Riding through chemotherapy [Archive]

Hoofpick

Apr. 2, 2009, 04:59 AM

Has anyone done this?

I am starting treatment for breast cancer today, actually, and they're starting me with chemotherapy prior to surgery.

My question is would it be OK to think about riding when I can during chemotherapy? My primary concern was the risk of getting injured while being immunosuppressed. My own horse has been hot and a bit silly/naughty lately, and I think I have finally resolved in my mind that I'm going to stay off his back until I'm through this phase of treatment and just work him from the ground.

But, my instructor has some pretty safe (I think) school horses and I was thinking of asking her if I could take a lesson now and then if I feel up to it on one of her school horses. She's a fairly new instructor to me - I've been riding with her for about 5 months. She's great and I trust her completely, but I don't know her that well yet... so I thought I'd just pose the question here first - have others ridden through chemotherapy? Is it reasonable to try to do this?

TLH

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:03 AM

Yes! I rode throughout chemo (also breast cancer), it was terrific mental therapy and also physical therapy post mastectomy. All the side effects just melted away when I was on my horse. I am blessed to have a relatively quiet horse, so I did trust him to take care of me. My doctors were very supportive of me continuing riding, I think they got the drift that I'd be a horrible patient otherwise!!!
Good luck today. I'd be happy to give you my email address via PM if you'd like it.
Tanya

Ozone

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:08 AM

Awe I am just sending well wishers to you!

Carolinadreamin'

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:10 AM

Awe I am just sending well wishers to you!

Same here.

cnvh

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:14 AM

Same here.

And here. Best of luck!!!

monstrpony

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:42 AM

I rode thru chemo. I didnt' feel up to it for about a week after each infusion--work and basic horse care were a priority for my limited stamina--but the following two weeks before the next infusion were business as usual. My Drs were fairly impressed with how I carried on as usual, but having horses is a wonderful motivator. One of my horses is a saintly character, the other was actually having some issues at the time and I did a lot of roundpen/ground work/longe work with him. I was very sensible about the risk of injury, and I think anyone should.

Neulasta is your friend, if you can get it for immune support (very spendy, and not covered completely by insurance). My immune system rebounded pretty quickly and my blood checks were almost normal at 10 days. Nupogen is a distant second if you can't tolerate Neulasta--bone pain can be a side effect, but my thought on it is that those who had difficulty with this had never been bucked off a good three year old. That said, I knew one person who did have great difficulty with the bone pain; all of these side effects are very individual, and I was just very, very lucky in that department. Because Neulasta is stimulating your immune system, it can cause spleen enlargement, which can be very dangerous if you take a fall. I specifically asked my oncologist about this, and she said that as long as my immune system was relatively healthy normally, the stimulation from Neulasta should not cause spleen issues, but, of course, she still advised caution and being sensible.

Chemo is very individual--what bothers one person may not be an issue for another. I will say that the support for chemo today is terrific, and going through chemo need not be the terror it was even 10 years ago. Good insurance helps, of course. My heart aches for anyone who faces this without that support, because much of the support drugs are extremely expensive and critical to being able to tolerate the assault on your body by the chemo drugs.

Also, the chemo protocols are very different depending on the specifics of your cancer, so your experience may be different from anyone else's.

Anyhow, good luck, let us know how it goes, and PM if you want to talk about it. It really does help to have someone who's been through it before so you know what to expect.

Coreene

Apr. 2, 2009, 10:33 AM

Hoofpick, you go girl! All our best wishes that the chemo and surgery knocks it out of the park. :yes:

Hoofpick

Apr. 2, 2009, 12:01 PM

Thanks, guys!
I'm planning on kicking this tumor in the butt. :yes: I just got back from the first chemotherapy treatment and it really was quite painless. The nurse was someone I knew previously from another friend, so that helped - she was great and very reassuring.
They have the drugs all worked out to try to prevent nausea as much as possible, and so far, I feel fine so they must be doing their job. :)

monstrpony, my guy is like your 2nd guy. We've been working through some issues recently and making good progress, but I still can't trust him completely not to do something silly. I haven't fallen off of him before, but it would be my luck that I'd get dumped and break a leg while on chemo which would be badness... :no: But if it sounds reasonable to try to ride, I think I will ask my instructor if I can take a lesson now and then on one of her school horses and continue to work my horse from the ground.

lolalola

Apr. 2, 2009, 01:17 PM

I had chemo for breast cancer back in 01, and it tired me out too much to ride. As previously noted, everyone's reaction is different, and you may feel just fine. How long are your treatments? Are you scheduled for every two or three weeks? I had the mastectomy first, and was still recovering from that when chemo started, so it may have also been an influence. The mastectomy will likely keep you out of the saddle longer than chemo.

