Thank you so much 
I will check these out tomorrow
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Thank you @twinks77. I have just done my first round of Doxi so will have a crack of these today before the steroids wear off! Great to have some activities we can do from home. Time to get moving now.
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Love that you are making the most of your steroids. That really feels like the best f*** you to the situation. Making the best of the current moment! Ive got to keep that in mind
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I’ve got to heave myself off the sofa yet @foxgem 
it’s so warm and toasty here under my heated blanket!
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I’ve really been struggling mentally due to not getting much exercise in. I managed some walks on my first cycle then 3 light gym sessions on the last week before my 2nd cycle when I started to feel better. However this 2nd cycle has wiped me out, even during steroids part! Plus the snow hasn’t made it easy to get a walk in
However you’ve all inspired me to get my gym mat out and do some yoga today. So thank you xx
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So impressed with people running. I use to run marathons and was a climber. But during chemo I could hardly walk upstairs in my house!
Finished chemo in Nov 2025 and managing to walk 1-2 miles. Had mastectomy 3 weeks ago but now told need further surgery to remove ancillary nodes.
Worried won’t be able to go back to climbing for risk of lymphoedema?
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blimmy you are amazing x
@pilatesjane given what you used to do im sure you’ll find a way of keeping fit. Use this thread. It really helped me.
I have decided that health care professionals often know little regarding exercise (i am one, so can say that maybe). Im very glad I ignored mine on the subject of exercise. Im less than 8 weeks post chemotherapy and 4 weeks post radiotherapy now and into the next phase.
So far I’ve run and cycled less post treatment than during ( I ran over 600km during treatment). This is not cos I’m tired but cos im working longer hours and back to my old routines i think. Also I really liked setting challenges for myself during treatment….like run to radiotherapy. (Inspired by a woman who ran to chemo). Now I need new goals and challenges or I’ll regress…..or get down and give up. It’s a strange thing all this treatment.
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Hi all, I’ve just found this thread and am delighted! Thank goodness other people are in same boat as me. All your posts have been super helpful thank you.
I was diagnosed mid September and had single MX 21 November - very successful and all cancer/DCIS removed. Adjuvant chemo and herceptin (as I’m HER2 positive) began 6 February and I’m 2 cycles in now to 12 x weekly paclitaxel plus 3 weekly trastazumab injections. So far hardly any side effects and I’ve been keeping active and eating and sleeping with good energy.
I’m 56, retired (lucky me) and a daily exerciser. Always have been and until chronic injuries forced me to step things down I was doing decent amounts of long distance running including a few ultras until about 4 years ago. None of the health professionals really get it. Before cancer I was doing 3 runs, 3 spin classes, 3 weight training and 1 or 2 Pilates per week plus as much walking as weather allowed. I got back to most of that after surgery pretty quickly, though I was running fewer miles.
I’m uncertain how much to push myself during chemo even though I feel good. I’m aware my body is dealing with a lot (I’ve never had anything wrong with me before and on zero medication so my body doesn’t know what’s hit it 
) and I don’t want to give it extra stress. I’ve ditched the spin classes as the room is too small and probably full of infection. I’m still going to gym to do some weight training and cardio; I’m lucky as I can go anytime and I know when it’s quiet. I’ve walked every day 15-20,000 steps. I’ve not run as that definitely puts my heart rate up more than anything else and as I say I don’t want to stress things. But I’d like to keep the running up if I can, just not sure what to do. I was running 5-8 miles before, 3 times a week. I last did something major last March when I did a half marathon event off-road (I live in Matlock, Derbyshire so most of what I do is off road).
The other thing that’s happened is that my neutrophils have fallen off a cliff and I suspect when I have this week’s blood test I may be below the threshold so treatment will be delayed 
. I don’t want to compromise my neutrophils by pushing my body.
I appreciate no one can give categorical advice but does anyone have any thoughts at all?
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I’m interested to hear responses, Sam, as I’m very active myself and I want to continue to be as much as I can for my body/fitness and my mental health so-to-speak … I’m still in the ‘limbo stage’ as in diagnosed with TNBC four weeks ago, no lymph node involvement (had two separate biopsies to check that) and awaiting results of PET CT scan before my treatment plan is put in place of which, because it’s TNBC, is neoadjuvant chemotherapy 
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@sam1204 I like how fit you are. Your baseline exercise combination sounds incredible. I did run all through chemo and don’t think my body minded. I actually had not been running before chemo for over 6 months as id gotten out of habit and busy. The extra time while having chemo allowed me 7 to 9 hours a week for exercise which was a big improvement. Now I’m done with chemotherapy I’m working more and sadly I’m running less and struggling to organise time…..back to old habits.
