Stage IV MBC Fitness
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Heidi, glad to hear your breathing improved like that. Awesome.
Z, I agree with Heidi, dose reduction may be something to consider. I'm sorry you're having tough SE's. They can make life so difficult. Good luck but kudos on still moving. You would feel so much worse if you didn't move. As if you did not already know that.
I have done 40 mins walking away the pounds vids and now off to check on the car. Idiot in a parking lot backed into mother's car. It is extremely old so it may not be covered. We will find out. Can't get a new one anytime soon. Wish us luck.
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Mara - thank you for the kudos. it is hard to keep moving at the moment, but getting easier as i am now 2 days into my off week. will rest a bit and then jog around scottsdale. i've never prayed for complete and total healing for a car before, but giving it a shot. sorry you are dealing with the car thing.
>Z<
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Just got back. No word on whether insurance will cover the cost, but the person there thinks would be between 800 to 1000 to repair. It is less than I thought it would be. If insurance won't cover it, we will pay for it since that is still less money than a new car. Thankfully, the bump to the car was not enough to knock it off it's axel or cause anymore damage than a cosmetic one.
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Still a lot of money. Rats.
>Z<
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Z,
I hope you are feeling better..
I have been sticking to three days of water wellness, 2 days of stress less stretch, and two days of Gentle Strengthening.. This regiment seems to work well for me.. If I miss the stretching classes I get so stiff I feel like the Tin Man....
Keep moving...
Ronnie
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As some of you know, I have been largely bedridden for the last month because of a week I spent in the hospital coronary unit with a catheter draining a severe grade, malignant pericardial effusion that dang near killed me. (Apparently I've had some pericardial mets lurking for years which have been held down by treatment, but when Xeloda began failing last fall after three years of NED, they went totally berserk on me.) My lungs are still partially collapsed from it and have a lot of pleural fluid lurking about, which causes me to have coughing spasms that often lead to vomiting. My resting heart rate is still around 110. The doctors all keep telling me that what I've been through with my heart and lungs takes a LONG time to recover from.
BUT... today is one month since my heart procedure in ER, and today I finally made it all the way to the end of the block and back, with my sweet husband rolling my oxygen tank along behind. I am pretty darn proud of myself. A couple of weeks ago, I could only make it past a couple of the neighbors' houses and back and then I would collapse in bed and go straight to sleep.
Maybe tomorrow I will try to go *around* the block...
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Lulubee, that so sucks. I can imagine the pain from coughing. I once had pleural fluid sloshing near my lungs and that alone nearly killed me. It was not malignant so antibiotics took care of it pretty quickly. I wonder if that would work for you (in case your doctors haven't tried it)? I hope that LONG time won't be as long as they think with your determination. Yes, you can be proud of yourself!! I will visualize you walking around the block with DH and oxygen tank behind you.
Mara, it might be worth asking given your medical expenses if they would cover the damage or part of it on compassionate grounds? They may have some discretionary funds.
Ronnie, great regimen! Z, have fun Arizona joggin'!
I didn't make it to the gym last night but did a kettlebell workout with pushups and cardio at home. Headed for the gym this morning.
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Lulubee - I am so glad you stopped by and I am so glad to find you are already trying to get moving. A block is a long way and certainly a workout dragging oxygen. Many of us have been at that point where you are just exploring how far you can get from the house ... it's a critical point in getting better but very hard. Takes a lot of courage. I noted slightly less humor than usual in your post. I bet that this has been going on for a bit too long.
Take it easy, but keep at it as well. If you just lie in bed for a week, you will get sick even without all the layers of issue we all have. Our body's most basic functions require movement. Mara has a system where she does 10 minutes several times a day. That may be the best way to approach exercise when you are healing. I've read that somewhere ... Shoot for lots of short walks around the house or even outside.
Several people on this thread use some videos with exercise routines of varying length, some very short. Can't remember the name but someone will chime in. It seems like a good idea for you since you do them standing in one place and the oxygen tank can rest while you workout .... near the sofa and water and everything you might need. Those videos seem like a great strategy when getting out of your house is a barrier to exercise due to weather or other factors.
I am very proud of you for walking to the end of the block. Thank you for telling us about it.
I am not feeling great, but you have inspired me to get my posterior out of this hotel room and see what's out there in Scottsdale. Goodness, I don't have to drag an oxygen tank so what I am complaining about.