Just Wondering

Apr. 2, 2009, 01:33 PM

You go girl! I think riding will help you mentally.

Best wishes to kick this!

equest

Apr. 2, 2009, 01:37 PM

Jingles and best wishes to you!

slpeders

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:05 PM

I can't speak from personal experience, but a good friend and trainer just finished her 'cycle' of treatment and is now a survivor! She did as much as she was able to, throughout the whole process. She is having a 'planning' party for her students soon, but we all know (except maybe her!) that it's goign to turn into a victory celebration!! We also formed a team in her name for our local Walk for the Cure. :)
Do what you can - and have a strong, successful fight!!

deltawave

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:18 PM

Listen to your body, and trust it. :) Chemo has gotten a lot kinder and gentler in recent years, but it still can kick your butt. If you feel up to it, by all means go out and be safe and enjoy. Some chemo can make your skin very sensitive, so think ahead and make sure your helmet is very comfy and will fit properly when/if you're temporarily follicularly challenged. :)

Good luck, best wishes, give it hell! :yes:

cloudyandcallie

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:28 PM

Same here.

Ditto! Good luck and good riding.

Those of us who gripe about colds and flu and little things should look at what you are going thru and we should quit complaining.
I think some horses are sensitive to us when we are sick with just the flu, I know Cloudy and Callie always allowed for me if I was throwing up when sick with the flu, so I hope your horse, or the schoolie, will allow for you and let you ride on.

pAin't_Misbehavin'

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:33 PM

Maybe you won't be sick from the chemo at all. My sister wasn't.:) I hope you won't be either.

I remember when my sister was going through chemo, we had to clear all her activities with her chemo nurse. I mean everything - who knew smoked oysters were a no-no?:confused::winkgrin:

Of course, my sister has a different kind of cancer (multiple myeloma) and was extremely immuno-suppressed because she underwent a transplant - she would never have been allowed anywhere near a horse (she couldn't even touch the dog), much less have been allowed to ride.

Your treatment protocol may not be nearly as strict as hers, since you're not doing a transplant. But have you asked someone in your treatment team what they think about your riding?

JSwan

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:33 PM

My friend was able to ride and do most of the farm work most of the time.

I was astonished by the improvements in chemotherapy. Like others said - even just over the past few years.

I'm sorry to learn that you are ill but have no doubt you'll be back in the saddle soon.

Lucassb

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:39 PM

I rode (and worked, and played and generally lived my normal life) throughout my chemo - also for BC. I saw no point in giving cancer any particular power over my life. Chemo was an inconvenience, but nothing more than that. H*ll, I rode a couple days after my double mastectomy - went in to the hospital on a Tuesday, home on Thursday morning, drove on Saturday, rode on Sunday. Gingerly, it must be admitted... but it was a gorgeous day and I wanted to ride. I got a bunch of vetwrap, taped up the surgical drains, and used a mounting block to get on. It really wasn't a big deal. Getting off was a bit more of a challenge... I just used a stone wall near the barn so I didn't have to jump to the ground.

There are different protocols for the chemo and as noted, everyone reacts differently, but personally I did a very aggressive protocol (high dose, every other week, 8 cycles, adriamycin, taxol & cytoxan) and had nothing other than some unusual tiredness at the end of the day. I dealt with that by going to bed early... no big deal.

I *did* have to buy a new helmet... once I lost my hair, LOL, my old GPA no longer fit. I treated myself to a new one in the next smaller size and went on about my day. Later, I treated myself to a bunch of new show clothes, as my replacement girls were bigger than the originals ;). That was pretty fun.

Best of luck to you as you kick that tumor's butt. PM me if I can offer any info/support etc. Always happy to talk to other survivors!!

2DogsFarm

Apr. 2, 2009, 02:40 PM

From a 10-year+ survivor - wishing you a rapid recovery

I didn't have chemo, but radiation therapy 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
I rode all through it, as my strength allowed, and when therapy was completed I rode in a horse trial the same weekend.
The technicians were so kind to me through it all. They even remembered to ask how the horse trial went when I made my final followup visit.

My horses definitely gave me a reason to keep going.

Post back here and let COTH know how it goes for you.
There are plenty of BTDT shoulders to lean on here!

