Forum Discussion
Aromasin and weight gain, now I know Im not going mad...
Hey all,
I had to share this as Ive thought I was going mad all these years, but now I know I'm not. I finished my treatment for my 2nd diagnosis in 2015 and was placed onto Arimidex, I was then changed to Aromasin. Post chemo I put on 6kg, this has blown out into 8kg now, to many they would say it wasn't much. However, in 3yrs I have tried EVERYTHING! exercise and diet, I would lose a little but it would reset itself back or more and now I know why. I am stuck on this for a further 2 yrs after discussions with my Oncologist, but Im upset that this is not discussed in depth with patients. I say this only from the point of full knowledge and understanding, not as to whether I would take it or not. This is purely for knowledge and knowing WHY I cannot get this weight off and so I can stop blaming myself and beating myself up.
I will still continue to exercise and watch my diet, eventhough I know whilst on this medication not much will change, knowledge is just power isn't it? in a way Im relieved. Its hard to not get caught up in this post recovery of finding your new normal, but it doesnt help when we aren't told everything. There is light at the end of it I hope LOL
Exemestane (AROMASIN) is a steroidal Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) Your extra weight may hang around and increase after chemotherapy if you also take hormonal therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). If your body shifts into menopause because of chemotherapy, there's a tendency to gain weight. ... It's important to know that the hormone estrogen suppresses LPL activity on fat cells.
The enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL)plays a major role in the metabolism and transport of lipids, and consequently is a participant in the development of obesity•One of its roles is to remove triglycerides from the blood for storage in both adipose tissue and muscle cells.••Enzyme activity may also explain why some people who lose weight regain it so easily. After weight loss and weight stabilization, adipose tissue LPL is increased and its response to meals is heightened.•People easily regain weight after having lost it because they are battling against enzymes that want to store fat. Fat storage is efficient, and fat oxidation is not•The activities of these and other proteins provide an explanation for the observation that some biological mechanism seems to set a person’s body weight or composition at a fixed point; the body will make adjustments to restore that set point if the person tries to change it.
Hope this helps others understand why they can't shift that extra weight post treatment and know you too ARE NOT GOING MAD!!!
Hugs everyone, am wishing 2 more years away as currently am 8yrs on combined medications and had enough!
xx
M
I had to share this as Ive thought I was going mad all these years, but now I know I'm not. I finished my treatment for my 2nd diagnosis in 2015 and was placed onto Arimidex, I was then changed to Aromasin. Post chemo I put on 6kg, this has blown out into 8kg now, to many they would say it wasn't much. However, in 3yrs I have tried EVERYTHING! exercise and diet, I would lose a little but it would reset itself back or more and now I know why. I am stuck on this for a further 2 yrs after discussions with my Oncologist, but Im upset that this is not discussed in depth with patients. I say this only from the point of full knowledge and understanding, not as to whether I would take it or not. This is purely for knowledge and knowing WHY I cannot get this weight off and so I can stop blaming myself and beating myself up.
I will still continue to exercise and watch my diet, eventhough I know whilst on this medication not much will change, knowledge is just power isn't it? in a way Im relieved. Its hard to not get caught up in this post recovery of finding your new normal, but it doesnt help when we aren't told everything. There is light at the end of it I hope LOL
Exemestane (AROMASIN) is a steroidal Aromatase Inhibitor (AI) Your extra weight may hang around and increase after chemotherapy if you also take hormonal therapy (tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor). If your body shifts into menopause because of chemotherapy, there's a tendency to gain weight. ... It's important to know that the hormone estrogen suppresses LPL activity on fat cells.
The enzyme lipoprotein lipase (LPL)plays a major role in the metabolism and transport of lipids, and consequently is a participant in the development of obesity•One of its roles is to remove triglycerides from the blood for storage in both adipose tissue and muscle cells.••Enzyme activity may also explain why some people who lose weight regain it so easily. After weight loss and weight stabilization, adipose tissue LPL is increased and its response to meals is heightened.•People easily regain weight after having lost it because they are battling against enzymes that want to store fat. Fat storage is efficient, and fat oxidation is not•The activities of these and other proteins provide an explanation for the observation that some biological mechanism seems to set a person’s body weight or composition at a fixed point; the body will make adjustments to restore that set point if the person tries to change it.
