Exercising while doing chemotherapy

CoachFrenchie

Hello everyone!
I was wondering if anyone has been through this? I find myself with so little energy that making it through my workouts is more and more difficult. I lift at around 50% of my weights right now. Fatigue and nausea are probably my biggest problems. Any ideas? Beside rest. I get bored😁🤗 tricks I should try?
Thank you

aokoye

I know of people who have exercised through chemo. That said this is 100% something you should be discussing with your oncologist(s) and possibly other healthcare providers. Their advice trumps ours in a very major way.

Sending you the best of luck!

CoachFrenchie

I have naturally consulted with them before. I am looking for ideas on how to fight symptoms , specially nausea. I am free to workout and train for my next comp .

aokoye

Have you asked them about how to combat the symptoms you're having when you exercise? If so, my other suggestion would be to look blogs written people doing similar things. I know that I, very randomly, found the blog of a masters rower who rowed through her cancer treatment. I don't remember if she had chemotherapy, radiation, or both. Either way, given how easy it was for me to find that (it wasn't what I was looking for), I'm sure there are resources and blogs out there.

AnnPT77

I did chemotherapy back when exercising during treatment was discouraged (and I wasn't very active then anyway).

Hoever, I did wrestle with the nausea. Maybe you've already figured this out, but I found chemo-induced nausea to be different from nausea (like from stomach bugs) that I'd experienced in the past, with respect to how best to minimize/manage it.

I found that starting to eat as soon as I could possibly tolerate it (as soon as things would stay down) was the best strategy, and that what I could tolerate without aggravating the nausea had to be prioritized over nutrition, at least right at first (i.e., in the worst part of each cycle). Obviously, nutrition is still important, but if you can keep down bland carb-y things but not protein, eat the potatoes or bread or rice, and save the chicken for when it'll stay down. Adequate calories, priority 1. Nutrition, 2.

As things moved on, my nausea was minimized if I had a little something in my stomach all the time, so I kept nibbling regularly. I carried crackers and lemon drop hard candy with me everywhere. (I'm not saying those things are special; they were just things that were easy to carry that I tolerated well.)

For the fatigue, realistically, I don't have a great recommendation. Your red blood cells are just not in a state to do what they'd normally do, among other issues. Hydration, nutrition when feasible, plenty of rest/sleep, minimized stress - but you already knew that.

I assume that you've already talked to your treatment team, including the cancer center dietitician if they have one. I hope that conversation has gone very throughly into side effects management, if those are interfering extra badly with your life. They have backup tricks in their toolbox sometimes, that they don't use unless needful (usually because of cost or secondary risks/side effects).

Because I had extra bad digestive side effects (couldn't keep water or oral anti-nausea meds down for 24 hours-ish, starting 5 hours after treatment), I got moved from common anti-nausea drugs to less common/more expensive ones from one cycle to the next, on one type of chemo I was doing. They also added extra sessions of IV hydration and more IV anti-nausea meds to my treatment regimen for the same reason. It helped a lot.

I assume you know about the drugs that build blood cells back up a bit more quickly (but also have pretty severe side effects themselves).

Unfortunately, as I'm sure you know, there's probably no way to move through this while maintaining your normal routine with full energy and effectiveness. Trying to do as much as you can, within the constraints of getting enough rest, is still a good thing to do, for psychological reasons as well as physical ones. But please do treat yourself with grace, recognizing/appreciating when you're doing as much as you can even if it's less than your fully-healthy self did, and realizing that you'll need certain types of self-nuturing (like more rest/sleep) than normal.

Let others who care about you nuture you, too, and do things for you. I know one likes to be tough and independent, but others' help can help you conserve your limited energy, and it helps them, too: Those who care the most often feel helpless in the face of what you're going through, and giving them helping tasks to do can be a gift to them in that scenario.

I always tell people chemo was my worst-ever hobby. It can be tough. My heart goes out to you, and please know that I'm over here sending strength, and hopes for the best possible outcome for you!

pinuplove

No advice (Ann covered it all beautifully and with first-hand experience to boot). But wanted to wish you the best. Are there any less active hobbies you'd be interested in learning (knitting, crochet, calligraphy, drawing, etc)? Just something to occupy your time. Or else a pile of good books.