GrayTbred

Apr. 2, 2009, 03:25 PM

BTDT, got the (bad-fitting) t-shirt ...

As others noted, everyone's reaction to treatment is unique. The mastectomy kept me grounded for four weeks, but after the initial reaction to chemo I was able to ride, donning a cheap wig under my helmet to help make it fit. I kept it at a w/t for a long time, and my saint of a TB took good care of me.

What was more touchy was doing barn chores. Bending down too quickly to clean a hoof, for instance, would make me dizzy. So watch for stuff like that and of course let your friends give you a hand.

Radiation, on the other hand, had no ill effect on me at all. Everyone's experience is individual, and I'm jingling that yours is an easy one!

bf1

Apr. 2, 2009, 03:37 PM

What a timely thread for me - my dear sister in law is having a double mastectomy next week - and I am beside myself with worry. Hearing that you guys rode through it is amazing to me - and reminds me to be more encouraging to her. I want to wrap her in bubble wrap and let her heal and fight. Just wow - and thanks for talking about it.

HighFlyinBey++

Apr. 2, 2009, 04:06 PM

I had anal cancer, so my treatment was radically different than for BC. I had radiation for 29 days, combined with chemo for 96 hours straight in weeks 1 & 5.

Two weeks after the first round of chemo, I lost my hair and went neutropenic. I required 5 days of Neupogen shots and a platelet infusion. As a precaution, I was given the Neulasta right after the second round of chemo. I didn't notice any bone pain.

I was unable to ride at all because I had a mediport in my chest & gradually increasing burns to my groin in the front & tailbone area. I went out and fed cookies a few times and did insist on sitting on Bailey about 3 weeks after I finished treatment. My son allowed me a "pony ride."

That was in October & I haven't ridden since. My groin & pelvic muscles went into spasm & my entire spinal column, top to bottom, was out of whack. I'm working with a chiro right now to get me back in order. Mostly I'm fixed & ready to start yoga again, but I have to keep stretching or my muscles tighten up. I'm not yet able to straddle an exercise ball or chair--or climb over a fence--without going :eek: Until I'm comfortable, there's no way I'm going to try to ride :no:

As a side note, if you're unlucky enough to lose your hair, you can get some really cute headcovers from Headcovers.com. They ship them wrapped in tissue & secured with a pink ribbon (tho I found that ASSumption rather annoying--AC is too rare to have a ribbon).

You can also use EQyss Premier shampoo & the MegaTek Rebuilder to regrow your hair in a VERY rapid fashion. Mine is growing at the rate of an inch per month. It's also VERY curly.

I wish you the best of luck and a very quick & permanent meeting with NED!

Parker_Rider

Apr. 2, 2009, 04:30 PM

You're awesome, is first and foremost what I have to say!! I hope you're able to ride through it, and keep us updated!!
I, thankfully, haven't had cancer, but I was listening to our local radio station's 36 Hours for Kids for the Children's Hospital and there was a story about a little 10 year old barrel racer who developed Ewing Sarcoma. She rode throughout most of it, and I was in tears when they talked about her barrel racing with an oxygen tank and through chemo. She was so bright and funny through her interview too. Here's her story (http://www.alice1059.com/pages/3716190.php) (She's Ariana at the bottom). OP, I'm hopeful you'll have a similar experience... riding and remission!!! I hope for only the best for you!!

Sansena

Apr. 2, 2009, 04:30 PM

Hoofpick.. you ROCK sista. All the best to you and your battle.

A well-known horse woman in my parts suffered from Breast Cancer years ago. She had her good and bad days, but would routinely get on her old steady-eddie and walk him around the property. On the particularly bad days, she didnt' ride, but they were'nt often. On the medium-bad days, she had a trusted friend give her a pony ride.. but she still rode.

Admittedly, I don't know how immuno-supressed she was, and her level of vulnerability.

That was over 15 yrs ago. We all wore bandanas as headwear as a tribute.
She's still going strong today. And I bet you will too.

TLH

Apr. 2, 2009, 05:13 PM

Just wanted to check back in and add that those soft cotton bandanas are great under the helmet after the hair falls out. Just fold in half, long end in front just over forehead, tie the three ends in the back, and it will fill out the space your hair used to and hold helmet in its place.

Hoofpick

Apr. 2, 2009, 06:21 PM

Thanks guys for the support. :)

TLH, I'll remember the bandana trick, I was wondering how I would deal with the helmet issue once I become, as one poster put it "follicularly challenged". :D

Highflyinbey, {{{Hugs}}} and hoping you can find some comfort soon. :cry: that must be frustrating.

myvanya

Apr. 2, 2009, 06:57 PM

Sending good thoughts your way.

