Stage IV MBC Fitness
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Hello, all. My sciatica is finally tapering down. No pain meds for 10 days and I can finally sit in a chair while eating breakfast, as opposed to lying in bed while eating. That feels so good!
Also, on the fitness front, I rode my exercise bike for 5 minutes straight a few days ago. Quite an accomplishment for this former bed-ridden wimp. The next day DH and I took our bicycles for a short ride. Feel like I’m finally making forward progress.
Hope all is well with all of you. Wishing you a wonderful spring! 🌸🌺🌻🌷💐
Hugs, Pam 💗6 -
Great news, Pam!
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Congratulations on the great news. Even 5 minutes on the bike will start improving your energy.
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Today was a stellar day. I played nine holes of golf—cart path only, which involves a lot of walking up and down hills. Can’t believe I made it. My legs feel so much stronger already. I feel like a new woman—or my old self, so maybe an old woman? 👵
Anyway, so excited to be back to having energy and enthusiasm.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!
Hugs, Pam 💗🌸6 -
@livinglifenow Pam such great news! I love your spirit and joy. There is nothing like feeling good and energized. And getting outside! So glad there is no more pain, that is huge.
My OT therapist recommended a vibration plate for me, and I’ve been using it for a week now. I bought a hexa lite plate from Lifepro, only $75 and I love it. Watch YouTube of gentle excerises, stretching Qi Gong while I’m on it, Kelly Strum for lymphedema drainage as well… 15 minutes flies by. I see a huge difference in my energy level, I’m happy too. Will see about doing it 2x a day this week, see if it helps with that 3pm slump in the work day lol.
Happy spring all ❤️❤️ Rhonda3 -
@rlschaller I'm going to have to ask my oncologist about a vibration plate. I tried one out recently when I was visiting my brother and loved it. For some reason, shortly after I was diagnosed, I had heard that they were not good for people with bone mets. If my MO approves, I am going to get one.
I've been doing my usual-weight training (I was also told not to do that when first diagnosed), walking, stationary cycle at health club. Pickleball has been on hiatus but will be back in a week. I resume my seasonal job this week-we've had training sessions the past few weeks-I have to get used to standing in the cold for several hours again! I did get a knock-off on an Aura ring over the holidays. It's quite helpful because it lets me know when I haven't been getting enough exercise. Even doing light house work counts.
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@chicagoan yes ask your MO. I have mild osteoporosis and a small bone met and was ok’d by my MO as well as the OT. You are so active 🥳 am in awe lol. My job at the university has me sitting all day, so shakng it up helps lol. What is an Aura ring?
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@rlschaller I am basically retired now. I do some freelance work in my field and have a fun part-time job so it's much easier to find time to exercise. Here's the ring I bought. It wasn't expensive and fun to monitor my heart rate, temperature, oxygen rate, etc as well as steps. The only bad thing is that you have to let it know if you are doing vigorous exercise for it to count! Otherwise, it just counts steps. https://herzpulse.com/
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@rlschaller Rhonda, that vibration plate sounds interesting. I will have to look into it. So glad it is helping you and your energy level.
Hugs, Pam 💗0 -
@rlschaller
I researched vibration plates a while ago after seeing some research that they help with osteoporosis/osteopenia. I wanted to extend the time between Xgeva injections, as I have been on it for 3.5 years. I have only bone mets, but lots of them. My MO had no problem with it, but my prosthodontist did. I have several dental implants and he was concerned that the vibrations might loosen them. Chicagoan, you might want to check with your orthopedist regarding the potential impact on your hip replacement.
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Oh Rhonda, I'm glad you like the vibration plate. Wondering though, why did she recommend it to you?. I've heard much how it can improve bone density if it's strong enough vibration. I just had a dexa scan and results showed osteoporosis in the spine. The hips are pretty good. I expect Dr will suggest drugs but was going to ask about the vibration plate too.
Forget if I mentioned I broke my ankle 2 weeks ago. So exercise has been pretty low key. They do want you to walk with boot on. The weight bearing helps growing bone and I imagine the increased blood flow too. It hardly hurts at all probably cause I have some neuropathy after the slipped disk this winter.
Anyone else with osteoporosis in spine? What were you told about exercise? I was Reading online that bending over isn't to good for weak spine. And I love pulling weeds!
Anyone else use a vibration plate?
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Hi Gail, so sorry about your ankle! Thank goodness it doesn’t hurt. I know how much you love gardening, I wonder if weeding could be done on a meditation stool so you are balanced on your knees and closer to the ground… lol just a thought.
The vibration plate was recommended because of my lymphedema, so for lymphatic drainage and overall circulation it’s supposed to be super helpful. I have it on the lowest setting, and so far it is like a cup of coffee it perks me up and I feel good. Its gentle pulses are supposed to be good for foot neuropathy too.2 -
My oncologist had no issues with the vibration plate but my hip surgeon wants me to wait until a year out from my surgery. Good thing eleonora suggested I check with him. If all goes well, I'll get one next October.
The good thing about my fitness ring is that it promts me how to utilize what would otherwise be down time into exercise. On my way home from my appts, I had a twelve minute wait for a train. Instead of getting annoyed, I walked back and forth on the long platform during that time and got in a lot of steps.