Hope this helps others understand why they can't shift that extra weight post treatment and know you too ARE NOT GOING MAD!!!
Hugs everyone, am wishing 2 more years away as currently am 8yrs on combined medications and had enough!
xx
M
33 Replies
- @melclarity. Unlike my experience with Tamoxifen, I do not seem to be putting on weight with Letrozole. I have been taking it since October, last year. The only noticeable side effect is hot flushes.
I have lots of energy. No aches or pains.
I also take Palbociclib. It lowers my white cells. - @"Kiwi Angel" yes Im the same, weight has gone around my middle and thighs :/ this was all after chemo. Though I had a recon that entailed a tummy tuck!! I am still a size bigger thanks to chemo, the meds and menopause. The combo is diabolical and none of it is told to you prior to all this treatment, but they expect you to get on with it? be thankful but they forget for most people the treatments that are given are for prevention. So how about start talking to the public about this effects so we can be ahead of things with knowledge and foresight. I guess I say this personally as 1st diagnosis I was overtreated, in hindsight I wish I hadnt done radiation it made no difference. The problem is the Oncologists do not want to know about the aftercare and its a major issue for most...they need to start addressing. They havent walked in our shoes and they don't know the compromised quality of life. I never talk of it really...but bit sick of these so called 'professionals' shrugging it all off like we are whinging? Im thinking of switching for the 3rd time now to Letrozole as that is not a steroid, and I may have more hope with exercise and diet to get some weight off!!! GRRRRR! sorry for the rant...but people need to be aware of the reality of it all.
@iserbrown lovely to hear from you, I can't imagine what you are going through and how you are managing to navigate it. Some hope if the intensity has dropped even slightly? Yes look I agree I too can manage with the Aromasin, I find working exacerbates it all though and have to put my feet up when I get home and sleep for 30mins, its so hard and nobody knows.
Gorgeous day here too :) am loving the cool nights and mornings and warm days. Take care hopefully some more changes for you slowly. Hugs
xx - @melclarity thanks for asking! Situation same, intensity has dropped but...….
Since being on Aromasin the bone pain is still with me but otherwise I find it manageable. See Oncologist in April for review! I am hoping to settle into it as this is my third aromatase inhibitor
Weight is always an issue on these damned treatments!
Beautiful weather here today!
Take care - I have put on weight round my belly, butt and thighs after chemo and then being on tamoxifen for 8 months - never had a gut like this. @sister - I’m sort of similar to u - I HAVE put on weight but my clothes still fit - very strange. Only 9 years to go!!
- @iserbrown hope you are doing ok, being in crippling pain is so hard. Hugs xo
- @primek isnt it depressing? No amount of exercise changes anything whilst on this medication. Ironic isnt it if they put you on a medication that defaults and keeps the weight on and then they say more weight equals recurrence...so why give this AI makes no sense. Stay on the meds but hey keep the weight down. I did exercise and was a size 10 and still had a recurrence. Guess they figure now oh well stay on the AI that will save me from another lol who knows so many contradictions and hypocrisy.
- My sense of humour is, in circumstances like the current, replaced by a sense of the ridiculous.
- It just keeps giving! I'm tougher than most! I still haven't cried over the diagnosis and won't but that's me!
Maybe I will laugh in a few weeks about this post when I am over this hurdle of radicular pain
I appreciate it's dark humour but at present it's just not funny - Apologies - I had no intention to offend .... but I do have a warped sense of humour ..... and often seek out Black Humour as a way to overcome my own issues. Hence the 'sort of' .....
- You're quite right...nothing about cancer, its treatment or the side effects from them is funny. There's nothing funny about not being able to safely carry my one week old granddaughter around because of my peripheral neuropathy. (If I can't see my feet, I have no idea where they are). Thus my large belly with a fragile newborn perched on top of it, and me walking around is not safe. Me being unable to play with her three year old brother in the park by swing pushing, climbing nets and so on for the same reason, is not funny. My having spent eleven days post op due to a massive bleed and ongoing complications is not funny. However, if I didn't mine down into the depths of my Black Humour Resevoir, I might well have (and still might) take the advice of the post elsewhere, of putting it all in the Fuck it Bucket.
