Muscle Recovery after Chemo

[Deb33]

I finished my 6th and last TCH 3 weeks ago and am struggling to get my muscle strength and tone back. I have always been a runner and continued running until after my 4th cycle when my muscles became so rigid and painful that walking was all I could accomplish. My PA finally told me that chemo is hard on muscle tone. I began taking glutamine supplements 1000 mg twice a day but no real improvement. Now 3 weeks out and I am increasing the glutamine to 5000 mg twice a day with the hopes of rehydrating my muscles.
Does anyone have any success stories/practices that will help me get back to my "pre chemo" fitness? I have 12 more Herceptin treatments every 3 weeks but that should only affect my heart - not my muscle tone and I am taking CoQ10 and D Ribose to help offset that side affect. I appreciate any helpful hints.

[StephN]

Hello Deb -

Yes chemotherapy normally saps a patient's strength in several ways. Some neuropathy is absolutely normal.

I also took the L-glutamine in a powder form on my food. It got to where I had a hard time making my thighs climb, or go down, stairs.

My doctor suggested that I have protein with each meal even during my treatment. I made the effort to have good quality protein.

For me it took going to my neighborhood gym and working with a trainer a couple of times to assess my weaknesses and strength levels. A workout routine was established that I could handle, and I took 2 rest days between gym visits at the beginning.

It looks like you are taking some good supplements that ought to help in your recovery. It WILL get better. And the Herceptin should ot affect your heart as this is only in a very small percentange of patients.

[snolan]

I'm a competitive cyclist, I was like you in that I kept active during the chemo, didn't have any mm pain, but it took me about 2 months of training both on the bike and in the gym to start to feel like I was seeing results. I started back full forces in Feb, feeling back to normal, but still get a little tired after long rides ie, 50 mi on road or 20 mi on the mountain, more fatigued then I used to but it is coming around. My suppliments include CoQ-10, multil vit, calcuim, Quercetin, Aici berry liquid form. I was feeling impatient with my comeback but just focused on the workouts and pretty soon was keeping up with my workout partner and my riding group. It will come.