Excercise

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jtl
jtl Member Posts: 456
edited February 2012 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I know there are some real excerise buffs on this forum. How much to you folks believe this has helped you in not only fighting cancer but helping with your recovery from treatment. Personally speaking I think cardio workouts are benefical although there was a period of a month or so where all I could do is take a short walk. I always was taught that if you don't work up a sweat it is not enough. I can no longer do the long runs so I substituted an elliptical workout. Thoughts?

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  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
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    My routine is this:
    work out until I'm tough as nails. Get cancer. Decondition during treatment. Work out until I'm tough as nails. Get cancer. Decondition during treatment. Work out until...

    Well, you get the point. I actually ran a half marathon the day before I was diagnosed this last time. I'm a firm believer in exercise, in both its effects on body, and especially on mind. I have two weeks left to go in this treatment, and I'll be back at it again. I know it will be a slow process, because I've lost a whole lot again this time. But I also know I will get back into condition eventually.

    I personify the adage: "just do it."

    Of course, there has to be adjustment of level and type of activity for age and infirmity. The goal I missed by getting this last cancer was I was ready to go on a several week long backpacking trip on the OzarkHighlands Trail. Still got my equipment out, or rather, put in a spare closet waiting for me. But then, while on this board, I met AdventureBob and got invited to eventually backpack the Grand Canyon. That might even be an ok trade-off.

    Pat
  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
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    longtermsurvivor said:

    My routine is this:
    work out until I'm tough as nails. Get cancer. Decondition during treatment. Work out until I'm tough as nails. Get cancer. Decondition during treatment. Work out until...

    Well, you get the point. I actually ran a half marathon the day before I was diagnosed this last time. I'm a firm believer in exercise, in both its effects on body, and especially on mind. I have two weeks left to go in this treatment, and I'll be back at it again. I know it will be a slow process, because I've lost a whole lot again this time. But I also know I will get back into condition eventually.

    I personify the adage: "just do it."

    Of course, there has to be adjustment of level and type of activity for age and infirmity. The goal I missed by getting this last cancer was I was ready to go on a several week long backpacking trip on the OzarkHighlands Trail. Still got my equipment out, or rather, put in a spare closet waiting for me. But then, while on this board, I met AdventureBob and got invited to eventually backpack the Grand Canyon. That might even be an ok trade-off.

    Pat

    Can't say enough about yoga
    and how it has helped my neck after the dissection. I attribute full mobility and movement to restorative yoga poses. I also just started doing some Qi Gong which is very beneficial to the head and neck, perhaps more than yoga. I think you should aspire to get somewhere near the level you were at prior to diagnosis. Mentally, it's very therapeutic to be doing something positive for your well being which has a huge effect in living better day to day. By all means embark on some program today.
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #4
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    Exercise
    I am a believer in the benefits of exercise during/after treatment. I came across research which showed cancer patients that maintained a moderate level of exercise during treatment generally tolerated and responded to treatment better than those that did not exercise.

    Like you, during the latter part of treatment and into the recovery period it was all I could handle to take a leisurely 15-20 minute walk. Luckily, I tolerated treatment fairly well and post treatment recovery was good. Did the exercise help with this? Who knows, perhaps it would have been the same either way. But it certainly didn't hurt.

    Another benefit of exercise was on the mental side. Just getting out and taking a walk in the park would do wonders for my attitude. It gave a sense of accomplishment for one and also would take my mind onto fresh avenues of thought. Going through treatment, radiation 6 days a week along with chemo week after week, it's hard not to dwell on the precarious situation we find ourselves in.

    Speaking of working up a sweat, the very first run I took post treatment was all of 5 minutes, felt like 25 minutes and I was sweating bullets afterwards. I am 18 months out and recently ran a 10K. Now that was a great feeling! Cheers.

    Jimbo

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