Ronnie - I am so impressed that you found exercise resources that are perfect for you. It sounds the most healing supportive exercise plan invented.
Heidi - You are going to have to carry the badass exercise machine flag for a while I figure out what is going on with me. Thank you for your report on your badass routine. I will get there. I will get there. First I have to get out of bed.
Didn't jog yesterday as I was overcome by nausea. I did walk my step goal and then collapsed. Will give it a shot today. Pretty here. Fun to explore.
>Z<
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Good luck Z. I hope today was better for you and you get to explore a lot.
You are right, I enjoy short bursts of activity. Still really enjoying the Leslie Sansone vids on youtube. I do at least 2 or 3 of the 1.0 mile happy walk. I also like the 5 min boosters. If I want superquick, I grab my 4lb free weights and pump my arms to the 2 or 3 min walks. That really gets the heart going. If you don't have room, you can simply march on the spot as the real workout is the speed you are moving. It is great.
Lulubee, great accomplishment getting to the end of the neightbourhood and with oxygen no less. Good job. I have no doubt you'll meet your goal of getting round it in no time. Keep us posted.
Heidi, thanks for the suggestion about asking if it would be covered with compassionate means. I will look into it.
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I took a couple days of this week too. Low energy and just didn't have the motivation to do it. I did do some five Tibetans yesterday, but that was it. I think we need to honor those days and give ourselves a break once in awhile and just try our best, but know that our best changes from day to day. Yoga is always a good choice, even on those hard days. It is amazing what a little movement can do for you even when feeling low. I'm sitting at my infusion right now and am going to use the last half hour to mediate. Tonight I WILL do some running and I teach a yoga class, so I know that will help me get back on track. Then next week I get to go on vacation to Cozumel, so I'll have time each day for fitness. Yay!
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Lulubee~ I know how it feels to feel like you accomplished the impossible walking down the street!! I have forced myself the past two Days to walk around the one part of my neighborhood. My fit bitbracelet had a party on my wrist. I said one week I'll start that and then add distance each week I am able. This is coming from someone who is used to running 6 to 8 miles four to five times a week followed by strength and free weights. I feel lost without that ability anymore. It defined me. I am going to take it day by day. I had heard on the other thread that you did your walk today and I had to say it made me smile and I had to stop by and give you a high five. God bless!
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Lulabee, wow! I can't even imagine all you have had to deal with! It makes me so mad that this has happened to you! You are doing amazing though ! That is huge to get out and walk any distance. You are such an inspiration of strength and determination.
Z, enjoy Scottsdale and hope it energizes you to get out!
DG, that is awesome....have fun in Cozumel!!
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I had the worst headache in a long time this morning and then slept for 3 hours. Any day that the fitbit clocks more than 11 hours of sleep is one weird day. I felt shaky but better when I woke up so I called Lyft, got myself to the a trailhead in the Sonoran desert and hiked 5 miles. I am at 18,000 steps as I write. I hope that means that whatever is going on is past. I am looking forward to getting home tomorrow and resuming my normal routine. I have been squeaking out the steps and meeting my 8K step goal, but I haven't been able to run since last Friday due to general malaise. I miss the cardio because it seems to clear out crud in my system.
But, as DG says, it about rolling with the ups and downs. Gotta take it as it comes. I return to NM with a bag of full of new supplement that promise to reduce fatigue and hot flashes. I am hopeful as the hot flashes were much reduced today, but one day can be a random event. I will have to shake this bug before I can see what effect they have on the fatigue from the drugs.
Thanks for the updates everyone. Reading this thread constantly reminds me that exercise is a priority, I can do something, and whatever I can do is enough. And I need a constant reminder of this.
Keep moving. And tell us about it.
>Z<
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Cozumel, wow! A virtual tequila toast, DG!
Z and micmel, it is possible to get back to an older, fit self. It just takes an enormous amount of patience. Healing and regeneration can take time. I'm not speaking from experience though, as my fit self was a ghost even in the past. Maybe it's easier psychologically that way. But it's taken patience to gain strength and aerobic fitness. It still all may not be badass enough for some but I'll take it.
