Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerExercise pumps up the immune system and lowers estrogen levels. With as little as four hours of exercise per week, a woman can begin to lower her risk of breast cancer.
1 comment 3Yes!!!!! It is the one research proven thing that can help... Needs to be 150 minutes per week of aerobic - not yoga or palates- per week for menopausal women!
Comment 0Asked by anonymous
Survivor since 2003Exercising while undergoing chemotherapy can be beneficial both psychologically and physically. Light and stimulating exercise can help to reduce fatigue and the risk of thrombosis (blood clotting in the veins). It can also keep the bones strong and healthy and reduce the risk of weight gain...
Exercising while undergoing chemotherapy can be beneficial both psychologically and physically. Light and stimulating exercise can help to reduce fatigue and the risk of thrombosis (blood clotting in the veins). It can also keep the bones strong and healthy and reduce the risk of weight gain related to chemotherapy. A walk or gentle run has also been known to help with mild nausea. Additionally, exercise can increase your sense of self-empowerment and improve social integration.
You need to remember that your ability to perform strenuous exercise may be impaired, so you need to develop a light exercise routine and find a balance that is most beneficial to you.
Hope this helps!
It helped me!
Comment 0Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerMove!!! you will feel better. It gives me s sense of control. I do yoga, resistance training, archery, and the ever popular walking. I watch portion size but I don't make myself crazy. I struggle with the fear of cancer coming back. Some days are easier than other. Some times I write the word...
Move!!! you will feel better. It gives me s sense of control. I do yoga, resistance training, archery, and the ever popular walking. I watch portion size but I don't make myself crazy. I struggle with the fear of cancer coming back. Some days are easier than other. Some times I write the word cancer on my archery target. An hour of shooting holes in the word feels good.
Check out this article that was just published yesterday. I read it in The Boston Globe, but the study is great.
Comment 0Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerI agree with the above answer. It depends... on the type of surgery you have. Are you going to have a lumpetomy, mastectomy with just sentinal nodes or full axillary type surgery? Everybody reacts in their own way. You may feel weak and tired. You also need to let your body recover from the...
I agree with the above answer. It depends... on the type of surgery you have. Are you going to have a lumpetomy, mastectomy with just sentinal nodes or full axillary type surgery? Everybody reacts in their own way. You may feel weak and tired. You also need to let your body recover from the anesthetic and just the trauma of the surgery. After my mastectomy, I was pretty much back to normal even before the drain was removed. The first two days, I was very, very, tired. I had --zero-- post operative pain. That being said.... I am just one person on one end of the spectrum. There are plenty of other women who had the opposite reaction to a mastectomy. If you have a mastectomy, and plan to have reconstruction, during the mastectomy process, an expander is placed. The expander can give you some grief because I have yet to hear of anyone saying they didn't have discomfort. You probably will be free to do any kind of exercise you feel up to but always check with your surgeon. I am sure your surgeon would be leery of any really vigorous exercise that might cause bleeding or dislodging of drains. You need to listen to your body.... if you are tired, rest. We all have the desire to get back to normal as soon as we can. Don't try to push yourself to do something that is too much. It may set you back in the healing process. I am not saying to become a couch potato, just cooperate with your body to allow it to heal. Please keep in touch with us here. We are here to help support one another through and after this journey. Take care, Sharon
It will depend on what type of surgery you will be having, you would need more down time for a mastectomy than you would for a lumpectomy. Not sure about jogging and exercise classes you may have to give the gym a miss for a short time. Good luck
1 comment 0Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerIt's my understanding that tamoxifan is used for women who have not gone through menopause. I'm 62 and am taking Femara. Exercise is good for a lot of things but aromatase inhibitors help if your Estrogen Positive. Do you have all the facts about the type of cancer you have?
Comment 1Laurie,
Based on what you shared, it sounds as if you are ER- PR-. If that is the case, Tamoxifen would not do you any good as it is a hormone blocking drug.
Take care, Sharon
Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerYes I still have those symptoms I been three months out of surgery. It can catch you off guard . But I sure in time everything will catch up with the other body parts.
Comment 0Morning Carla, Had both, it was annoying but it's due to severed nerves. Still have both but to a lesser degree after 4 months. You will have sharp , piercing pain that will catch you off gaurd but it will eventually subside-also due to cut and damaged nerves. I call them GOTCHA pain. Those were...
Morning Carla, Had both, it was annoying but it's due to severed nerves. Still have both but to a lesser degree after 4 months. You will have sharp , piercing pain that will catch you off gaurd but it will eventually subside-also due to cut and damaged nerves. I call them GOTCHA pain. Those were really annoying during radiation.Hope you"re feeling better this morning and some of the anxiety is turning loose. I can"t speak to the swelling. Call your doctor and describe it. If you think it is increasing don't wait. Peace of mind is better than money. Do try to walk around to get the lymph sytem to pumping. It is bruised and traumatized and needs a kick start. Hang in there. Everyday away from surgery is a victory. Jo :-D
Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerChemotherapy --messes-- with you in many ways. The way you metabalize food can be one of them and also lack of regular exercise. Unfortunately, the way to lose weight is nothing magical... exercise and a careful selection of foods you eat. Vegies, fruit, lean protein, whole grains. My friend,...
