Large muscle fatigue post-chemo?

[lpas]

During chemo I struggled a lot with feeling fatigued, but had no real issues with muscle fatigue specifically. Now that chemo is almost 2 months behind me, I've noticed my thigh muscles seem increasingly weak and tired. It's like that feeling you get in your legs right after a long run or bike ride but it's all day, every day. I was trying to get back into the groove of regular exercise by riding our recumbent bike, but it's getting harder and harder to do because my leg muscles are so fatigued. Even squatting or walking upstairs makes me sometimes feel like my legs are going to give out.

Has anyone else had this problem post-chemo and, if so, did you find anything that helped make it better? How long did it take to go away? Honestly, I'm not sure if I should keep trying to ride the bike or if this is making the problem worse. I want to exercise because I know it helps lower recurrence rates but this is ridiculous.

[midlifemom]

During folfox my thigh muscles also became so fatigued. I remember avoiding climbing the stairs as much as possible. Also, squatting down was difficult - getting up even more so. To improve my stamina I went to physical therapy where I learned that more than just my thighs were weak. Unfortunately I hated the PT so stopped too soon.

Now on folfiri I've started to dread the stairs again but not as bad as before.

Perhaps physical therapy might be helpful, worth a try.

[LB10]

I am about 13 months post chemo now. I experienced the same thing. I felt as if my legs could give out going up and down stairs, and getting up from a low couch made me feel frail and about 90 years old. It is better now. I still feel I have a ways to go to get back to my pre cancer level of fitness and strength. It's hard to say exactly when it started getting better because I had surgery about 5 months post chemo so that set me way back too. I think the best thing we can do is continue to exercise at whatever level we are able. Even if it's just walking for now. I'm optimistic that things will continue to improve.

[PainInTheAss]

I have this too 15 months post chemo and was very encouraged to hear from someone on here that it does improve over time, but it can take years. I started thinking this was my "new normal." I don't think exercise will make it worse, but I'm not sure it helps either. Seems like you just have to wait it out.

[nkoske]

I think around 2 months post chemo is the worst of the effects from the Oxaliplatin regarding nueropathy and such. I think this also has an effect in the leg muscles.

I remember during treatment, the day after an Oxali infusion my calves would feel sore like I just did a double day leg work out (which of course I didn't do).

Prior to cancer I did a lot of rope jumping after chemo I couldn't at all. My calf muscles either wouldn't fire properly or were just horribly atrophied (but other muscles didn't have the same effect). Additionally I couldn't run up stairs, it just felt like the fast twitch muscle reaction was gone. I'd tell my legs to go and they just plain ignored my commands. It was weird. I also noticed my balance was shit, from time to time I'd have to catch my balance.

I continued to train my leg muscles and I can finally jump rope again and can run upstairs. I'm slowly increasing my jogging distance and speed. Biking is no problem and I'm noticing myself getting faster. I still notice my legs building up lactic acid sooner and faster than they would before cancer, but it's manageable. My balance has also gotten better. There's no doubt I my legs are not where they were prior to cancer, but they're OK.

My thought would be keep going, keep working your legs. Do what you can. Oxali does a number on your nerves (especially in your legs) and it takes a while for things to come back. Those effects seemed to peak in a me a few months after my last Oxali infusion. Things should get better, but you're going to have to work them. I also don't think you're making it worse by working out.

[bjones1128]

I asked my oncologist why my legs to seem to just hurt for a couple of days after each treatment. He said it was the oxiaplatin causing nerve damage. He lowered my dosage just a bit and that has helped.

[behconsult]

I was weak for a while. I stopped chemo in October and the following January went skiing and was a total wastoid. I was falling down the slope more than skiing. It has taken many months (about 6 before I felt strength coming back in workouts). I think it is because you breakdown muscle doing your workouts however it is extremely slow to rebuild because of the chemo interferes with the new muscle cell growth as well. My oxi pain peaked after chemo as opposed to during. Home this helps. Keep exercising

[Jachut]

Yes, and I always wondered about it. Every run seemed to feel like trying to run through waste deep water. A couple of times it was down to things like low iron and was fixed temporarily with an iron infusion, but now, five years later, I don't have the problem any more. It gradually went away. It was very frustrating because I was very fit when diagnosed and am just nowhere near as fit now, after all the fatigue I've had in the past few years exercise has been much less frequent and much less intense than during treatment.

[lpas]

Thanks so much, everyone. It's good to know this isn't all in my head and that the problem does eventually seem to resolve. Thanks again!