Rest is important, as I've mentioned before, but it seems also getting enough carbs.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103926.htm
Eating carbohydrates during intense exercise helps to minimize exercise-induced immune disturbances and can aid the body's recovery. As I've read elsewhere, T cells need glucose to proliferate. Not too little, not too much, as usual, but timing is probably important.
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Heidihill ~ I will not stop until I feel like I am satisfied with where my fitness is. Before diagnosis I had lost almost 90 lbs. I had an injury no one could diagnose and it was thought it was spine related, so I was told do not excersise. So I gained. When I finally found out what it was, I never looked back and went to the gym everyday I could . So being diagnosed with this was a devastating blow, especially since I was running circles around girls in their twenties. I am wishing for that feeling of control for everyone. Because we all know, once this diagnosis happens to us, that is something we loose a bit of. Working on My fitness makes me feel like I can try to make something happen that is within My reach if I strive hard enough. Have a blessed day! ~M~
Z ~ you go girl. The more I get to know your attitude and drive. I realize, you my friend are a warrior. I hope I may call you all friends, Enjoy the time outdoors. Stay hydrated , it will continue to help the headache earlier. Happens to me a lot! ~M~
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Z, Glad to hear you are feeling better! Wow 18K steps that is awesome considering you have not been feeling well. Hopefully the new meds will help with the dreadful hot flashes.. Today is stress less stretch and 60 minutes of pool exercise to keep the Tin Man syndrome at bay...
I had a bone scan on Wednesday and go for a CAT Scan today.. I should hear back from ONC early next week on the results. I pray for little or no progression....
Ronnie
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Ronnie - Thank you for thinking of me. Terrible nausea this morning, again. Hopefully it will clear in the PM again. Hike planned. You have such an awesome workout plan. Good luck with CT scan. Wishing you a boring meeting with your onc.
Micmel - Looking forward to fighting my way back to the front of the pack with you, although maybe not today.
Heidi - Thank you for the article. Anything that says I can have carbs, I want to hear. I love me my carbs.
>Z<
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Hi all! What a great thread. I have Stage 4 breast cancer that has spread to my lymph nodes, skin, chest and lungs. I get Herceptin and Perjeta every three weeks and Taxol every week. I feel very weak after my three drugs today. No exercise today except a bit of walking around outside the hospital grounds even though it was very cold this morning.
My usual weekly routine is everyday walking 30 minutes on a treadmill or outside, yoga two days a week, pilates two days a week, core class one day a week, Zumba two days a week. I also use the sauna or steam room every day as well.
A note on turmeric (or curcumin), the powdered form is very useful as well, the only thing you have to do is add in some freshly ground pepper to help activate. I hope this helps. One of my favorite juices is my Turmeric Delight: juice half a head of cabbage, mix with a tablespoon of turmeric and some black pepper, then add in coconut water. Super yummy and so good for cancer! I also eat a raw diet of fruits and some veggies. Some powerful veggie juice combos are: 1. carrot + beet + parsley 2. carrot + beet + spinach 3. carrot + alfalfa sprouts + parsley 4. carrots + spinach + celery + parsley 5. wheatgrass + alfalfa sprouts 6. cabbages and crucifers (broccoli and cauliflower, all parts) are very good for cancer.
I hope you find these tips helpful. I am finding that the hormone and chemo drugs are losing their efficacy over time, I have an appointment to see a naturopath on Monday. I will keep you all posted.
With love and determination,
Emberlea
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DG - Enjoy Cozumel! I will be there the week after so leave a trail of fun) If you stop at the Flamingo on Calle 6 Norte ask for either Ivan or Oscar...they make wonderful margaritas. I plan to go off the wagon for a day to enjoy one.
Lulubee - You go girl!!! I admire you for making it out and up the block. It's a big success!
Z - Hope your days of complementary medicine help overcome whatever is sapping your system! Rest is a good thing so no guilt there. We will be looking for you on the challenges.
This week has been wonky...my plan is to hit the exercise hard tomorrow...never got there today, but I could do some kettlebells tonight. Except we are thinking about Mexican food.
OF all things I'm looking forward to on vacation, I think five days by myself is at the top of the list. At home I still feel required to make everyone else feel good and have been getting a bit testy. I think the current political environment has me extremely worried. Hope my Mexican friends will still speak to me...and put air in the scuba tanks.
Work in some laughter this weekend!!
