I hear it so often from those affected by breast cancer or breast reconstruction. They experience weakness, loss of muscle mass, sense of balance, and overall strength. I know this feeling. It’s frustrating, feels like a true sense of loss, and sometimes even feels a bit hopeless as if you will never return to the person you were prior to treatment and surgery. I want to share my own experiences, provide hope and why trusting your body after breast cancer and breast reconstruction can be an important part of physical and mental recovery.
Loss of Strength after Breast Cancer
A breast cancer diagnosis is shocking for most. It is both physically and mentally challenging depleting the body and mind. I remember the absolute fatigue I felt from hearing about the diagnosis, crying, telling my family, and going to all the subsequent appointments following my first diagnosis. After I had two lumpectomies, eighteen weeks of aggressive chemotherapy, six weeks of daily radiation, followed by five years of Tamoxifen, yes, I felt exhausted and depleted.
I experienced loss of hair, body strength, and quite honestly suffered from emotional distress. We are each different so my plan of recovery may not fit your lifestyle or ambition, but I believe there are small changes you can make to regain some of those losses. Start small, make a realistic plan, and ask for resources and help in your own communities or those you follow online. Here is what I did after a taxing year of treatment and surgery from my first breast cancer diagnosis.
- Start out slowly with realistic expectations and check with your healthcare team for approval to begin a new exercise program.
- I joined my local YMCA.
- Using the machines that encourage gentle stretching and flexibility especially after radiation treatment helped improve my range of motion.
- Add weightlifting to maintain and improve bone health.
- Seek nutritional guidance from your local cancer center. I saw a registered dietician at MD Anderson for guidance in food proportions and proper calorie intake.
- Celebrate small victories by treating yourself to a pretty new outfit, manicure, or spa day.
Recovery and Exercise after Breast Reconstruction
Yes, I had to start over again after my second breast cancer diagnosis and DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Was I mentally exhausted the second time? Yes. Did I experience loss of appetite, compromised range of motion, decreased muscle strength, and bone loss after four more surgeries and being on Anastrozole for seven more years? Yes, with a dose of expletive deleted YES!! But once again, I regained my strength using much of the same plan that worked for diagnosis number 1.
Plan 2 after my double mastectomy and breast reconstruction included the following:
- Clearing any new exercise with my breast surgeon and breast reconstruction surgeon. They were both supportive and encouraged me to return to activity.
- Starting physical therapy after my double mastectomy and DIEP flap. There are so many benefits from this after both of these procedures.
- Getting in the best shape possible between my double mastectomy and DIEP flap. I especially focused on leg strength to prepare for my DIEP flap since I know I would have limited use of my arms for a few weeks.
- Starting the Livestrong program at my local YMCA. This was a HUGE benefit, and I felt a real sense of community with other survivors. Added to this, it was conducted by a staff trained to work with cancer patients.
- Investing in a personal trainer at my local gym after the pandemic. This ensures I have proper form, so I do not incur any injuries especially since he has intensified my weight training.
- Speaking with a trusted friend and registered dietician to revisit a healthy eating plan and optimize my nutritional needs moving forward.
Trusting You Body Takes Time and Self-care
The expression, “You can do this” cannot be applied often enough when it comes to regaining your strength during recovery from breast cancer and breast reconstruction treatment. It is a frequently used cliché and one I think you need to say to yourself often. I now have my physical confidence back after two breast cancer diagnosis, radiation, chemotherapy, and six surgeries. Sometimes it wears me out just typing that last sentence and thinking about the ups and downs of the process of trusting your body again after breast cancer and breast reconstruction. The payoff, however, has been huge and personally gratifying for me.
Self-care is not selfish. If you invest in your health you are acknowledging to others you honor them also. You can take better care of your loved ones and those around you when you invest in your own health and there is nothing selfish about that! So, my final words to readers, “You can do this!” The trust I feel in my body now is far greater than what I felt after being assaulted with treatment and recovery from breast cancer and breast surgery. Go forth and conquer…one small step at a time.