Anyway I think neutrophils are not affected by running. Go 4 it if u fancy it. Maybe try a recovery run pace first?
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Thanks @outdoorsy . I actually went for a slow 5k 2 days ago and it was fine, no ill effects. Found it impossible to keep HR out of zone 4 entirely but not too worried about it. Got chemo today so will get latest blood results- let’s see what the little buggers ( neutrophils) are up to before I decide to do more!
I’ve managed to keep up 2 or 3 weight training sessions pwk and 2 Pilates as well as loads of walking. A few runs would help my cardio fitness stay vaguely good!
Thanks again for the encouragement and hope you find time for more runs yourself 
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@sam1204 I am finding your posts inspirational! 
… I have my first oncology appointment on Monday and as I am TN, it is neoadjuvant chemotherapy … at the moment, I do four strength-training sessions a week and I go straight after work when the gym is super busy! Obviously, when I start chemotheraphy I will go at quieter times … is this what you do? It does concern me about germs, but I thought that if I wear a mask and thoroughly wash my hands, anti-bac (a bit like Covid times!!), then that will be ok … what do you do in the respect of limiting germs because of immune system? If you don’t mind me asking 
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Wow @big you can help keep us in check during treatment. I love reading all the exercise posts here on the forum it really does help give me an understanding. I am determined to get up and move everyday, even just a little bit. I’m not working through this so I have lots of time to atleast get out for some good fresh air walks. I struggling with strength training as it’s not something ive done before but I am following a regime from the book Moving Through Cancer. Hopefully something is better than nothing.
I just learned today that with a PICC line they dont want you putting your arm above your head which has ruined some of my yoga plans. I’m hoping I will be able to adapt as I go
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@big inspirational! I did try and keep up the gym using the protocols you mentioned, but avoided going on a treadmill (to do a gentle walk…slipped disc problem on top of cancer) if there was a sweaty bloke huffing and puffing next to me.
I’ve had to pull out of the gym for a few months as I couldn’t handle it. The reason for going was to focus on core body strength to help with my slipped disc, but most of those were out of bounds with the PICC line. Will be back after chemo though. Might join a different gym that has a pool.
Well done to all of you who are managing to exercise to this level. You are inspirational. x
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hi everyone - have replied to Jaygo as still not able to new post…. Anyway, I finished 5 months of chemo end November, had therapeutic mammoplasty beginning of January and then 2 weeks ago a further re-excision as margins not clear.. waiting on results. Radio will be next - this is such a long bloody slog! Just wanted to share about my walking mat..my husband bought in July to help me keep me moving during chemo. I didnt use that much to be honest - either because felt so crap or went outside as weather better then. But since January have been using regularly, trying to set a goal of walking 10k steps and running for twenty mins a day. It slides under the sofa, really recommend. Not that it’s a substitute for getting out in fresh air of course. Just feel so grateful to be getting my strength back, something I thought would never happen when in the depths of chemo! To others that are enduring chemo now - your fitness / strength will get better I promise xx
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Hi @big i guess I’m very lucky as a) I don’t work any more so have loads of time and b) the gym I’m a member of is large and I know when the quiet times are. I don’t wear a mask but I do consciously not touch my face when training and do a thorough hand wash at the end. I also don’t go on machines or areas of the room where there are lots of people. Obviously that sometimes means I can’t do everything I wanted to but I’ll take that. I generally find myself a quiet corner and beaver away with a bench and free weights, just use machines if they’re very quiet. I accept it’s a risk but it’s one I’m prepared to take. I avoid other crowded places like cafes and pubs and wear a mask when I do my supermarket shop. As with everything there’s a balance; everyone has to find their own. I’m not a particularly risk averse person which might come back to bite me of course 
! Hope that helps and that you can find a way to keep training
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Great idea @jolou 
! Keep at it and hopefully with better weather you can get outside too
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I ignored the picc arm advice and did weights to 4kg but slowly. Avoided golf! And tennis and swimming! I did burpees with no issues and assorted other exercises
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I’ve read other posts about PICC lines where people are just carrying on and ignoring advice about hand above head. As with everything it’s a case of being sensible. Depends what you’re doing - I get not hefting a huge weight above your head with that arm but surely doing gentle yoga or Pilates….??
Atm I’ve opted not to have a PICC (I get a very nasty allergic skin reaction to adhesive) but that Might have to change if my veins get too battered 
.
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