fitness levels after rads
fitness levels after rads I finished my rads 4 weeks ago and have got back into running again. I am finding my usual 2 mile run a bit of a struggle as my lungs do not seem to want to work as well as they did. I had lumpectomy in November, 15 sessions of rads in February. Maybe I am just out of condition but I am wondering if it is a side effect of the rads. Has anyone else had a similar experience exercising after rads?
fitness levels I had a mastectomy last year, 6 cycles of chemo and 15 sessions of radiotherapy that ended on 27th Feb. I use a gym regularly and although I kept on training after my surgery and during treatment, it was a revised, reduced programme. I also swam regularly and did a lot of hillwalking, back packing, etc before I was diagnosed. My fitness is not what it was before all of this. During rads, I found I became increasingly tired/fatigued and was absolutley shattered by the end of it. I am now starting to feel better very gradually. I find that the amount of cardio I can do is slowly increasing. I’m just taking it very steady. My BC nurse advised me that the treatment can cause fatigue for some time, and that you need to take it easy. She also advised me not to try to do too much when I do feel okay. From the advice I’ve had and read, and from my own experience, what you’re feeling is very common following rads. Don’t over do things and spoil yourself a bit.
Geraldine
I’ve had rads on two separate occasions now (35 sessions in all), and this time round they told me that the radiation continues to work in your system for around 3 months after you receive the actual doses. So it’s still early days if you only finished treatment a month ago - the rads are still busy doing their thing.
The good news is you can expect your stamina and general fitness to improve slowly but surely in the weeks and months ahead. In the meantime, listen to your body and do what you can when you can without being too hard on yourself - you’ve been through a lot.
Well done you for getting back into a regime so quickly, though! You’ve inspired me to go for a brisk walk in this morning’s sunshine…
Mel
Following a mastectomy in May 06 and 8 sessions of chemo, I finished my rads on 26 February and have found my fitness levels getting better each week although not as much as I’d hoped. I enrolled for the Ribbon Walk so am doing about 2/3 walks per week , with the longest being 4 miles on a Sunday. My fitness is not increasing as much as I would like and I still get aches and pains in my legs, back and hips but I’m determined to try and get my life back on track. Like you I wonder if its because I’m so out of condition because of the treatment or maybe its just the rads.
I have my 6 week check up next week so I’ll ask the Doc but I know he’ll look at me strange when I say I’m doing this and that. They don’t seem to understand that its difficult to sit moping around all day doing nothing.