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Z ~ 15 rounds wow. I am almost done my fourth round. Hope the longer I am on it I continue to be ok , I don't want to have nasty side effects again. Such a depressing drag. Today I walked two miles around my neighborhood and I was moving. Almost had to crawl into my bed after but I did it. First time I even moved that fast since diagnosis day. Gonna go for 4 days in a row! Gotta show hubby fit bit was a good idea. Lol. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend. ~M~
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Emberlea - Welcome. I expect you will do very well with that exercise routine and your extraordinary determination. We also take walks around the hospital on treatment days. It seems to be what separates this group from everyone else. Very healing on a lot of levels.
I find the sauna awesome for detoxing. Turmeric is my secret weapon, too. I think you will find that your naturopath tells you to do what you are already doing, as those veggies are very powerful indeed. I am working my way through some Kimchee, which is terribly good for you too. I forgot I loved it.
BCO allows you to share your diagnostics and treatments in your signature. Go to you profile and enter the information. Then you have to go to settings on the menu bar on the left to make it public. I find it separates BCO from other sites because discussing cancer outside of the specifics of a given situation is kinda pointless.
Thank you for joining us and sharing your tricks. Looking forward to hearing of your exploits.
Kathryn - Thank you for thinking of me. I am getting better. My week of complementary oncology in Arizona was a whirlwind and I am still processing. It will take a while to just get past the travel and medical stress but I am home and definitely on the upswing. I will start a weekend warrior challenge in a minute so find your sneakers and don't eat too much Mexican food.
Mexicans, being intelligent, kind and diplomatic people, know that people who go to Mexico do so because they like Mexicans. I live in New Mexico where we are proud of our hispanic culture and relations. Our hispanic conservative female governor is in quite a pickle these days fighting with our federal government. Interesting how everything got turned on its head in a matter of a few months.
>Z<
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Back after a few weeks off. I had radiation for 3 weeks and somehow thought I would sail through it but got my butt kicked! You guys are so motivating here. Have been able to do Qi Gong for the last 2 weeks daily. The combination meditation and movement is fabulous! Started walking home from work this week and did both to and home yesterday. Also did a few yoga poses and light abs.
Working back up to my normal hr walk, Qi Gong, then mixing yoga, abs or other strength regimen.
Emberlea, thank you for the juice recipes! I am working on a more plant based diet as well. Was thinking I needed to get a vitamix or something along those lines but found my food processor works great, I just need to let it spin longer. I was even able to make some almond milk.....yum!
Gonna keep moving!
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Have been out an about three days in a row. According to fit bit, I don't sleep well. Who gets up 19 times ? No wonder I'm exhausted all the time! Real nice in the north east this week, clouding up now, so I'm left with. Get up right now before the rain , or take a day and nap and rest up. Both sound equally appealing! What to do, what To do? Maybe I'll break out some good loud base music and just do it! Like nike says Happy weekend all!
Z Hope the headaches are better.
~M~
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Another reason to lift weights.
Patients with low muscle quality/quantity have higher risk of blood-related toxicities, gastrointestinal side effects and neuropathy during traditional chemotherapy. Patients with lower measures of muscle quality/quantity have twice the risk of hospitalization. Compared to other body composition measures such as body mass index, muscle mass is the most predictive of toxicity.
Here is the article.
I cannot muster the energy for a cardio workout. It's frustrating because the weird side effects from Ibrance, like rashes and painful scalp, snowball when I can't get a cardio workout. But headache is gone. I got 16K steps in today. I got to the sauna for 50 minutes, in the hopes that would detox as effectively as cardio. Usually I do both. Scalp still burning a bit. Yech. I have put in a request to lower my ibrance dose in the next round. I think the efficacy/QOL balance is a little lower down the dosing scale.
Micmel - the fitbit has been helpful in monitoring sleep. It is definitely something you want to deal with because you must get a good night sleeps. It is one of those clear predictors of who does well and who doesn't. Poor sleep increases inflammation, among many bad things.
I am still working on it. It takes me 9-10 hours to get 8 hours of sleep. Last night for example I was restless for 53 minutes and awake twice for 10 minutes. That was one of my worse nights. Not a great exercise day and travel from arizona home. Not surprising. But we have to watch these things and figure out how to fix them. It will be interesting to see whether exercise improves your sleep. Watch your fitbit data.
