Getting fitness back after chemo?

Hi there

I've got my last chemo next week. To say it's wiped me out is an understatement, it's absolutely floored me and caused me terrible anemia, heart palpitations, fatigue, shortness of breath and generally where I've been in bed 90% of the time I'm unfit.

I'm hoping to combat this head on asap after chemo stops because I have plans at the end of the year for a holiday and I really need to try and give myself the best chance of being fit and having energy for it.

Does anyone have any tips on 'rehabbing' your body after chemotherapy? Has anyone used a personal trainer or plbeen prescribed/given physio from a medical professional? I'm just trying to scout out my options and see what's best. Ideally I want to get fit enough to cycle but know I'm going to need to build myself up to that.

As I've had problems with the heart rate and palpitations I'm a bit hesitant to go with a gym fitness instructor who may not have experience of someone coming out of chemo.

Any help of advice would be so appreciated.

Thanks

Rose

 

  • Hi Rose,

    This may sound flippant but, if you can afford it, why not convalesce on holiday, ahead of your activity holiday? 

    At the end of my own gruelling chemo, I flew off to Goa (which is dead cheap outside school holidays) on my own and lived by the beach for two weeks walking, swimming, snorkelling and eventually jogging my way back to fitness. I would have tried yoga too but at the time I struggled to wake up in time for the sessions. 

    The mental health benefits were enormous, I only met people who were unaware of my cancer history and I managed to avoid everyone's well meant but emotionally draining concerns. 

    I sail competitively and set myself a target of being fit enough to compete at my pre-cancer level within 3 months of ending chemo.

    I'm going to slip into coaching mode now and suggest you might ask yourself what target you want to meet and then set yourself a target to hit. I'm not a cyclist but maybe you could look at your PB over a certain distance and make that your target for recovery? How you get there is up to you, if a personal trainer would help go for it, I doubt having a cancer aware trainer would help, the basics are the same whatever the reasons for you being at a low level of fitness. 

    I had almost no cancer symptoms but the chemo side effects forced me to lose weight at an incredible rate which was a good startng point for recovery. Ronically, I'm now far fitter than I was pre-cancer, which hopefully puts me in a good place for if or when I fall out of remission. 

     

    Good luck in your recovery!

    Dave