[Spectacularspectral]

Hey guys, I just started riding three months ago after finishing testicular cancer treatment, and I have hit the trails pretty hard! Over 700 miles in that time. But I noticed my pecks are looking kind of swoll! Unsure if it could also be medical related, was just curious if anyone else noticed minor bulking after a bigger block of riding.

Edit: Honestly, shoutout mountain biking and this bike. I got dumped halfway between surgery and chemo but biking got me through my lowest points.

 

[EatsDirt]

Good on ya for finding the best therapy and coming out swinging!

I've never noticed putting on muscle and its usually the opposite but that probably varies by body type etc. Sounds like it a pleasant side effect... better then moobs.

 

[Dirtrider127]

I have gone through 3 cancer surgeries, one which was prostate removal along with a couple limp nodes. Havn't noticed any other changes other than losing a little weight due to better eating habits now.
Got back on the bike as soon as I felt I could and ride more now than ever. It put a new look on life, family, friends, and what I use my time doing. Got rid of mind rotting crap like TV & most all the news, enjoy time out riding & thinking what's next. Basically enjoying today more than ever since we aren't guaranteed tomorrow.
Good luck to you and ride on..

 

[Cary]

No clue on the pec size, but congratulations on getting through to the other side and finding a new hobby to boot. I know testicular cancer tends to strike the under 35 crowd, so may you have many more decades cancer free.

 

[milehi]

Yes, but I was a skeleton. Once I was free and clear, I hit the trail and the weights. I trained as hardas I could and three years later won the state DH series. I did the same the next year too both in semi pro. That was 22 years ago and my marker tests have been clean. Testicular also, diagnosed at age 29.

 

[Harold]

Chemo will change your body pretty substantially.

Before my own treatments 12yrs ago, I had a really hard time putting on bulk of any sort. Even after spending time in the gym, my upper body would get lean but not bulky (my legs have always been bulky/muscular, I guess because I played soccer since I was about 5). My own treatment (which also included several months of taking prednisone, which will change your body a lot on its own) resulted in packing on the pounds (long term pred can either result in muscle wasting OR getting fat - I got fat). Which meant first I had to reverse that. My legs have FINALLY gotten a little bit leaner, and my upper body doesn't look quite so skinny. Some of that is lingering fat that I didn't manage to burn off, but it also seems that it takes less exercise to build muscle mass than it used to for me.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I know from bodybuilding experience that some exercises, such as squats, have been proven to affect areas other than the muscle being stressed. It has to do with putting your body into the "muscle building zone", which causes increased hormone production, providing an overall increase.
Another factor which could be at work here is the medication you may be receiving for cancer recovery. Is there anything steroidal in your regimen?

 

[BansheeRune]

Hey guys, I just started riding three months ago after finishing testicular cancer treatment, and I have hit the trails pretty hard! Over 700 miles in that time. But I noticed my pecks are looking kind of swoll! Unsure if it could also be medical related, was just curious if anyone else noticed minor bulking after a bigger block of riding.

Edit: Honestly, shoutout mountain biking and this bike. I got dumped halfway between surgery and chemo but biking got me through my lowest points.

Frankly, I am under treatment currently with blood cancer, a potentially nasty one. I continue to ride and make the best of every day on an as able basis. In 2014, it was myocardial infarction and heart surgery, after which, I was back to my bike as soon as doc said ride your bike. Under both, I have not seen any unusual things other than energy and strength being affected.

Good days and not so good are a thing at the moment but there is the therapist known as Sunspot, an RSD Middlechild one speed automatic that is on the job!

Sunspot jonesin for a little singletrack singlespeeding! A pre-Lighting Bug pic.

The low moments are offset by the high that is instilled by this bike!

Back to your situation, you might want to check with your docs on what is happening, perhaps a med is causing a reaction.

 

[TylerVernon]

I have huge respect for you guys that beat cancer.

 

[BansheeRune]

I have huge respect for you guys that beat cancer.

Ha! That one is a work in progress.

 

[Harold]

Ha! That one is a work in progress.

it always will be

 

[BansheeRune]

it always will be

Especially while chemo is an active part of your day. Will it end following? Not in the least!
On to the silver lining, Sunspot speaks with a Freudian accent now! My bike is part of my therapy, afterall.