I hope you can ride. I know horses are my therapy for a different disease that has me on imuno-suppresants as well (not to the level for chemo but more long term) and the docs said being around horses is fine with the suppression of the immune system. It is important to be aware that barns can harbor a lot of salmonella and other yummy things though, so please be careful about hand washing and such when you do spend time with the horses(but overdoing hand sanitizers can actually be bad- real soap is better). I don't know if the docs mentioned but Folic Acid is helpful for the hair regrowth too when it comes time for that. Best wishes.

jacksmom

Apr. 2, 2009, 07:26 PM

5 year BC survivor here. ride whenever you feel like it. just brush your horse when you don't.

i pretty much rode through chemo & radiation. jack was great, he didn't give a hoot that i had cancer, he just wanted to know where the carrots were hidden. it was nice to have that little bit of normal in the midst of all the surrealness of cancer.

i went to school cross country with a friend about mid-chemo, as we were jumping fences and schooling a water obstacle, she asked "should you really be doing this?"

i just looked at her and smiled, "what's it gonna do, kill me? bahaha!"

(keeping a sense of humor has really helped me through all kinds of rough spots ;) PM me if you need some comic relief...)

and hang in there. it's only going to suck for little while. you are joining a sorority with some great members, it's just the initiation that bites.

shea'smom

Apr. 2, 2009, 08:34 PM

Crap. Sorry to hear this.
I was going through this last year. I rode fairly regularly, but as time went on, it was harder. I also had 25 horses and lessons to keep up with. I found it easier to keep other committments, coaching, teaching and judging.
I will say, those days I could only get on and walk, those were special rides.
A couple weeks ago I did my first recognized Horse Trial in a long time. Half way around the xc all I could think was "I'm not tired! I'm not tired!".
Pretty cool.,
Also, when you get all better and have hair, people you barely know will come up and say that you look GREAT! I was at a pony club rally last weekend and this happened countless times! :winkgrin:
email me at ncsporthorse@yadtel.net if you need support. You will great help from this board.
I did.
Hang in,
Kathi

Bezysmom

Apr. 2, 2009, 09:05 PM

I rode through chemo for breast cancer. I rode for as long as I could and I loved it. My RBC went all to H___ so I eventually had to stop for lack of strength, but I was riding again as soon as it came back up.

Best of luck. It's been 9 years for me.

lolalola

Apr. 2, 2009, 10:42 PM

On the hair issue, with chemo you may lose all of it, not just on your head, if you get my drift. That can make make saddle-time ...interesting.

M.K.Smith

Apr. 3, 2009, 12:09 AM

Best wishes! All I can say is CANCER SUCKS!!!

A few months ago, I donated my hair to Beautiful Lengths, so it could be used for women going through chemo. I did that in honor of my husband's mother who died of cancer & I know how hard it was for her to loose her hair to chemo. Here's the website http://www.beautifullengths.com/en_US/

It's great to see what a resilient group of horsewomen are on this board! Horses are great therapy.

horsekpr

Apr. 3, 2009, 08:34 AM

monstrpony

Apr. 3, 2009, 09:22 AM

pAin't_Misbehavin'

Apr. 3, 2009, 09:46 AM

I got a call from my drs. office yesterday ,that they saw a shadow on my mammogram,and I have to go for an ultra sound next week. I am really scared about this,but it helped to read your stories of getting through the worst. i ride and teach for a living( mostly ride) ,and ,of course I am really worried about how I will support myself if I need treatment.Please spare me a few jingles that all is okay,but if it isn't I hope you guys who have been through it will help me out.

Yikes, I know that feeling. Had to go for the extra-super-scrutinizing mammograms last year after my yearly one showed something funny.

Being the daughter and granddaughter of breast cancer survivors, I also felt a slight twinge of anxiety at the news.:winkgrin:

Mine turned out absolutely fine - just a problem with the film - and I hope you get the same result.

CANTEREOIN

Apr. 3, 2009, 04:30 PM

I also had Breast Cancer - lumpectomy, chemo and then radiation. Like all the other Cancer folk who have responded... Cancer treatment is personal and a person's response is going to be his/her response. I do think attitude has alot to do with it too.

