Any suggestions for combatting muscle weakness please?

[Shirlbird]

Since I last posted a tumour was discovered in my brain making me wobbly on foot and sick. I had a course of radiotherapy on it and the situation is improving but I still have the lung and adrenal gland tumours. My leg muscles are now poor. I sit and rise unsupported with difficulty. I keep doing it as an exercise. Walking is OK for short distances and I have cycled once. My question is are the tumours devouring my muscles faster than I can rebuild them?

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Dear Shirlbird

Sorry to hear about your brain tumour and the muscle weakness that you are suffering.

Depending where the tumour is located in the brain it can put pressure on the area of the brain that works the muscles causing weakness , rather than the muscles are unable to regenerate. Radiotherapy is usually the choice to ease and improve these systems.

I have placed a link to our booklet on brain metastases which you may or may not have: roycastle.org/app/uploads/2...

If there is anything else you would like to discuss you can either email us at [e-mail] or call our freephone nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200

Kind regards

The Roy Castle Support Team

[Shirlbird in reply to RoyCastleHelpline]

Thank you for your helpful reply. I really appreciate your support

[JanetteR57]

I was talking to a friend and colleague the other day who's recently broken her ankle in two places and last year had a shoulder op (she's a nurse) and she explained she has an arm bicycle to use to rebuild her shoulders/upper body muscles and also uses a rowing machine - neither are weight bearing but enable her muscles to recondition. have you tried exercising in water? the water supports you - I'm an avid swimmer - this recent lockdown has been the longest period that I haven't swum since 1990. After my lung surgery it became my way back to fitness having lost half my lung to cancer and built up slowly to improve my lung capacity and general fitness. hope you find something to suit you as it can help mentally too. good luck.

[Shirlbird in reply to JanetteR57]

Janette you always come up with such helpful suggestions. I do have a bike and have cycled a short distance from home on a little used road. I just get off if I hear something coming! Lucky benefit - dog likes it too! I am not mad keen on swimming but would do it if anywhere were open. Who could have predicted such a life changer as covid?

[JanetteR57 in reply to Shirlbird]

I was surprised when I returned a week ago on Saturday to find an aqua class being held in the main pool one of the evenings... I'd anticipated they would be cancelled. They involve standing up and doing various exercises in the water so the water acts as a support and resistance - attracts quite a lot of middle aged women where I'm swimming. Their actions certainly made swimming harder as it felt like a tidal wave by them walking up and down the pool. The other advantage is it's really hard to strain muscles in the water which is why hydrotherapy is recommended for injured racehorses....

[Shirlbird in reply to JanetteR57]

I shall look into it Janette. There is a private club/pool nearby which I have joined in the past. Contacting them. Thaks again for advice