Chemotherapy --messes-- with you in many ways. The way you metabalize food can be one of them and also lack of regular exercise. Unfortunately, the way to lose weight is nothing magical... exercise and a careful selection of foods you eat. Vegies, fruit, lean protein, whole grains. My friend, who I call a "foodie" told me the easiest way to shop for the right kind of food.... she says "Shop the perimeter of the grocery store" because that is where you find the least processed foods. The other is eat food that is closest to the way is "grew". The last was don't eat anything that is "white" which means "processed" white flour, sugar, ect. Hang in there and take care, Sharon
I gained around 25 pounds. I tried not to focuss on it and took the outlook that had a little more to spare when I did not feel good enough to eat or got sick. As the others have mentioned just focus on what you can do when you feel good enough to move around for some exercise (walking). I...
I gained around 25 pounds. I tried not to focuss on it and took the outlook that had a little more to spare when I did not feel good enough to eat or got sick. As the others have mentioned just focus on what you can do when you feel good enough to move around for some exercise (walking). I eventually got some of it back off, but again I don' t focuss on it. I take each day at a time and feel thankful for all that I have and am. Hang in there.
Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerThanks Sharon will do;)
Comment 1Are you saying that you are taking the contraceptive pill as a form of hormone blocker?????????
Comment 0Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerYep, it's me Jo. :) I won't go into deep details Jayme but I got 16 rads and the week after my last one, I had second degrees burns. I had three places under my arm that cracked open and my dr. Gave me some purple stuff in her office to put in the splits. I used Aquaphor all the time. It took...
Yep, it's me Jo. :) I won't go into deep details Jayme but I got 16 rads and the week after my last one, I had second degrees burns. I had three places under my arm that cracked open and my dr. Gave me some purple stuff in her office to put in the splits. I used Aquaphor all the time. It took awhile to heal but I made it thru it. I am still sore inside and have hard places...but it's all ok. I am alive and kicking. Lol. Now, if I can make it thru the hot flashes from the Tamoxifen I gotta it licked. Best of luck and don't let any of what I went thru scare you. Everyone is different and yours may be a breeze. I think it just helps to be aware of possibilities. God bless.
Hi Jayme, You won't feel anything on the table. By my 8th or 9th treatment, I began to feel little prickles and twinges. By the end of my 16 rads, I had a slightly tan box, a light measle-looking rash that would pop out, especially when I got hot, itching,tenderness, puffiness, and minor hardness...
Hi Jayme, You won't feel anything on the table. By my 8th or 9th treatment, I began to feel little prickles and twinges. By the end of my 16 rads, I had a slightly tan box, a light measle-looking rash that would pop out, especially when I got hot, itching,tenderness, puffiness, and minor hardness of the breast, small clear blisters. The underarm was already numb and the skin irritation here could be maddening. Many women suffer in the crease under the breast and have to put a cotton clothe in the crease to prevent skin on skin. NO skin on skin under my breast(mine was removed so that really wasn't my issue.) or skin on skin under arm and the arm against the breast. Wear a soft cotton t-shirt that will prevent that.You must do that all important stretching to keep the chest and arm mobile. Drink water, water and more water to aid the healing as the dead cells are disposed of and the sick cells have to work overtime to heal. Be sure to wash off all lotions and ointments before each treatment to prevent serious burning like a McDonald's fry.(I found that ritual even more tedious than the 2 and a Half hour round trip to the cancer center.) Fatigue will come depending on the individual. I came in from my trip, ate lunch and hit the couch for a snooze. Hope you can do the same thing. Since you have to wash off lotions everyday, avoid washing the breast during shower. Don't let the water hit the site directly, and NO hot water. Braless is good but I had to wear one at times because of the heaviness from surgery. Still had to sleep in a soft sports bra or lounging bra. My radiologist told me if I just had to wear one during the day, go to my drawers and pull out the old stretched out throw away and wear it.(No underwire or anything tight) Air is great but you're caught between a rock and a hard place. I wore a soft bra to treatment and came home braless. My last week, I would feel the sharp pains and prickles by the time I was leaving the city to head home. Nothing that hangs on (quick and fleeting pain, a slight dull throb sometimes). None of this was unbearable but more annoying for me and unnerving. I'm sure the girls that had twice the rads than me will have more to say. Finished mine two months ago. Still can't get hot and have minor discomfort from the surgery and rads, not sure which. My radiologist told me it could be up to a year before those painful little catches and prickles completely go away. I tell myself it's a reminder that I still have my breast and it doesn't look that bad. Don't use anything on your skin unless you get the ok from your doctor. No deoderant under that arm and no perfumed soaps. I used Dove soap for sensitive skin(hypoallergenic) Soft cotton helps wick away moisture and is a gentle caress on tender skin(keeps it dry except for your ointments you use) If it cracks, don't put ointments on the cracks. The doctor will prescibe something. You'll hear from Kaye, she really had a tough time. For me, radiation was the easiest of my treatment plan. If i had to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate. You girls that had chemo before and after rads are the real warriors. Ask your doctor all your smallest questions. Never hesitate. Tell your sweet techs every concern, they will shuttle you to the doctor if you need to have a quick peek by him. Good luck and be good to yourself during the treatment. Healing hugs. Jo :-D
Asked by anonymous
Learning About Breast CancerI just went to my radiation planning appointment. I was told the same thing as Connie - no swimming during radiation.
Comment 1I did with no problems. I wore a shirt over my bathing suit just to make sure I didn't get any sun exposure on the treatment area.
Comment 1
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