Please advise about exercise

Caroline UK · 04-03-2007, 04:09 PM

Hello everyone
I'm fairly new to this site, and think it's fantastic. You are all so supportive, and funny and human. I hope to make a lot of new friends here. My question to you is about exercise. I had no idea that it is so important for us to exercise, other than knowing in a sort of vague way as we all do, that it's good for you. I've been reading some of your posts about it. Have there been studies, and should I be taking exercise more seriously? How much, and what kind? I've had 8 lots of Herceptin and my last echo showed my EF was 55%, so they're keeping a close eye on it. Can I actually help and improve my EF by exercising?
thank you!

hutchibk · 04-03-2007, 04:26 PM

So much has been reported over the last year about consistent
exercise being tremendously important for prevention AND survival. I have heard that 4-5 hours per week is optimum. I make sure I briskly walk at least 3 hours per week right now. I have added yoga at least once a week for an hour, and am planning to add 2 thirty minute workouts with weights
per week as well as two 30 minute basketball shooting sessions (I make very few baskets, but it's the chasing the ball that is the good exercise I think - my onc laughs everytime I talk about my solo basketball foray...) I think that is all I can muster. Of course the work with weights is important for bones... and the walking is excellent cardio. The Yoga helps create muscular strength and helps keep me limber and stretched. All of it has a strong positive mental and emotional component, too. I know that all exercise helps get more oxygen to the cells, and that is a very, very good thing!

I asked my doc if exercise helped protect the heart from the potential damaging aspects of Herceptin, and he believed that it would not really be of much help. But regardless of that, he wants me to exercise.

chrisy · 04-03-2007, 05:40 PM

I asked my onc what I could do to protect my heart, and she said "Just the things you would normally do for a healthy heart" So, yes, exercise is good, not just for the heart but it also stimulates the immune system!

Mary Anne in TX · 04-03-2007, 05:53 PM

I can't imagine me fighting this disease without exercise! I know it makes me feel better, helps the immune system, more energy (what is that), but most of all it keeps me sane! Oh, yes, and makes my puppies happy too!

Mary Jo · 04-03-2007, 06:58 PM

Hello,

I was an avid exerciser many, many years before breast cancer. As a matter of fact, cancer was one of the reasons I decided to improve my health about 14 years ago. I quit smoking - took up powerwalking/jogging and lost weight. I had a lumpectomy 14 years ago in the same breast and area I developed breast cancer in 2005. I was told after a first look see in pathology at that time that they "thought they saw cancer growing." It was then sent away and examined by others and I was told no, I did not have cancer but "atypical hyperplasia cells WHICH are something they see in women who can develop breast cancer." Anyway, long story short - I took up exercising, quit smoking, lost 30 pounds and developed breast cancer 14 years later. Go figure.

Although I did still develop breast cancer I STRONGLY believe in exercise as a way to better our health and as a way to make ourselves feel better. I did 8 cycles of dose dense chemo and exercised most everyday. There were some days I didn't have the energy but I'd say 75 percent of the time I did at least 2 miles a day. I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that exericse is what kept me "healthy" throughout chemo. I really do. I believe that my overall good health got me through it all pretty much unscathed.

So.............exercise - eat well - keep your weight down and stay positive. That's all we can control.

Hugs -

Mary Jo