Aaron_K123

I'd consult with your doctor and not take advice of people like me on the internet. That said I do have one thought.

Almost all chemotherapy drugs work by killing replicating cells in your body while leaving non-replicating cells alone. In doing so it affects the cancer (which is consistantly replicating) more than most cells in your body...which are not. That said cells in your body that are replicating, like hair...stomach lining etc ends up getting killed as well which is largely why you end up with hair loss and nausea.

So...knowing this...exercise tends to cause damage to muscle tissue which is then repaired through cellular replication. I'd be concerned that during chemo exercise might cause muscle breakdown rather than strengthening as cells that enter replication to repair muscle damage would be killed by the chemo.

This is just speculation on my part though so check with your doctor.

charitymck

I am a cancer survivor and did exercise for the first couple rounds but was to sick to continue. I just want to wish you the best of luck and hang in there and beat that cancer! Do what you can! Even if it’s a quarter of what you use to do!

CoachFrenchie

Thanks to all. My team's goal, as mine, is to push within limits while staying on treatments. I appreciate every single idea as they keep me investigating more and more. To be in charge is very important to me.

initiation0

Cancer survivor..... The first week I was down.........I slept.........Second week I felt better........I then walked.. Talk with your oncologist see what he/she has to say. well wishes.

shaf238

Wishing you all the strength in your recovery.

CSARdiver

Move with caution. I went through surgery followed by chemo followed up with radiation and tried to keep up my normal throughout and this worked against me in the long run.

With the chemo I didn't want to eat. Looking back I should have been forcing every conceivable calorie down my throat. I should have gone into maintenance mode with my workouts and just stuck to a slow jog/swim pace instead of pushing myself.

Give your body time to heal and take it easy. Speak with your physician and possibly bring in a sports medicine specialist to set you up with a sustainable routine that will not hinder your treatment.

Prayers up!

The_Aly_Wei

Ann covered it well.

I personally started back into it slowly- usually walks. Then i began jogs. Then i began trail runs. I would keep active and do some farm chores when able...which was more often than not. I regret not doing more to maintain my previous condition, honestly. Do what you can. Push yourself when you feel you can. Simple as that.

I wish you strength and health

wmd1979

I was able to exercise through my first three rounds, but after that I just found that I didn't have the strength any longer. Chemo definitely does a number on your body and it makes recovery near impossible. My best advice would be to make sure your body is properly fueled during this time and be kind to yourself. I felt guilty about not working out, but your body truly does just need to rest during this time. I came back even stronger once it was all said and done, and it was much more satisfying once I got to that point.

tbright1965

It was exercise just to take the stairs when I was doing chemo.

This is a question for your medical staff, not a web forum.

I can tell you this, if you just spent the week doing inpatient chemo (bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin) it's probably not a good idea to try to use your helium balloons to change your voice for a new answering machine (am I giving away my age) message?

That was my treatment. Five days in patient for that cocktail during the week and then bleomycin the following two Wednesday's and then back to inpatient for another week. A total of 18 weeks in 1994.

I almost passed out after I took a breath of the helium.

I can't imagine doing any sort of meaningful exercise given I was so close to passing out after the chemo savaged my blood counts to the point where one breath of helium brought me close to passing out.

I literally experienced my vision closing down to a small "tunnel" and I had to drop to my knees and put my head down to keep from totally passing out.

I can't imagine any sort of exercise would have been recommended for me.

So please, don't ask us, ask your treatment team for advice.

AnnPT77

Oops, duplicate post: My browser said first post attempt failed. It lied. :flowerforyou:

Just to fill in readers who may not be aware:

Moderate exercise is now being recommended during chemotherapy for some types of cancer, most notably breast and colon cancer, including for people new to regular exercise. (Italics important. OP has made quite clear that's she's been in consultation with her treatment team about this issue, as a sensible person should.)

These are patient/public resources from very mainstream expert bodies (but the research is there to back them up).

https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/news-releases/exercising-during-chemotherapy-breast-or-colon-cancer-has-long
https://www.nccn.org/patients/resources/life_with_cancer/exercise.aspx

OP has clearly started from a different place than the people for whom those patient guides were written. She has been working out, and apparently hard, for a long time.

