Exercising while on treatment?

Currently I enjoy running, lifting weights and stretching but I will be starting TX treatment in early January 2010. I realize the side effects have different degrees of severity for everyone but generally speaking, will I have the energy to exercise once I start treatment? Has anyone been able to perform Yoga or sports while on the treatment?  All input is welcome!  -Thanks

[WriteItDown]

My husband is on week 16 of treatment.  He is doing quite well.  Before tx he used to ride his bike several times a week, for perhaps an hour to and hour and a half, in a hilly area.  Now he can't really ride much at all because he becomes breathless quite quickly (low hemoglobin) and is tired in general.  However, he has continued to do various activities that are less aerobic. He stretches and can walk and do outdoor chores when he's feeling energetic.  

I have read about some people who keep up exercise routines while on tx, but I would say the majority of people do curtail their physical activities, at least to some degree, due to fatigue and low hemoglobin.

But, it's impossible to say what YOU will be able to do, because the one thing that's certain is that everyone responds differently to tx.  I think it's good to try to exercise as much as you can while on tx (and indeed all the time), but if you can't, and you need to cut back, remember that it's only temporary.

Good luck with your treatment!

[newleaf09]

Everybody is different in their reaction to the drugs.  I was very sick and couldn't manage to do much of anything except a little walking or swimming after the first month of treatment.  Some people can keep up biking.  I would think you'd be able to stick with the yoga, but running may be out.  Personally, I got to the point where I needed help opening jars, but I was on triple therapy and may have been worse off than most.  

[annieCinMD]

I'm thinking the yoga might be doable (and probably good), and maybe light weights, but at least for me, cardio is out. I had to stop and rest on the second floor to get up to my bedroom on the third!  Everyone is different, but most people do experience the breathlessness due to hemolytic anemia.  I had trouble with jars, too.

[Vic1967]

I was doing the same things you mentioned before treatment.  Although I gave it a valiant effort, I couldn't keep up my routine. Running is on the shelf for now.  I walk most days, and I still teach water aerobics twice a week.  Sometimes I can barely do that.  Before I didn't consider my teaching much of a personal workout.  Now, it is most of my workout. Definitely take advantage of good days.  I really find I do better when I work out, and at some point you will come to peace with the fact that it is temporary..  
I agree, the breathlessness is hard to overcome.
For me I still think I kept up well. I hiked in the summer and stayed pretty active.
My husband says I am on the DL!
Good luck, let us know how you do.

[Trish77]

I did a 10K run the first weekend I started treatment.  That was my last run.  For most of treatment, I made good use of escalators at work because I'd be out of breath and energy by the time I got to the top of the stairs - a lot of stairs, mind you, two or three sets between floors - but I used to take only stairs before treatment so that's my point.  Running is almost impossible on treatment.  On top of that, there is some debate over whether the kind of energy that your body uses up to run diverts resources your body needs to do "ultimate virus fighting" while on treatment.

I know a fellow who swam his usual laps the whole time on treatment, in fact I know two fellows.  It's not as hard on the cardio and it's a good relaxing activity, if you're much of a swimmer.  

On the whole, I'd say be prepared for your running to change to walking, your weightlifting to be scaled back to maintenance weightlifting and your stretching as you have energy for it.  Your prime objective will be to have enough energy to keep working or whatever it is that's most important to you while also fitting in enough activity to keep your mind and soul energized.

The exercise of some kind is good for the mind and the body.  However, you'll have to find your own balancing act - it all depends how much of a hit your hemoglobin takes and how the meds hit you, if you're working while on treatment, what other obligations are important to maintain while on treatment, etc. etc.

[orleans]

I too am a cyclist, not during tx though, NO WAY for me. What I did do was in the months and weeks prior to starting tx I trained extra hard, to build a reserve, if you will. jerry

[Trish77]

Jerry, how long since you finished treatment and have you returned to your usual cycling regimen since?  

If I hadn't taken up squash, maybe I would be back to my usual running place .. hard to say .. but I'm not and missing it incredibly much...just not willing to give up squash either, trying to see if I can manage both, they each give me a different kind of benefit.  In the end, if I have to pick just one, I'll take running.  

(Sorry to hijack the thread...just wanted to ask this question... )

[WriteItDown]

Co-incidence: this morning my husband felt good, so he got on his bike and did a light ride -- maybe only twenty minutes or so, but he did it and he felt all right.  He came in and said, "That went okay today, I ought to try it more often."  So there you go.

[portann]

I'm used to doing a lot of hiking and cycling but it was out of the question for me during tx. If I could go to the store without sitting down in the aisle to catch my breath, I considered it a good day.

It was SO rare that I wasn't short of breath. My exercise for the day was sometimes putting down the toilet seat, fuming that hubby had forgotten.