>Z<
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If more data will get you out for a walk, here you go. They are not always talking about MBC, but the logic still works. You need to throw in some resistance training for optimal benefit. But I try not to get too particular. The difference between doing something and doing nothing is so huge it outweighs the distinction between types of exercise. Just do something.
From Lifestyle modifications for patients with breast cancer to improve prognosis and optimize overall health
Exercise and maintaining your ideal body weight are the most important lifestyle interventions you can do if you want to decrease your risk of breast cancer recurrence and death.
Physical activity (150 minutes per week, moderate intensity) can reduce the chance of death from a breast cancer relapse by up to 40%.
Two analyses showed a substantial inverse dose–response effect between hours per week engaged in physical activity and breast cancer mortality.26,27 Similar beneficial metabolic effects have been shown for both aerobic and resistance exercise, but optimal results are achieved with a combination of the two.22
A population-based study in the United States involving 856 women found that only 13% of breast cancer survivors attained the recommended 150 minutes of exercise each week, and with increasing time after diagnosis, only about 10% complied with the recommendation.28 Patients who have undergone chemotherapy or radiation have significantly greater decreases in physical activity, by 50% and 24% respectively, compared with patients who have not experienced these therapies.22
Keep moving ladies.
>Z<
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Thanks for the full text link, Z. I had just read the abstract. I think it's sad that I'm one of only 10 percent complying with the exercise recommendations long-term. Maybe even less for mets "survivors."
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Z~ I wake up a lot you are correct. I also 100% agree with sleeping being key to how I feel each day. If I don't sleep I'm done for that entire day. Yesterday I did get up and out again. Fourth day in a row. I started walking briskly for a mile and then I slowly jogged another mile. It felt awesome. Other than I think my neighbors think I'm crazy out there growling as i push through the work out. It was the first time in a while that I felt in control of something. It was like a scene from a commercial , the woman spinning in a circle running her fingers through the air, like a surreal moment, and just for that one second I wasn't sick. I wrapped up with a slow walk home and popped into bed and slept like a rock for two hours, didn't even move once. That's my kind of sleeping. lol but then again last night only managed 4.5 hours of sleep and of course hot flashes to stop a snow storm. YUCK!!!! I am so envious of you all being able to travel. I pray I get there someday,
Me and my one boob left would love to hit the beach again, what the heck I'll wear I have no clue. It's becomes complicated sometimes just figuring out what to wear, no less jog around my neighborhood. I guess I'm just a year in with a lot of adjustment left to have happen.
Learning from you ladies can only help make me stronger. Thank you for this fitness thread. It got me moving again!!! 🎉🍸🍾🍾🍾🍾 A toast to all of us warriors each and everyday on this battle!
~M~
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Officially inspired! Off to the gym to get in 5000 steps and lift some weights:)
You all are the best!
Maybe we need a fitness girls road trip...exercise and laughter together :
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Heidi - It's sad that only 10% comply but not surprising given how hard it can be. In order to get regular exercise, you need to have a certain level of health/wellness, a stable and supported home situation and will-power. Only the last of the three things is completely in our control. As far as basic health and our social/home situation we can consider ourselves blessed. People on this thread can expect to do better. It's a group self-selected of people in a position to stay well. I do like hanging out here.
I encourage people to read the whole lifestyle modifications article and not just the key points I posted above. I am going to post it in the top post on this thread. It is a very compelling review of the data on exercise as well as other lifestyle and supplementation modifications you can do to improve your odds.
>Z<
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Micmel - Last night I took 2 capsules of Regenerest and a 12mg of cannabis oil (indica) in capsule form. I was restless only 7 times instead of 23 the night before and I was awake 1 time for 3 minutes instead of twice for 10. I am hoping I found my magic bullet. We'll see how the week goes. The sleep tracker on the fitbit is a fantastic thing when you are trying to evaluate and improve your sleep.
Sleep is terribly important and I encourage you to push and push until you figure out what is going on. It's worth getting some help. I find naturopaths better at this problem then doctors. Primary care physicians are particularly clueless when it comes to sleep. You are likely to find yourself on Ambien and sleepwalking in the street if you take their advice.
I am in a Weekend Warrior challenge and 4000 steps behind the leader this morning. But if I can finally go for a run I still have a shot of ending in the top 3. It's been 9 days since my last run... I keep trying and failing.
>Z<
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