Obviously, it makes a difference what type of chemo is being used (I know that a lot of people think "chemo" is kind of all one thing, but no). Obviously, different people will have different reactions to the same chemo, because the stuff is such an extreme challenge to the body.

No one should do any of this without close consultation with his/her treatment team . . . something OP made clear in her 2nd post on this thread that she has done, and she repeated this again with more emphasis later.

She asked for help with managing side effects, especially fatigue and nausea, during her treatments.

Do any of those who've commented about how they were unable to exercise during treatment, or who have been through treatment but didn't exercise for other reasons, have any advice for her about tips for managing nausea or fatigue (we've mentioned rest, as she did in her OP)? You may have such tips, even if you personally didn't or couldn't exercise.

These issues - coping with side effects in a practical sense - are legit topics for peer support. My RL support group offers much more nuanced, detailed advice on these topics than anything my treatment team provided (and my team provided good info). (Clearly anything radical, like supplements, would need to be checked with that treatment team. OP seems pretty sensible.)

AnnPT77

Just to fill in readers who may not be aware:

Moderate exercise is now being recommended during chemotherapy for some types of cancer, most notably breast and colon cancer, including for people new to regular exercise. (Italics important. OP has made quite clear that's she's been in consultation with her treatment team about this issue, as a sensible person should.)

These are patient/public resources from very mainstream expert bodies (but the research is there to back them up).

https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/news-releases/exercising-during-chemotherapy-breast-or-colon-cancer-has-long
https://www.nccn.org/patients/resources/life_with_cancer/exercise.aspx

OP has clearly started from a different place than the people for whom those patient guides were written. She has been working out, and apparently hard, for a long time.

Obviously, it makes a difference what type of chemo is being used (I know that a lot of people think "chemo" is kind of all one thing, but no). Obviously, different people will have different reactions to the same chemo, because the stuff is such an extreme challenge to the body.

No one should do any of this without close consultation with his/her treatment team . . . something OP made clear in her 2nd post on this thread that she has done, and she repeated this again with more emphasis later.

She asked for help with managing side effects, especially fatigue and nausea, during her treatments.

Do any of those who've commented about how they were unable to exercise during treatment, or who have been through treatment but didn't exercise for other reasons, have any advice for her about tips for managing nausea or fatigue (we've mentioned rest, as she did in her OP)? You may have such tips, even if you personally didn't or couldn't exercise.

These issues - coping with side effects in a practical sense - are legit topics for peer support. My RL support group offers much more nuanced, detailed advice on these topics than anything my treatment team provided (and my team provided good info). (Clearly anything radical, like supplements, would need to be checked with that treatment team. OP seems pretty sensible.)

AnnPT77

Spartan546, I'm sorry, I kind of waltzed by the boredom issue you mentioned. I was thinking that that might mean you were bored with reduced workouts, but it may be more than that . . . and even if it was just about workouts, I should've picked up on that.

Do you currently do any mild but physically beneficial activities, like stretching/yoga? This might be a good time to expand a bit in that kind of lower-energy but still beneficial area.

I would've had trouble learning something like Tai Chi during treatment, as cognitive compromises loomed very large among my side effects, but things like yoga or regular stretches (where I could review instructions for an asana or stretch right before doing it ) were manageable. If you're not having the chemobrain nonsense as much (or know a form already), Tai Chi could be a candidate.

I liked @pinuplove's idea about new or revived hobbies, too. I'd add that some of my friends, during treatment, got a good bit out of general experiential journaling, art journaling, or gratitude journaling, and they recommend it in support group to those starting treatment.

I don't know what you're finding, but one thing I experienced as treatment went on was that the physical depletion inherently increased the challenge of maintaining a positive mood.

I went in really big for watching comedy movies, especially the screwball comedies of the 1930s-40s (which I love - things like "Bringing Up Baby" and the Thin Man series).

It's something I usually feel dismissively about, but I also used guided meditation/visualization audios during treatment, and feel like I got something out of that. It actually helped manage some side effects (like the anticipatory nausea I experienced before chemo round 2, after round 1 was kinda rocky). There are a bunch of these around, including many aimed at cancer patients. Maybe kinda cheesy, but I was desperate, and I have to admit got some help there.

