Weight gain
Just feeling a bit low at the moment, saw my Dad who is always brutally honest and he told me how big I am looking now. I know I am the heaviest I've ever been (75kgs, 167cm) and then even my Sister piped up and said she thought it must be 'fluid'. Aaarrgghhhh! I know I am comfort eating right now, when your taste buds are off you just want to eat really tasty stuff like bacon and eggs, chips, and lemonade! Bad bad bad!
This was only temporary but now my mouth is full of ulcers icecream is so soothing! I'm 3 treatments down, one to go, I'm really hoping that it wont' take too long to get some energy back so I can walk the dog once more and get on the treadmill. Right now I only have energy enough to potter round the house and get to work when I can.
I know one day things will get back to normal, I'm not good at being the patient.
Comments
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If your father and sister had ever been through chemo they wouldn't make those comments.Don't worry about your weight or what you are eating -you are in survival mode now to get through chemo.Eat whatever and plenty of rest whilst having chemo- that's pink sister policy!! I think I'm about your height and weight and I don't regard myself as over weight (well maybe a few kilos).You look gorgeous in your pic.Just be kind to yourself,plenty of time to get fit later. Now go eat some icecream!!!!
love Tonya xx
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If your father and sister had ever been through chemo they wouldn't make those comments.Don't worry about your weight or what you are eating -you are in survival mode now to get through chemo.Eat whatever and plenty of rest whilst having chemo- that's pink sister policy!! I think I'm about your height and weight and I don't regard myself as over weight (well maybe a few kilos).You look gorgeous in your pic.Just be kind to yourself,plenty of time to get fit later. Now go eat some icecream!!!!
love Tonya xx
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Julie, don't stress about ur weight..You will notice that many of us are enduring the same problem. The different drugs do different things to us all but weight gain seems to be common. I have just had 6 mths of oral chemo where i put on 7 kgs, then lost 5 in 3 weeks once i stopped taking those drugs.I am still carryinh thr extra 10 kg that i put on thru my 1st round of taxotere (i have secondaries-so my treatment never ends-but it can change at times) There is always the 'double edge' of having to have steroids (commonly along with chemo) which always make u extra hungry, and the fact that chemo makes u so fatigued that it is difficult to start or maintain any serious form of excercise..just getting in the odd walk can be so tiring. For the moment just focus on ur own healing, enjoy whatever u want to eat as often ur taste can be compromised and needing something with strong flavours is what can keep u going thru it all. Altho difficult try to block out any negative comments about ur weight or any other issues that may arise, sit down with ur family and explain some of the things u have discovered so that they may understand more and perhaps be more compassionate. The BCNA have great resources for friends/family/collegues which may also benefit them...good luck with the rest of ur treatment
Sam
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Julie, don't stress about ur weight..You will notice that many of us are enduring the same problem. The different drugs do different things to us all but weight gain seems to be common. I have just had 6 mths of oral chemo where i put on 7 kgs, then lost 5 in 3 weeks once i stopped taking those drugs.I am still carryinh thr extra 10 kg that i put on thru my 1st round of taxotere (i have secondaries-so my treatment never ends-but it can change at times) There is always the 'double edge' of having to have steroids (commonly along with chemo) which always make u extra hungry, and the fact that chemo makes u so fatigued that it is difficult to start or maintain any serious form of excercise..just getting in the odd walk can be so tiring. For the moment just focus on ur own healing, enjoy whatever u want to eat as often ur taste can be compromised and needing something with strong flavours is what can keep u going thru it all. Altho difficult try to block out any negative comments about ur weight or any other issues that may arise, sit down with ur family and explain some of the things u have discovered so that they may understand more and perhaps be more compassionate. The BCNA have great resources for friends/family/collegues which may also benefit them...good luck with the rest of ur treatment
Sam
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Julie,
We are just too hard on ourselves! Geez, if there is a time when we should be able to eat what we want when we want it's now!
My mouth has been so dry and sore on this chemo I have always got something in my mouth, barley sugar, butter menthols, tic tacs, and I put on 3 kilos in 3 weeks. I was so sad about it. Just another thing to stress about. I think we need to be kinder to ourselves.
I think you look gorgeous in your picture!
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Julie,
We are just too hard on ourselves! Geez, if there is a time when we should be able to eat what we want when we want it's now!
My mouth has been so dry and sore on this chemo I have always got something in my mouth, barley sugar, butter menthols, tic tacs, and I put on 3 kilos in 3 weeks. I was so sad about it. Just another thing to stress about. I think we need to be kinder to ourselves.
I think you look gorgeous in your picture!
