Weight gain

Just thought I would respond to your comment about wine. If it helps I found it very easy to not drink once I realized 2 things. Firstly, even moderate amounts of alcohol are a risk factor for getting breast cancer (especially estrogen positive cancers like mine). Secondly alcohol is a carcinogen. It did not make sense to endure all the treatment and then continue putting a known carcinogen into the body I was trying to keep healthy! The thought of wine now has the ability to make me nauseous! Unfortunately I still love chocolate but restrict myself to the dark, high cocoa types. Good luck with your surgery. Take care. Deanne xxx

I am about to start Tamoxifin and my dread is weight gain.. but it sound as though with a very healthy diet (which is one I plan to stick to as a cancer prevention) and regular, very regular exercise... it should not be a problem.

Geez I love BCNA for the support from those in similiar situations. thanks

 

Hi Nads,

You might find the Exercise and staying fit page on our website a good place to start if you feel you need to look at your diet and exercise. There is some useful information and programs/resources available - http://www.bcna.org.au/living-breast-cancer/physical-wellbeing/exercise-staying-fit

PS. This is my favorite exercise quote ;-) Good luck

Thank you ladies, what i got from your replies is that maybe I should be trying a little harder with diet and exercise. I know I need to be more active now after bc but after working 9 hours, exercise is the last thing on my mind. But there's no easy solution. thanks for the advice :-) Cheers

Thank you ladies, what i got from your replies is that maybe I should be trying a little harder with diet and exercise. I know I need to be more active now after bc but after working 9 hours, exercise is the last thing on my mind. But there's no easy solution. thanks for the advice :-) Cheers

I have been on tamoxifen  for about 17 months and I have not gained any weight.  There's no magic to it. Avoiding weight gain on tamoxifen involves the same old boring edicts - watch what you eat and exercise regularly.  I aim to run or do a gym class at least 4 times a week.

Having said that I do find I have to constanly monitor my weight and work hard to keep it stable - maybe a little harder than before BC, but not much. I know some experts advise against weighing yourself everyday but I find a daily weigh-in helps keep me on track. If I don't weigh myself for a few days I seem to relax my eating habits and my weight inevitably creeps up. 

The other thing that has helped me avoid weight gain is an app called My Fitness Pal. I use it to record everything I eat and the exercise I do to help ensure I don't accidentally consume way too many calories. I think it is incredibly easy to kid yourself that you are eating a healthy, moderate diet when in fact you are taking in way more calories than you need. This app has been a big reality check for me.

I think the other thing to keep in mind is that many people - both women and men - gain weight in middle age for a variety of reaons, not just us BC survivors on tamoxifen. Personally I doubt that the weight gain many woman complain about is due to the medication. It's just that our metabolisms are slowing with age, hormone levels are dropping, we are perhaps not as active as we used to be, we live in fast food culture etc etc etc. Unfortunately there's no super easy way to stay slim. Just gotta stay focussed and disciplined.  Good luck, Janet.

 

 

I have been on tamoxifen for 7 months and have lost the 3kg I put on during chemo plus 3 more. I eat a lot less than before though (not much in between meals) and exercise every day (walk at least 3km, 6km some days, swim, Pilates). I think if I did not exercise so much and ate what I used to I would have found it hard to loose the weight. I am at my ideal weight now. Deanne xxx

I have been on Tamoxifen since January this year.My weight is exactly as it was when I was first diagnosed,but I have to work hard to keep it steady.I walk about 2 and a half kilometres each day( fast walking) and some days further.I watch my diet carefully,as I just don't want to put on weight.But as for whether Tamoxifen can cause weight gain,I wouldn't like to say.Our bodies are all so different too,so what causes weight gain in you may not cause it in me.I am interested to read other responses to your post.Cheers xox Robyn