regaining arm strength & lymphedema

AmyBH

I have some nerve damage from my surgery and radiation that I am in physical therapy for. I have been told that I should never lift more than 15 pounds in the affected hand/arm. I have also been told that due to the osteoperosis that developed from chemo & family history, I should be doing weight bearing exercises to build bone strength and density. How careful must I be with the 15#? I do not want to chance getting lymphdedema (I have had trunk lymph but nothing on the arm to date). I finished all treatment 1/24/05 other than PT. Thanks.

krisrey

Hi Amy,
As with anything....always check with your doctors first before any exercise program.
That being said....I just wanted to tell you that I was also told not to lift more than 15 pounds. For me that was difficult because I do weight training and also am in training for certification. I can tell you that at first I was very careful and had limited strength and flexability (rads and chemo completed 12/03, but now I am bench pressing 65 or more pounds.
Like you I was very afraid of lifting but since I was doing it before I gradudally got myself back to where I was before.
Weight training is VERY important...especially for us bc survivors because of the early menopause..thanks to the chemo. You can do a varity of weight training exercises as long as you go into it gradually.
I am currently looking into working with women...like yourself to help them get their strength back after surgery and treatments. Some women I am finding that they never had any type of exercise program and are now being told by their docs to lose some weight and try to get some exercise. I am finding that these women are lost on how to go about it getting started.
If you would like any help, please feel free to email me.