Did you wear a "fitness" heart-rate monitor prior to diagnosis?

kjophoto

After being diagnosed, we all wonder how we could "get" breast cancer. Both myself, and my "Breast Friend," had surgery the same day. We were both diagnosed with same stage, node neg, estrogen positive tumors. After some conversation, we both realized we'd been wearing heart-rate monitors for the previous two years. We both ate healthier than any "post-cancer" diet we've seen and worked out 4-6 days a week. I have scoured the internet and literature looking for any studies, correlations, or info on the relation of breast cancer and heart-rate monitors. I see a lot of men wearing these, which could potentially explain their risk. These are the monitors that come in two pieces. One piece straps around your chest, running directly under your breasts, and the second piece is your wristwatch. It receives the signal from the strap around your chest and turns it into real-time data.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? If you too wore one of these, I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks,
xoxoxo
Kelly

Megan M

Hi Kelly and welcome to the
Hi Kelly and welcome to the club that none of us wanted to join. I do not wear a heart rate monitor, never have, but I wanted to make sure you knew that we welcome you to the site.

In my opinion, there are so many factors that could, and I say could, contribute to bc. I don't know if there is any right or wrong way to live. I've known women that had no bc ever in their family, were healthy, ate right and did everything that we should all do.

Wishing you good luck Kelly!


Hugs, Megan

kjophoto

Megan M said:

Hi Kelly and welcome to the
Hi Kelly and welcome to the club that none of us wanted to join. I do not wear a heart rate monitor, never have, but I wanted to make sure you knew that we welcome you to the site.

In my opinion, there are so many factors that could, and I say could, contribute to bc. I don't know if there is any right or wrong way to live. I've known women that had no bc ever in their family, were healthy, ate right and did everything that we should all do.

Wishing you good luck Kelly!


Hugs, Megan

Thanks!
Thanks Megan! That's the toughest thing about the club... no one knows how they got it or where it comes from. I'd love to see more research being done on it. When I was diagnosed I asked all the typical questions and was told "no, that can't cause breast cancer." Yet, no one could say with accuracy what did. I am the first woman in my family to ever develop breast cancer. I'm younger than the average, healthy, etc... Ha. Maybe it's stress!?!?! Thanks again for your message. Enjoy your weekend!

Rague

Never used one.
I've never used one of those gadgets. I also was fit, ate a good diet, healthy and no family history on either side of my family of any form of cancer in at least the last 4 generations. There are several 'things' in my life though tht could have singularly or in conjuction with the others that may have been the cause of my IBC. i had radiation to my throat when my tonsils were thaken out at 1 1/2 yrs old, I lived as a small child in the West not too far from where nuclear tests were done, I worked in jobs that exposed me to chemicals (hairdresser, screen printing, and upholstery) - so who knows?- not me. It happened so I deal with it.

Susan

Double Whammy

Rague said:

Never used one.
I've never used one of those gadgets. I also was fit, ate a good diet, healthy and no family history on either side of my family of any form of cancer in at least the last 4 generations. There are several 'things' in my life though tht could have singularly or in conjuction with the others that may have been the cause of my IBC. i had radiation to my throat when my tonsils were thaken out at 1 1/2 yrs old, I lived as a small child in the West not too far from where nuclear tests were done, I worked in jobs that exposed me to chemicals (hairdresser, screen printing, and upholstery) - so who knows?- not me. It happened so I deal with it.

Susan

In what part of your breast was your tumor?
Back in the day (15-20 years ago), I ran and wore a heart rate monitor. It died, but I bought a new one several years ago. Then, of course, I fell off the exercise wagon again and it's lived in a drawer for at least 3 years. My breast tumor was at 6 o'clock in my right breast which would have put it close to where the belt was worn but the transmitter itself was always mid chest.

This is intesting, especially with the correlation between cell phones and brain cancer.

Suzanne

MAJW

Double Whammy said:

In what part of your breast was your tumor?
Back in the day (15-20 years ago), I ran and wore a heart rate monitor. It died, but I bought a new one several years ago. Then, of course, I fell off the exercise wagon again and it's lived in a drawer for at least 3 years. My breast tumor was at 6 o'clock in my right breast which would have put it close to where the belt was worn but the transmitter itself was always mid chest.

