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PCRU - Exercise question.

Hi All

Been sometime since I posted on the website but I do try to drop in when time permits.

I am currently PCRU and have been for the last 2 years. Have been on 600mg Glivec since dx. (March 04). Side effects are minimal compared to our CML patients and any lifestyle changes are have been negotiable.

I try to keep fit by running 15-20kms per week. Over the last 6 months this has been mostly outdoors rather than indoors. Lately I have suffered soreness in the shins (shin splints maybe) during the run but not post. Has anyone who is on Glivec suffered from a repetitately soreness from exercise. About 18 months ago during a gym workout i had my forearms swell post work out. I had scans on them for possible DVT but this came back clear.

May have to revert to the treadmill for my runs if this doesn't clear up.

Any thoughts or comments.

Cheers
Andy
(Australia)

I don't get any soreness really when exercising (unless i over do it)

howevere if running what i find is that around 25 mins in to the run I start to get pins and needles in my left arm and eventually it goes numb (unless I stop), and then goes back to normal quite quickly once recovered.

I have had extra heart tests (ECG?) and they have come back fine and Prof A at the Hammersmith says there is nothing wrong, but suggested trying to get more caclium in before a run. I have not tried this yet as currentlty doing a gym challenge that is a 250Km boke ride in a month...on the bike I get no arm problems BTW

currently on 400Mg a glivec a day with PCR at 0.13 if that helps

rob - http://cmlblog.spaces.live.com

Hi andy,im glad its not just me,i get this quite often,right down my shins they are even sore to touch,how odd.
take care,kathy

Hi Rob/Alistair/Kathy,

If you are doing quite full one exercise it might be a good idea to make sure you are supplementing with potassium tablets/foods rich in this mineral, as you need to maintain good sodium/potassium levels. In fact all of us need to maintain good levels if we are to protect ourselves from heart disease... so maybe, as well as trying what prof. Apperley has suggested, i.e extra calcium, you should also make sure you eat foods that are rich in potassium such as banana, avocado etc...?

It is very important to protect your heart... and symptoms of left arm pain/numbness can be a sign of an exercise induced problem... even if temporary. Make sure you eat food high in potassium and keep up fluid and salt intake up when exercising

Sandy

banana I do quite regualarly either by themselves or in smoothies, but avocado is one of those fruits that I cannot face, i think it is the texture :S

Cheers - Rob

rob - http://cmlblog.spaces.live.com

Andy, Hope following comments might be helpful. I was diagnosed with CML in March '07. On 400mgs of Gleevec from April'07 and 600mgs from June '08 ( low plasma levels of drug were reason for change). Last PCr reading was at .028%. I've been very lucky with side effects - some diarrhoea but even this has lessened recently. I've been life long runner ( last 47years !!) and I've still managed to keep running since diagnosis/ treatment for CML- much slower than before but very grateful still to be able to run and cycle.
From what you have said my bet is that problem is shin splints. Although pain doesn't persist after running, do shins still ache if you bend foot upwards. If it helps I could e mail you some scanned pages re shin splints , from " Medical Advice for Runners " by Dr Sheehan, a contibutor to Runners World in the States in the 70's. I've always found this book to be a really valuable source of info re injuries / medical problems for runners, by a fellow runner who was part of the 70's/ 80's America running boom . My email address is parkin_a@sky.com.
Regards Andy