 

[Harold]

Especially while chemo is an active part of your day. Will it end following? Not in the least!
On to the silver lining, Sunspot speaks with a Freudian accent now! My bike is part of my therapy, afterall.

I am so incredibly happy that chemo is no longer an active part of my day. With the type of cancer I had, it meant no riding bikes, and no lots of other things. Even though I still have the specter of a relapse hanging over me, I can at least get out and do things. And sounds like you also can, in spite of active chemo. And that's definitely something to be thankful for.

 

[telemike]

I've not had that experience riding, but I did when we bought our first canoe. After a year or so of lots of paddling, all my shirts were too small because my shoulders had become so wide. My wife uses my older shirts now because paddling did the same to her.

 

[BansheeRune]

I am so incredibly happy that chemo is no longer an active part of my day. With the type of cancer I had, it meant no riding bikes, and no lots of other things. Even though I still have the specter of a relapse hanging over me, I can at least get out and do things. And sounds like you also can, in spite of active chemo. And that's definitely something to be thankful for.

Harold, Keep the positive attitude and outlook going, my friend! Living each day to the fullest we can is a major component here.
In my case, the fact that I have routine blood workups due to polycystic kidney disease, a set of markers were present and I had to see Dracula a few days following. That set of samples was sent to an outside lab for deep study and a rare condition was actually in the process of manifesting. Caught early enough that I am on a milder cocktail than if caught later. Good days happen and I ride although, not rowdy rides that Sunspot was bred for. Still, I'll take it! A singlespeed pedal is worthy, even if it is a mellow trail expedition.

Thankya, Harold! The kind words are deeply appreciated.

 

[cyclelicious]

I gained weight and lost muscle from chemotherapy. I had 4 months of T&C , 1 year of Herceptin and 7 years of Tamoxifen (in addition to radiation and surgery) and a very common side effect is weight gain. Although I continued to ride (DH and trails) during my entire treatment I put on weight... adding insult to injury I lost all my hair and experienced brain fog. I was a mess, felt like sh*t everyday but I kept riding (3x/wk). I was slower than my baseline but I could still ride the intermediate and some advanced dh trails. However the steroids from the drugs most likely hormonal therapy and other components like menopause kept the weight on despite all my efforts to remain active.

4 years after my diagnosis of breast cancer I started doing crossfit and switched my diet from vegetarian to vegan. I started to gain strength and muscle and began losing the weight I packed on. I continued to ride and built new strength and endurance. I attended cf regularly (4-5d/wk) and competed annually in the crossfit open (I did very well for my age group) and I took up long distance running. I found the right balance and have lost about 45lbs, kept it off and have adequate strength and endurance to ride and run marathons.

Spectacularspectral I'm not sure how you have managed to gain strength in your pecs after only 3 months of riding, but good on you. It's difficult to gain muscle/strength from only riding and that weight lifting is a key to strength building (many riders focus on light riding and weight lifting in the off season) . My weight loss and strength building took much longer (age and gender could be a factor as well as treatment regime) I applaud your cancer fight. There are a few of us on mtbr that have been to hell and returned better

 

[joeduda]

Definitely didn't gain any mass. Lost a ton of weight and muscle, and couldn't ride outside during the treatments (platelet count way to low to risk crashing ) . Walked a LOT and rode the trainer, I found that helped me mentally more than anything. 8 years coming up next month and still riding pretty much every day.

 

[.WestCoastHucker.]

congrats, this is the best humble brag i've ever read...

 

[Spectacularspectral]

To all the replying community members who have/are gone through cancer, I’m proud of all of you. Thank you for sharing, some of us are dealt tougher hands but it makes us stronger and appreciate life more.

 

[BansheeRune]

To all the replying community members who have/are gone through cancer, I’m proud of all of you. Thank you for sharing, some of us are dealt tougher hands but it makes us stronger and appreciate life more.

Fair to put this on everyone's plate here, so here goes! 😊

We are doing the best we can to live each day to the fullest extent possible. Each day we are blessed with the gift of is an opportunity to be of service to another in our community, that we might make their experience a little easier for them and lend a favor of comfort during a difficult trial in life.