This is intesting, especially with the correlation between cell phones and brain cancer.

Suzanne

According..
To my Oncologist, to quote him....." We don't know what causes Breast cancer, if we did, we could possibly prevent it."

cabbott

Cancer causes
One of the things I had to learn once I was diagnosed is that doctors really don't know what causes most cancers. I had heard that smoking causes cancer. I didn't smoke and figured I'd never get cancer. Guess what? I have been diagnosed both with breast cancer (unknown cause, 2002) and lung cancer (unknown cause, 2006). I have eaten a rainbow diet all my life, stayed away from known carcinigens like pesticides and herbicides, the house is radon free,I exercised,my weight is great,my family tree doesn't have previous breast cancer or lung cancer or associated cancers in it. I live in the mid-atlantic. I'm female. My periods started a month before I was twelve. Those are my risk factors. Obviously that was enough but it doesn't really make sense. If you want to give up the heart monitor, go ahead. Right now the number of women getting breast cancer is rising. It was 1 out of 25 in other parts of the world and here a century ago and way back to the earliest times of medical history. It is not just a disease of modern life. But something in our world is off because the rate was 1 out of 12 when I was a teen, 1 out of 10 when I was diagnosed, and 1 out of 8 last I checked.Genetics account for only about 10% of all breast cancers. Men with breast cancer are very likely to have genetic components, so their daughters should be tested. White educated women get it more than black women, but black women have more aggressive kinds of breast cancer.Early pregnancy reduces risk. Better detection may also play a part, increasing the rate in some cases. Some genetic disorders come with a risk of breast cancer (weirdest example I found so far: folks with hairy earlobes and stubborn body odor should be followed!). Overweight folks can expect a higher rate because of exposure to more estrogen. Birth control pills carry a risk. I for one would like a cure, no matter what the rate or cause.

cabbott

Cancer causes
Sorry, this posted three times!

cabbott

Cancer causes
Sorry, this posted three times!

sari_r

heart rate monitor
I was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago through a punch biopsy done by my dermatologist. I went to the dermatologist because I noticed a bump under the heart rate monitor transmitter strap. The tumor is adjacent to my right breast, but not in it. This tissue can not be seen in a mammogram.

I started a vigorous elliptical routine last August, wearing the heart rate monitor for 1 1/2 hours a day.

I sense, intuitively, that the heart rate monitor caused the tumor. It's just so coincidental. Also, the location of the tumor, which is the primary and only tumor, is very unusual - between the skin and rib cage, not in the breast itself. It has not been staged yet because of the location.

No lymph nodes seem to be enlarged, but it is 3 cm large.

I think the connection between heart rate monitors and cancer should definitely be investigated. I'll post any info I find.

Sari

Lighthouse_7

sari_r said:

heart rate monitor
I was diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago through a punch biopsy done by my dermatologist. I went to the dermatologist because I noticed a bump under the heart rate monitor transmitter strap. The tumor is adjacent to my right breast, but not in it. This tissue can not be seen in a mammogram.

I started a vigorous elliptical routine last August, wearing the heart rate monitor for 1 1/2 hours a day.

I sense, intuitively, that the heart rate monitor caused the tumor. It's just so coincidental. Also, the location of the tumor, which is the primary and only tumor, is very unusual - between the skin and rib cage, not in the breast itself. It has not been staged yet because of the location.

No lymph nodes seem to be enlarged, but it is 3 cm large.

I think the connection between heart rate monitors and cancer should definitely be investigated. I'll post any info I find.

Sari

I've never used one of these
I've never used one of these and this is the first I've heard of it.
I'm no doctor but I highly doubt there's a connection. Just sayin'.
Wanda

MellieMc

Who Knows? Interesting though.
I've only ever worn one for a few times. It is the Polar brand. I'm glad you mentioned this because I had gotten it out to begin wearing when I walked. I don't think I will now.

All I know is that I have been dx with BC. I just keep it simple or try to do this. For some reason those cells in me decided to begin growing or something triggered it. I don't know why or what caused it.

Good luck to you!

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Elaine_wi

Never wore one

It's an interesting subject, but I have never worn a heart rate monitor. After I was diagnosed I wondered what I had done to cause cancer but I'll never know if it was something environmental, related to lifestyle, or a random genetic mutation.