I worked a full time job throughout treatment. Had Chemo on Friday afternoon - felt ok Friday, kind of ok Saturday, washed out Sunday and Monday... Really didn't have a ton of energy to ride until Thursday and then rode 5 days a week (two lessons) right up to my next treatment. Each treatment took a little more out of me but the habit was ingrained.

My horse, my barn buddies and riding took away most of the stress and concern. Loss of hair didn't bother me. I was surprised to find that I had a perfectly shaped head... yes I did ;).

Do I want to do it again... NO! But, today, the diagnosis of breast cancer, for the most part means your life is going to be inconvenienced for 8 months to a year. Most will survive.

One of my friends competed at the American Eventing Championships three weeks after completing her last chemo treatment.

Its a process.... just do it and live well while you are.

horsekpr

Apr. 3, 2009, 06:45 PM

Wow,all these stories are making me feel a whole lot calmer about what I might be facing. Keep em comming!

Hampton Bay

Apr. 3, 2009, 07:22 PM

My mom was diagnosed just over a year ago, and unfortunately was one of those who has bad reactions to everything they tried to give her. Allergies to the new drugs, very severe nausea/etc with the secodn one they tried, and ended up on the old stuff. There must be something to the new drugs being better because she was so sick she couldn't work, wasn't allowed out of the house at one point. Of course, everything that could reasonably have gone wrong did for her. Now she is fine, if a bit scatterbrained and forgetful.

Her hair came in curly too. And a different color. But the short hair really does look great on her. She used Tresseme when it started growing back and said she noticed a big difference in how fast it grew. It will come in pretty dry, so get a good stock of heavy conditioners and leave-in treatments.

I also told her my nausea trick or Sierra Mist and a cold washcloth on the tummy, and that helped her a bunch with the more mild nausea.

Good luck! You will make it thru just fine!

HighFlyinBey++

Apr. 3, 2009, 08:50 PM

Sorry to hear about your news, you are in our thoughts & jingles. Hopefully, it will be nothing, but if not, we're here for you!!

Ditto the bandana thing. And I didn't find the hair loss "elsewhere" to be an issue for riding, but I admit, I don't do anything like serious dressage with a lot of more intensive sitting work, maybe that would be. I was especially surprised that it wasn't an issue when it was growing back. I was scheduled to ride in a major clinic just at that point in my recovery and remember having this one moment of horror when I thought "what if ..." but even being in the saddle three hours a day was not a problem.

I tried the Eqyss stuff to speed up hair growth, but found that it irritated my scalp. I'd end up itching and figured that probably wasn't a good strategy. So I've just put up with slow growth. I thought I was going to get away without the curls, but ended up with waves, so it had to get longer before it showed up. But everyone does say that it looks great!

Given the location of my tumor, hair loss in the nether region was a given and I hated every minute of it. Still can't figure out why people pay for Brazilians.

The itching was probably a sign that your hair was coming back in. It wouldn't have lasted--at least mine didn't (esp in the nether regions). Itched when it fell out & itched when it came in. However, if there was redness or other irritation, then you did the right thing by not using it.

I've never, ever envisioned myself with these tight curls. I liked my surprise ringlets (they didn't show up till a couple years ago & only at shoulder-length). Everyone says they're cute & thinks I've always had them. Since I can't control it, I'm accepting what they say and growing used to them.

KathyR

Apr. 4, 2009, 04:48 PM

Many jingles coming your way. My sister has been fighting ovarian cancer for 7 years. Spots still keep coming back, which means more surgery and chemo. Luckily, she is only missing one or two days a week for her treatments. Yes, she has lost her hair several times, it always comes in thicker than before-beautiful strawberry blonde. Keep your spirits up, and remember, if you don't feel up to riding, hugging a horse helps.

blackwly

Apr. 4, 2009, 11:51 PM

Will be thinking of you. My mom lost the fight 5 years ago yesterday, as she was diagnosed very late in the game. It sounds like you are in great hands and a fighter to boot, so I know you'll do well!

Just wanted to make one other point. Most of the chemo regimens for breast cancer don't cause thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts) in many patients, but some people do experience that side effect. If you do, you probably want to stay off the horse until your platelets get back to normal (over 100,000.) Otherwise, your risk of severe bleeding after a relatively minor fall could be significant. As a neurosurgeon, this is something I see not uncommonly in patients who have falls while on chemo, and the last thing you want is brain surgery mucking up your breast cancer treatment! They'll do blood work at every visit. If your platelets are >100,000, I wouldn't have any worries. If they drop below that, I'd talk to your doctor or think about waiting a week or two to get back on.