I was on 17.5 mcg of ribavirin per kilo, though, and this knocked my hemoglobin to significant lows, into the 9's. I think that was the biggest reason I was dead-tired.

Do you know what your ribavirin dosing will be?

There was one young fellow here, JTRivers (G-2 or G-3), who wasn't on weight-based Riba and managed to go out hiking a lot during tx, in addition to working full-time and planning his October wedding.

I regret I never lifted even the lightest weights during tx, even though it probably would have been a good idea, judging by my new angel wings. I just didn't give a hoot at the time, motivation zilch.

To Write-down: Biking can be less of an effort than hiking but a potential worry is zipping along on the flat, getting dizzy and losing balance.

[WriteItDown]

True, I do worry about him, but he is sensible and careful, and his Hgb is a lot higher than the danger level -- still over 12 at last check, though down a lot from his normal levels. He hasn't been dizzy yet, just breathless.

[Joey_M]

I have done tx twice and am a big proponent of trying and keeping up your routine to the extent you can. I maintained a 5 day per week workout schedule including weight training at about the same level and yoga. I lost my endurance so had to stop cardio although I live on a huge hill and walked up it twice a day most days. I know many people cannot keep up with any level of exercise but try to do what you can. i think it makes recovery after tx much faster and also helps with the depression and anxiety from the tx. For me it was especially important to do a lot of yoga and stretching due to the achy muscles, which was a bad side effect for me my first round. i also found a holistic massage practitioner and used him as often as possible.

[Isobella]

I scaled my excercise back considerably during tx.  I could still walk my 3 miles, I just did it slower-and not as often.  I agree with above posts....cardio was tough to keep up with low hgb.

I fell in love with yoga during tx, but walking was still my favorite.

Even on days when I felt like krap(mostly fatigue)....I would force myself to walk at least once around the block (1.5mi).  It NEVER failed to make me feel better.  

Massages helped throughout tx, for me one of the hardest things was muscle aches and pains from laying around so much.  After tx, the massages continued to help because it was like all my tendons and ligaments shortened up from being a couch potato.  

I say stay as active as you can. Listen to your bod....you will know your good days from bad real soon.  It's not a bucket of fun, but it can be done.  I did 48 weeks and had light sx.  I lost no weight...gained 5 lbs and lost almost no hair.  Just grew long eyebrows and lost my  muscle tone.  (think marshmellow)

Good luck to you!!

Isobella

[toaofpooh]

Thank you so much for these extremely informative responses, it’s very comforting to read post and current TX experiences. I feel so grateful to have stumbled upon this website just a few weeks before I commence treatment.  I will definitely have more questions in the future. Healing thoughts to all, -Toa

[Magnum]

Through three treatments, I continued to lift weights and work out. It was not easy, but my Gastro recommended it as a way to keep your body strong. Body strong equals immune system strong. It's a chore to be sure under therapy, but I acclimated to it and continued throughout most of the treatment, stopping only when the Ribavirin robbed me of too much of my oxygen.

I also think it depends on the individual. Unlike some lucky victims, the sides hit me good, while others hardly felt anything. You may be one of the lucky ones. Let's face it, even off treatment, it's much easier to come up with excuses than to work out, but in the long run, you reap what you sow... I plan to continue working out with weights on my upcoming clinical trial treatment, as long as I’m able...

Magnum

[orleans]

Hey, Yes, I am totally "up to speed". I got back on my bike after I dropped the riba. That was at wk 25. I continued inf/alinia to wk 36 then tapered for 4 weeks. As soon as I stopped riba I started feeling MUCH better. In my experence RIBA was the source of most all side effects. I could barely tell I was on the others. Where I live (east Alabama) it is very hilly. For me to ride from my home is serious up hill, both ways! With-in a month I was peddling really well, in 6 weeks pretty much back to pre-tx levels. I worked really hard thru the summer to prepaare for a week long surfing trip. I did over do it that week and my elbow joints are still a little antsy. I attribute that to my age though. 55 jerry ps I also run in bad weather, no problem

[burned74]

I played soccer,ran, swam, lifted and biked before TX.
During tx I biked but could not make it up the steep hills. I also lifted and I swam more slowly. I had to stop running.I could not play real soccer but I continued coaching.

after unsucessfull tx, I started back again and now 5 years later I am in better shape
(except my liver as I still have HCV) than I was before TX. After the 24 weeks of tx it took only a few months for complete recovery.

[Marcia2202]

No exercise for me during tx. Now 8 months post I started going to the gym and am doing quite well.

[cb867]

I used to to step areobics or running at least 5 days a wk. I also did weight training every other day.I wish I would have made myself at least keep some of it up, Now I just walk once a wk. I have lost  25 lbs my musel tone has a lot to do with that. If I were you I would start out slow but don't quit. Wish I hadn't I have 4 wks left, the I back full force!!!  Hopefully

Good Luck