I'm also a fan of benefits of simple meditation (like http://www.relaxationresponse.org/steps/ ). It's not something I make room for in my daily healthy life (even though I know it would be beneficial ), but since I was physically less energetic during chemo, it was something that fit in well, and was good for me. Restful sleep was a challenge for me during treatment and beyond, and meditation offset that problem a bit.

If you can afford it, and your treatment team approves, another thing that was a huge help to me during treatment was a regular professional massage from a good massage therapist (with therapeutic credentials, not just relaxation massage). My treatment team had some guidance on certain things being off limits at certain times (had to do laying-on-back only for a long time until my mastectomy scars were fully stable; no massage on even faintly pink areas during radiation; that sort of thing). I'm not going to claim any great medical magic from it, but it felt good, and the therapeutic credentials are mostly about the idea that those folks are best at finding/improving areas where we personally hold tension.

Just a few random thoughts on the boredom front.

Again, best wishes: Every day is one day closer to completing treatment, and emerging more motivated and stronger as a whole person than ever.

CSARdiver

Thanks @AnnPT77 - meant to add that and lost it in multitasking.

Exercise was one of the best therapies for me and I found myself lost in the work instead of focusing on the pain and/or nausea. Just don't push it too hard.

There are several sources for hyperpalatable foods on various cancer sites, but in general think of any calorie bomb foods. My go to was KFC mashed potatoes and gravy - it's a combination of high sugar/salt and carbs:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer/art-20047536

I drank gallons of mint tea and had black licorice and hard rock candy mints on hand at all times.

"Jello-juice" - jello before it hardens is another good one. Syrupy thick and easy to keep down. Mix with a protein supplement to make it more worthwhile. I find this one great for all patients experiencing nausea.

dnunny70

I am trying to exercise. I was so fatigued on my first chemo drug. I counted it a good day to just be able to go from my bed to the couch and then back upstairs to bed.

The lack of movement and the steroids have caused me to gain weight! Oncologist isn’t concerned! Ahhh!!

I am onto my next chemo drug and I seem to have more energy, but still tired. Going to the gym this week.

My goal when I go is to just move. Due to surgery, I have limited range of motion in my right arm—this I don’t lift a lot of weights.

AnnPT77

dnunny70 wrote: »

I am trying to exercise. I was so fatigued on my first chemo drug. I counted it a good day to just be able to go from my bed to the couch and then back upstairs to bed.

The lack of movement and the steroids have caused me to gain weight! Oncologist isn’t concerned! Ahhh!!

I am onto my next chemo drug and I seem to have more energy, but still tired. Going to the gym this week.

My goal when I go is to just move. Due to surgery, I have limited range of motion in my right arm—this I don’t lift a lot of weights.

Yeah: Oncologists don't usually want us to lose weight during chemo. There'll be time for that after, truly.

You mention surgery & arm: Was this breast cancer & lymph nodes, by any chance? If so, there's physical therapy for that - if your oncologist hasn't offered, maybe ask. There are also specifically designed exercise programs; Lebed method is one example, and Healthy Steps one implementation of the method (http://www.gohealthysteps.com/). There's also a book, and Dana Farber Cancer Center has some videos (https://www.dana-farber.org/health-library/videos/lebed-method--simple-exercises-for-cancer-patients/).

(I'm an 18+ year survivor of stage III breast cancer, and the full menu of treatment for it.)

Best wishes!

tbright1965

Man, you were lucky (if there is such a thing on Chemo) as I couldn't stand to eat much of anything.

The chemo gave me a hyper sensitive sense of smell, combine that with the constant metallic taste in my mouth after Cisplatin, and I was on a steady diet of starlight mints and Coke or Mt Dew for about a week after my in patient chemo.

Then, all I could stand to eat was chili with about a 1/2 bottle of hot sauce so I could taste something other than metal in my mouth.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat on a three week cycle.

It's a great weight loss regimen, but I'd not even recommend it to my ex-wife.

CSARdiver wrote: »

Thanks @AnnPT77 - meant to add that and lost it in multitasking.

