Exercising post treatment

allidee
allidee Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hello everyone. I just finished treatment yesterday! 6 months of ABVD and 13 radiation treatments. All in all, I feel pretty healthy and energetic, but I'm having a really hard time exercising again. I gained some weight because I had to take prednisone as a result of lung toxicity from bleomycin. So not only are my lungs damaged, but I'm really out of shape and feeling a little heavier and more sluggish. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get back into the swing of things? I get so frustrated when I go for a walk and I'm winded after just a few minutes. Thank you!

Comments

  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #2
    Hi I also did 6 months abvd and also 40 radiation treatments. I finished Nov of 2000. I also have been having same problems. I was not told that bleomiacin caused lung damage and have been talking with my Dr for 3 yrs. I have an appt with cardiopulminary specialist soon. Would be happy to share any info I receive. If you would like to contact me my email address is martin1970@charter.net.
  • truejoy8
    truejoy8 Member Posts: 41
    #3
    Congratulations on finishing treatments!
    I went through ABVD as well as a bunch of other junk myself and just finished last January. I know exactly what you mean by feeling sluggish. It can take a while to get your strength and stamina back. When I firt started feeling up to it I started walking. Really, really slow at first and not very far. I live like a block away from Starbucks and that was my goal at first :) walk to Starbucks have coffe and rest, then walk back. When I got better I tried going further...but don't push yourself!!! Of course you're going to be winded after a few minutes! Think of all that your poor body has just been through. It's great that you are trying to get active again. I jsut recently got to the point where i joined a gym. But i had to be very firm about not wanting a personal trainer watching over me, I thought they would push me too hard.I'm not trying to loose weight, just get my strength back. If I loose weight...Bonus!
    As for tips..just do what you love. Never mind if you can't do it as well as before. If you like walking then walk. Even if you have to drive to the park to do it. I personally enjoy swimming. It's great exercise and fun and you don't even realise it untill you get out of the pool. If you are having trouble with your luings you may wanna be a little carefull about monitoring your breathing and heart rate, but your doc will know more about that. Keep water handy! Water water water makes all the difference in recovery. You're still flushing all that chemo out of your system.
    So good luck to you with your recovery!
  • karieallen
    karieallen Member Posts: 23
    #4
    I'd like to add the great replies you have gotten so far.. It's great that you are feeling like exercising. keep doing it.. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY is the biggest advice I can give...do what you can, and your body will come back, give yourself time!
    I didn't push myself for a year after treatment but still did some exercise. Then I took up bicycle riding during the second year after treatment..now I ride a lot, I do charity bike rides (150 miles in two days) and I compensate for the loss of heart/lung capacity by resting when winded...
    so keep moving, and have fun, best of health to you.

    Karie
  • lhodnet
    lhodnet Member Posts: 62
    #5
    I am 9 months out of treatment with Stanford V regimen and 25 radiation treatments to chest and my lower neck. I haven't been able to start up until this month because of tingling in my legs post chemo.

    I have been very down about this b/c I have always been active, sports oriented and even played sports in college - what I have done is stuck to things like pilates and walking - even with the pilates I have to take it slow. So I have decided that when I wake up and I feel like walking or working out. I tell myself what I feel like doing - ie: i feel like going on the eliptical for 45 minutes. lol - I know I can't make it for 45 minutes, but that is what my mind wants to do. So, I cut the time in 1/2 (I used to cut it into a 1/3 or 1/4) but at least this way it is an attainable goal and I don't get frustrated b/c I can't go the entire 45 minutes.

    I guess what I am saying is that you have to reset your goals and make them attainable for your body. Every day you will feel different post-chemo and you need to take that into account. More often than not, your mind will want more than your body can support, so cut it down and make it so you can accomplish your goal. This will also help your mind from going nuts :)

    I hope that this helps - good luck in your recovery!

Discussion Boards