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@chicagoan i love the walking along the train platform, good thinking 🤔.
Im keeping it moving… It’s so amazing to me that excersise, just small movements like walking, can help push the fatigue away and lift the spirits. The body is fascinating, I wish it wouldn’t break down as much as it does lol… but that is the nature of all life.
Happy Easter to all who celebrate, ❤️4 -
Good evening, all! I had a wonderful day today. I walked 4000 steps this morning. My longest continuous walk in months. Then this afternoon I went golfing and did another 6000 steps. I ended with over 11,000 steps today. A huge improvement in the past several months. The weather was beautiful and DH and I spent time with friends on the golf course. Overall, a fantastic day! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday. 🐇
Hugs, Pam 💗
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I’m still going to exercise class and walking around the neighborhood and at the park. But I’ve been having a lot of fatigue lately. Must be the drugs!
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@aj Sorry to hear about the fatigue. All these meds sure cause a lot of side effects. Hoping you feel better soon!
Hugs, Pam 💗
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I've also been experiencing what I describe as crippling fatigue that I've had for more than a year. It really interferes with my QOL. After nagging my MO, she finally did iron testing and both my ferritin and B12 levels are very low. I immediately started taking OTC B12, and I'm scheduled for an iron infusion and B12 injection this Thursday along with my Xgeva and fulvestrant injections. Ouch! One of my other providers suggested hat I try Ritalin, which she says is often prescribed for fatigue in cancer patients. Will keep you posted.
Happy Easter to those who celebrate!
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@aj It seems a constant battle against fatigue. I am definitely not as energetic as I once was, and it often feels as if I'm persevering rather than enjoying. But there is enough enjoying to keep on keeping on. I am pretty careful about any supplements because I don't want anything interfering with the marvelous cancer drugs, but I do take magnesium, calcium, and D3 with approval from my MO. The sun shining definitely helps!
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@tougholdcrow I also take calcium with vitamin D, magnesium, b6 and b12. All recommended by my oncologist and nutritionist. I rested all weekend, skipped exercise class today ( Faslodex shots) and went birdwatching with a friend. She lives near a great park. I feel much more rested and ready to resume exercise class tomorrow. I don’t remember feeling so fatigued on Xeloda!
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The Bmbattle with fatigue is real. This past year I have become more and more tired. I was still working out but this winter I was getting short of breath with exercise and daily house hold chores. This started late summer, scans were fine. I was blaming it on meds, lung scaring, etc. Dr wanted me to see a cardiologist but I had had an episode of shortness of breath the spring after I had had what was later thought to be covid. The dr said flu Nov 2019. Had a full cardio work up and nothing was found. This time I saw a pulmonologist. He put me on an inhaler but when I had pulmonary studies they came back suggesting that I did not need them. He immediately suggested sleep apnea but my husband never complained about me snoring or snorting. So he decided to do an oxygen saturation test. The results were I have nocturnal oxygen desturation he thinks from asthma and lung damage, and the meds. I start on night time O2 and my fatigue and breathing are so much better. I feel back to normal during the day. I have also found I can do cardio again without having to stop to breath.
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So glad they found something that solved your problem!
I'm one of the many here with exhaustion and after a year of nagging, my MO finally ordered iron testing. Both my ferritin and B12 are very low, so I start monthly iron infusions and B12 injections tomorrow with re-testing in 3 months.
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@brutersmom Wow, that's great. Such a journey to find the solution! Gotta say, I sometimes wish I were 20 again.
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Sometimes?? 😂🤣
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@brutersmom Wow! Quite the journey to find a solution. So glad you are feeling better!
Hugs, Pam 💗0 -
#livinglifenow and # tougholdcrow. I have always felt that in my area it is a fight to get good health care. My area supposedly has a one of the top hospital in PA. I am in an area that is between the Philadelphia region and Central PA. About a year ago I switched to a Central PA hospital that is part of Penn Medicine. The difference is like night and day.
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@brutersmom So glad you finally found a hospital that works for you! That is such an important factor. When I was first diagnosed I couldn't get in to see an oncologist in my small hometown hospital. We seem to have lots of young doctors who come here to get a start and enjoy all the outdoor activities, or older doctors who come here to have a lighter load and wind down toward retirement. I have had 7 different PCPs and 5 different GYNs since moving here 8 years ago. A friend told me to look at the cancer center 90 minutes north of here is a larger city. (Still not major city, though). They had just added a new cancer center onto the smaller hospital in that area only 3 months prior to my diagnosis. I got an appointment a week after walking in the door to ask if anyone could see me. I love that everything is done right there—imaging, infusions, doctor appointments, port placement, etc. One stop shopping. The infusion center is on the 2nd floor and has windows all along one wall where one looks out onto beautiful scenery.
If I had gotten into the oncologist in my hometown I would be having labs done at the hospital the day before infusions, then seeing a doctor at the clinic the next day, then driving to the infusion center (old, windowless building) after that. Anyway, so glad a friend recommended the other option. It is a drive but I prefer that and love the building, nurses, and doctors.
So happy you are now having a much better experience. It truly makes a difference with all that we are going through.
On the exercise front: I have been trying to walk 2 miles straight every morning. I love the weather right now, so it's easy to do.
Hugs, Pam 💗
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