Walking & running after mastectomy without reconstruction

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Hello, I’m 47 and having a mastectomy due to several areas of invasive ductal cancer in just over a week. Currently lymph nodes are thought to be clear and if that remains the case, next step would be at least 5 years of tamoxifen.

I started couch to 5k in January and have, for the first time in my life, managed to keep up the running to this point of the year, regularly doing 7-8k runs and having done a couple of organised 10ks. I don’t run fast but enjoy the sense of achievement. I also enjoy long walks.

I obviously want to give my body the best chance of recovery but for both my physical and mental health I would like to get back to walking and running soon to try to maintain the habit I’ve established this year.

I would love to hear from others about how quickly they were able to get back to walks of several miles and jogging. In particular I would be keen to be able to walk Parkrun in our local park. Thank you!

  • Hi BF1 welcome to the forum..it's difficult to answer you with any certainty of times etc as we are all different. However, I can appreciate that doing exercise at that level makes you feel better and nobody would want to take that away. Walking is good for us all but I would say pace yourself as your body will have had a great deal of trauma often affecting our energy levels. You will know best what's OK for you. In respect of running, I'm not sure as the running will have an impact on the chest area and it really depends how well you heal, feel and are able to run. Distance may be a challenge I'm imagining, but again only you will can judge that. I would ask them when you are having the op and see what they advise for you. Best wishes for the upcoming surgery and I wish you a very speedy recovery

    gail

     
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  • Hello

    I  am 4.weeks post op SMX and can manage walking about 3 miles a day. I was never a runner so cannot comment on that. The walking makes me feel better and is great for my sanity. However I tire very quickly afterwards. I am still in discomfort and have nerve pain. I started walking about 1 week ago.

    Good luck x

  • I had a lumpectomy and went back to running (wearing 2 sports bras) within 2 weeks. Not sure that would really have been recommended, but once my wounds had healed I decided I could go on how I felt. I didn’t ask about it as I didn’t think the medical team would advise it!  A few weeks out won’t have a massive impact on your fitness and I don’t think there would be too much issue with walking anyway. I was walking 12k or so on the downs within a few weeks because I wanted to maximise my fitness ahead of chemo. I did find I had to stop running during chemo. Walkers are always welcome at parkrun anyway!

  • I was walking 1km day after surgery and quickly upto 5/6km daily within two weeks.

    i had a double therapeutic mammoplasty and had PICO bandages on both sides for 7 days. Very little pain. 
    it’s great to walk as it reduces risk of blood clots and get oxygen pumping around your body to stimulate fast healing. High protein diet too and drink water like a camel.

    You’ve  got this!