Can I go swimming once chemo finished but having radiotherapy?

  • 2 replies
  • 495 subscribers
  • 761 views

I really want to start swimming as the chemo has made me feel so weak.  Will still be having phesgo injections every three weeks and unaware as yet if date and duration of radiotherapy but like to plan ahead to have something to look forward to which will help me rebuild?

  • I swam all the way through chemo - had a port so no issue with PICC lines. Obviously there was some risk of picking up an infection, particularly in hot changing rooms. I negated this a bit by arriving and leaving in a dry robe so I didn’t have to hang around. I didn’t swim during the actual week of radiotherapy but started again immediately afterwards. I then had to take a short break when the burn and skin peeling came out a few weeks later. 

  • I agree with Jo. It’s more important to exercise for loads of reasons, not least halving your recurrence risk. I’d swim in a pool, but would avoid the sea as it’s so often filthy.