belisse from the Company Lymphedema Products ( $175) and it is the most comfortable one I have gotten and I think, the most effective. I have also purchased others from our local retailer who specializes in compression garments for those with breast Ca. and luckily, medicare covers $42 for each bra up to 6 per year. I have 2 Jodee bras trhat are more like a regular bra that I wear when I want a less "clunky fit " under my clothes and I just bought an Amoena bra ( model name Patricia) which is also pretty comfortable. Check with your insurance about coverage.
I saw a Norton trained (and studying for the LANA cert. ) LE therapist at my cancer center all summer, twice a week and then once a week for the last month. She also taught me the manual drainage exercises which I do faithfully twice a day .I also have swell spots or some call them chip pads and a full breast pad that I worn a lot when I first started to break up all the fibrotic tissue in my breast. It also helps the lymph fluid move and I still wear the small one every few days because the LE breast is still a little bigger than it should be. I wear a compression bra 24/7 ( except for the shower -LOL) My therapist also suggested a good sports bra but I haven't found any that fit comfortably . I also do arm and shoulder exercises daily but this is due to a torn rotator cuff but I figure they should also be good for LE. I walk 2 miles a day also do diaphramatic breathing in a set of 10 several times a day.
My therapist said she didn't recommend preventive compression sleeves for flying but I will do more research on this if I plan on any flights in the near future.
I do hope you are seeing an LE therapist Good luck.
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FlowerGal - I forgot to mention the 'swell spots' & 'chip pads' - thanks. They are particularly good for breast & truncal LE.
I used to have a bunch of sports bras, but my LE therapist didn't think they came up high enough in the armpit and up on the back.
As an amusing aside, I even wear a compression bra in the swimming pool for water aerobics. Supposedly if I keep my body under the water over my shoulders, I shouldn't need it because of the gravity differential. But I recycle an older 'fushia' bra under my bathing suit. Needless to say, it only lasts one summer even though I rinse out the chlorine.
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All the girls have given good advice. One reason breast trunk le is not known is because docs hardly know about arm le unless your arm is hugely swollen so breast /trunk LE would be foreign territory for them.
I wear a men’s compression heat gear tee shirt two sizes smaller to help with my mild breast and trunk le. Don’t get the women’s as the cap sleeve may cut in and also not go up high enough at back if pit.
Still exercising but a wee bit fatter. Can’t get those summer pounds out of my life!
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Hugz - I agree about the silly women's cap sleeves. I HATE them. I gained 3 critical pounds over the holiday. Bad news since I was barely hanging on to my level since I'm not exercising as much. Shame on me. Hope to get back to 'the challenge' after I finish wrapping & mailing all the Christmas stuff. (very few people live in the same State as I do, let alone the same City)
Cynne: Here's the Tai Chi breather link.
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/64/topics/796890?page=3#idx_71
And here's a link for a company – Go TravelWear - that developed a T-shirt with BCO's input.See Glennie's post in January but lots of other good info in prior pages
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/64/topics/797778?page=13
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So much information! Thank you everyone! Idid the PT and use the chucks but I need more under my arm. I have an appointment for a bra/vest fitting on Friday. I’ll post how it goes.
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Clynne- Good luck with the fitting and welcome to this LE club we didn't want to join!
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Its a new week and a new start. Come on let’s get legs moving!
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I'm still here! Running around like a crazy woman! The grandkids have kept me hopping! I have breast /truncal LE to. My arm usually doesn't give me an issue. I always wear a compression bra and swell spot wrap. Flexitouch pumping now typing with my thumb is a challenge!0 -
I'm still making it to Silver Sneakers classes twice a week. Sometimes & get in an extra couple of miles on the treadmill - as I did today. I've also committed to a Chair Yoga class on Monday afternoons taught by an oncology nurse navigator with 27 years of Yoga experience. Great breathing exercises and stretching, several of which she specifies are good for LE. She's also teaching acupressure moves. Even if it's not 'aerobic', the breathing I'm learning is really helping me to turn off my mind at nights so I can go to sleep easier.
Like Varga - my LE is mostly breast & truncal and I wear my compression bra 24/7.
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Hey all. Will be straping in snowshoes soon. Keep exercising! Off to gym tomorrow
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ok I’ve upped my walking. Trying to dump 5 in a month. Impossible for me as metabo slow as molasses. But I’LL TRY!
Keep on trudging girls! Let’s go all! Move move move!
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Walking in snow daily for a hour. It seems like it tires me out more than a treadmill. Still struggling with getting five off. It's because I'm eating my way thru December! Ha
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Hi everyone! Just wanted to update on my breast lymphedema. I got a swell spot and I wear it at night. It has made such a difference! On occasion I will also use the 'chuck' (a net like thing full of cushy material) in my bra or under by straps in the back. Definitely helps because I can feel my ribs much easier now! I also have a special bra on order but with the holiday I haven't been able to pick it up. I will update how that goes in the New Year. Happy New Year everyone!
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Hello Clynne- glad you are getting tx and improving. Do you do the manual lymphe drainage exercises?
To everyone else, Hope you are doing well and have a Happy and Healthy New Year! I still walk my 2 miles and sometimes a little further. We adopted a dog ( lost our 2 senior pals this summer) who is about 5 but has lots of energy so I take him for a walk and then go on mine. Also eating healthier and have shed a few pounds but have a lot more to go!
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flower. Good job. I’m exercising almost everyday. With those dogs eyes staring at uswe have no choice but to walk!
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Excuses, excuses... I know & I'm sorry... but I had a horrible UTI over the holidays and am still on antibiotics. Never the less, I started to try to get my routine back yesterday. Yoga on Mondays. Silver Sneakers on Tues & Thurs. Maybe some treadmill on the other days, but not promising right now. Once the summer comes I'll add water aerobics 3 times a week and that will make my 6 days.
Edited to say - I'm sure you are all laughing about the summer plans since we're barely into winter. Sigh.
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I got a rebounder trampoline! I love it! (So do the grandkids! ) I just jump on it a couple of times a day. Yesterday, everytime I got on it my fitbit thought I was climbing stairs for some reason?? I had 60+ floors when I went to bed last night. I usually average 20+ floors a day. Keep jumping!
MinusTwo - hope you are feeling better. I dislike how antibiotics make me feel..and it goes on for days after your done to!
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Varga rebounders are fun!
Minus. How’s silver sneakers etc?
The rest of you. Let’s go for it!
Will be on Mexico cruise this sat. I plan on exercising on the ship. Lots of walking to. The flying part I don’t cherish but am well prepared and have wrapping supplies if need be. Hey have you all practiced wrapping lately. It’s good to know. Saved my bacon many times!!!
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I was just wondering when wrapping is needed. I'm going to OT for a few weeks ( insurance is paying 😊) and my OT asked if I had ever been wrapped. I'm learning how to use kineisotape. (Sp?). And am loving it!
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