Hi all! Hope all recoveries are going well. I finally had a clinic appointment this week and I have been cleared to pretty much try and be normal. I have to stay on GCSF support for the time being because my neuts drop once I come off it but apart from that everything else is nearly normal and I'm only slightly anaemic. So when I was diagnosed I had to resign from my job as my commute was an hour and a half and involved the tube and going back part time was not going to be financially viable as I live on the most expensive commuter route. so I've been lucky enough to be able to get a little bit of work to do at home and I have a lot of coffee mornings with my friends that are stay at home mums but apart from that I don't do very much. What I want to know is if anyone post their SCT has managed to either go to an exercise class or go to the gym and when did you do it? I left hospital 2 months ago and I still suffer a bit with fatigue buti've read that exercise would perhaps help with that? I'm not sure yet if I have the confidence to go to a class, I think I could manage the gym but would it be a waste of money at the moment...I might only manage 3 minutes on the treadmill!! Or perhaps I should just play on the wii? Before I was diagnosed I loved spinning but I think I'm a few months off that but it's something to work towards.... Any advice would be gratefully received. Laura xxxx

Hi Laura, 

I would say, go with the Wii but also walk as and when you can, especially in one of the big parks if you can, as then you'll be getting fresher air than the big busy London streets.......think about travelling above ground if you can, too. 

Hope you gradually improve your fitness levels and the white cells behave themselves very soon. xxx

Hi Laura, I had my transplant in February but as a side effect got severe colitis and have been in an out of hospital until a couple of months ago. Like you i am now trying to build my strength and energy levels up (as i still have fatigue). I too am wary about going to a class as i feel it is likely to be too hard at the moment. I have asked around (Macmillan, GP etc) to see if they do a gentle class for people who have had major surgery or chemo but there seems to be a distinct lack of them in my area. A real gap for people,like us who are trying to gt back to normal levels of fitness. I have started walking a bit on most days and am hoping to increase distances and i have also started doing some light gardening. I think perhaps building up your walking and going on the Wii should build you up a bit to make an exercise class more of an option. I am hoping it does for me. Let me know how you go Love Jen X I have been thinking about getting a hula hoop and having a go at that.... Only done it once since i was 10 years old but it was great fun.

Hi Laura, a few months after my SCT I went back to my Pilates class, which was great for building strength gently. In fact it was harder work walking to the class! A good instructor should be aware of your capabilities and help you to increase your strength without overdoing things. This and walking outside work for me.

E xx

Macmillan have some info on exercise and cancer, which might be helpful if you haven't seen it http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Cancerinformation/Livingwithandaftercancer/Physicalactivity/Physicalactivity.aspx  Exercise can help with fatigue.

I don't see why the gym would be a waste of money, if you like using it and are well enough to do so.  We all have to start somewhere, and the time you can spend on the treadmill and so forth will improve with time.  You may find things improve quite quickly as you recover your fitness.  I pay to use the gym, even though after chemo (not SCT) I can lift maybe 20-30% of what I could (and that's a big improvement over what it was when I first went back!)

Especially when starting up, it's important to choose something you like doing and can stick to.  I don't think it matters too much whether it's gym or brisk walks or wii or something else - anywhere could be a good start, but the main thing is to start.

I'm now +67 days post allo SCT and started doing Pilates twice a week almost immediately after leaving the hospital. What I like about it is that it really works different muscles (to the point where you are sometimes left shaking) but it doesn't leave you panting or completely tired out. Because there is often so much muscle loss during the long hospital stay, this has felt like a good way to start getting back into shape. I've also tried to do a lot of walking in the neighbourhood in place of cardio exercise. I bought a very basic pedometer so I can set goals for myself and monitor progress. Hope that helps.

Daughter said the first 100 days post allo go slowly, you are trying to gently but steadily improve fitness and build up again after being off food, both due to hospital food and sore mouth/throat, but once that first 100 days go by then as you are able to do more, then time seems to speed up again! 

|She's doing ok, over 10 months post allo now, but due to 8 years of treatment on and off, still needing packed red cells as her Hb levels don't keep up very well yet. 

Keep posting!

Hi all, I'm a bit late joining this, but just wanted t say how much you have reassured me that exercise and classes is possible after SCT. I'm +4 days after my allo so I'm still in hospital but am looking forward to rejoining the gym and starting Pilates again.