Exercise was one of the best therapies for me and I found myself lost in the work instead of focusing on the pain and/or nausea. Just don't push it too hard.

There are several sources for hyperpalatable foods on various cancer sites, but in general think of any calorie bomb foods. My go to was KFC mashed potatoes and gravy - it's a combination of high sugar/salt and carbs:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer/art-20047536

I drank gallons of mint tea and had black licorice and hard rock candy mints on hand at all times.

"Jello-juice" - jello before it hardens is another good one. Syrupy thick and easy to keep down. Mix with a protein supplement to make it more worthwhile. I find this one great for all patients experiencing nausea.

lorrpb

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2017/07/30/chin-up-cancer-survivors-rise-challenge-triathlons/523539001/

mbaker566

it won't help completely but if you can do it, ginger can help. ginger tea, gum, strips, NA beer, ale.

otherwise, zentrip helped a lot with nausea too

CSARdiver

lorrpb wrote: »

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/2017/07/30/chin-up-cancer-survivors-rise-challenge-triathlons/523539001/

When I was first diagnosed I conducted a bit of research and discovered a statistical anomaly concerning elite level athletes, scientists, business professionals, etc. Essentially that an unusual number of people at the top of their field faced incredible challenges and overcame these. I would imagine this diagnosis made them realize that life is short and time is not to be wasted.

AliNouveau

Wow you guys are warriors.

I am not a survivor. I helped my dad through his treatments. I spent countless hours sitting at the hospital with him waiting for and getting his treatments and therefore hearing everything that was suggested.

Light exercise was suggested. Walking in particular. But listen to your body. My brother would take my dad to the gym for light treadmill workouts and it did wonders for his mental wellbeing just getting out in the world doing normal things.

As for nausea, I gave him lots of peppermint tea. I think we tried dandelion tea but he didn't like that at all. Luckily my dad didn't have a ton of nausea. Oh although he'd get a drip of anti nausea meds when getting his chemo so maybe that's why.

Good luck, keep fighting. It's an evil disease.

YvetteK2015

I know all chemo protocols are different, and anyone who can do any physical activity through theirs, I commend you. I had to wear a bag for 96 hours of straight chemotherapy, so there was not an ounce of energy left in me by the time it was done. Walking from the bedroom to the bathroom left me breathless.

As for nausea, zofran is usually the drip they give you while you are being administered chemo, but there is also another med that is great for nausea that I took like candy which was thorazine. With the thorazine, I rarely if ever felt nauseous the entire 5 months of treatment.

CoachFrenchie

I want to thank you all for advices and tips. I am currently having chemotherapy and Immunotherapy...doing extremely well. My strength is back, training is back on track, still teaching full time, and the nauseas , well, let's just say I keep a garbage can close to my lifting platform. But it doesn't stop me; slows me down, that's all.
Much love. See you next comp.

AnnPT77

spartan546 wrote: »

I want to thank you all for advices and tips. I am currently having chemotherapy and Immunotherapy...doing extremely well. My strength is back, training is back on track, still teaching full time, and the nauseas , well, let's just say I keep a garbage can close to my lifting platform. But it doesn't stop me; slows me down, that's all.
Much love. See you next comp.

Thank you for taking the time to get back to us: I've been wondering how you were doing. I'm sorry you haven't completely conquered the nausea (or at least come closer than you have so far ), but happy you're finding it possible to continue working out. Cheering you on from a distance, now & future!

AnnPT77

spartan546 wrote: »

I want to thank you all for advices and tips. I am currently having chemotherapy and Immunotherapy...doing extremely well. My strength is back, training is back on track, still teaching full time, and the nauseas , well, let's just say I keep a garbage can close to my lifting platform. But it doesn't stop me; slows me down, that's all.
Much love. See you next comp.

Thank you for taking the time to get back to us: I've been wondering how you were doing. I'm sorry you haven't completely conquered the nausea (or at least come closer than you have so far ), but happy you're finding it possible to continue working out. Cheering you on from a distance, now & future!

fishgutzy

My father's "workout" when he was on chemo consisted of going to the tennis club and reading a book or the news paper. He didn't have the energy to do more than that. He never got back to playing tennis though. It was found too late.