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Thanks so much everyone for all the supportive comments. I really feel llike my self confidence has taken a dive because of this so its so great to have this network to turn to.
As an aside, I have been reading up on fluid retention with chemo, and thats going to be my excuse next time someone comments on my expanding frame!!!
Julie
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I too have this problem! I lost weight initially when I was on my first round of chemo AC but then as soon as I began Taxol/herceptin it started to creep back on again - ideally I'd like to be 5 kgs lighter but I'm still having herceptin 3 weekly until Oct and also I just started taking Tamoxifen of which weight gain is a known side effect!! Can't win!!! Walking takes on a whole new meaning - many power walks! I'm also still having radiotherapy until 16th March. Not must spare time to squeeze in the walks. ( also working full time! Keeps my mind off things!)
By the way are you from WA? You look so familiar. Ever lived in Kalgoorlie?
Good luck with your treatment and blog away! This is such a great site.
Take care
Love Alison xxx
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I too have this problem! I lost weight initially when I was on my first round of chemo AC but then as soon as I began Taxol/herceptin it started to creep back on again - ideally I'd like to be 5 kgs lighter but I'm still having herceptin 3 weekly until Oct and also I just started taking Tamoxifen of which weight gain is a known side effect!! Can't win!!! Walking takes on a whole new meaning - many power walks! I'm also still having radiotherapy until 16th March. Not must spare time to squeeze in the walks. ( also working full time! Keeps my mind off things!)
By the way are you from WA? You look so familiar. Ever lived in Kalgoorlie?
Good luck with your treatment and blog away! This is such a great site.
Take care
Love Alison xxx
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I too have this problem! I lost weight initially when I was on my first round of chemo AC but then as soon as I began Taxol/herceptin it started to creep back on again - ideally I'd like to be 5 kgs lighter but I'm still having herceptin 3 weekly until Oct and also I just started taking Tamoxifen of which weight gain is a known side effect!! Can't win!!! Walking takes on a whole new meaning - many power walks! I'm also still having radiotherapy until 16th March. Not must spare time to squeeze in the walks. ( also working full time! Keeps my mind off things!)
By the way are you from WA? You look so familiar. Ever lived in Kalgoorlie?
Good luck with your treatment and blog away! This is such a great site.
Take care
Love Alison xxx
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I'm a bit shocked actually! I know that your family think they are being supportive and helpful and encouraging about the weight watchers thing etc, however, right now, you are having treatment for cancer and this will be followed by a period of recovery. Frankly, who cares what you look like? You are here and alive and that's fabulous enough!!! I have been through this too - most recently last Sunday with my brother who I know was trying to be encouraging but just ended up making me feel even more useless than I already did. Your energy will return slowly - one day at a time right now. Your body will tell you what it needs - ice-cream to soothe the ulcers, sugar and starch for energy and bacon..... YUM!. As long as you (and your doctor) are comfortable with the way your body is functioning during its onslaught of chemicals. Sometimes, just being able to eat is a bonus. And I had just decided, before reading your blog, that dinner tonight will be icecream for me. Why? Because I feel like it.
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Hmmm, told my husband of your reactions and, yes, he said he was only being supportive! In my family's defence, I'm the one making the big deal about putting on weight, they didn't say anything until I brought it up.
But I guess what it really means is that I have lost touch with why I'm going through all this, and yes everyone including me needs to realise that I'm still here and that's all that matters!
I think Im just at a low point right now, was keeping on top of it all for the first couple of treatments, but struggling to keep smiling at the moment. Gotta keep that final goal in sight!
Julie
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I also agree with all the other girls but also know where you are coming from. Just over the last few days I've had so many people say to me I have my bounce back or comments like you didn't smile last year! I must have looked dreadful but no-one was prepared to say anything. The joys of chemo! We will always have our down times but heay as all the others have said we are still here! Keep positive and try and think of that ever decreasing light at the end of the chemo tunnel.
Take care and try not to be too hard on yourself,
Alison xxx
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Why are we women so hard on ourselves? Ofcourse you'd be having 'downers"- you've lost a boob,lost your hair, feeling crap from chemo.At one low point I felt I'd completely lost my identity-couldn't recognise myself in the mirror anymore.It can all rock your confidence. I've had breast cancer twice in the same breast-2003 and again in 2010.Getting a recurrence 7 years later really pulled the rug from under me. I am much kinder to myself now and don't worry about the extra kilos.I'm just glad to be alive and able to enjoy life.Go easy on yourself Julie and then your family will follow your lead.
Tonya xx
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Hi Julie! I think you know what I meant! Sorry Increasing light not decreasing - editting skills aren't what they used to be - chemo brain!
Good luck,
Alison xx
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