Forum Discussion
Chris_P
12 years agoMember
Suck it up princess!
So last week I had my medical oncology appointment, this the first since I had my lumpectomy ( or whatever the new fangled name is for it now....excision?). Dr T was very pleased withe the way the chemo affected the hitchhiker, which made me feel better as I don't think I really understood how well it had worked when I spoke to the surgeon previously ( different ways of explaining things and different perspectives I guess). She has now put me on Tamoxifen which she says I will be on for the next ten years, she then dropped the bombshell....she advised I diet! Apparently fat stores oestrogen, my cancer finds oestrogen rather yummy and nutritious so get rid of the flab and starve the hitchhiker! ( those weren't her exact words but that was my spin on it). I'd read before about how weight loss was important for those with BC but didn't really understand why. My oncologist had been at a recent medical gathering in the US and all the brains now seemed to be agreed and actively promoting this train of thought.
Now I admit I have a middle age spread which since I started chemo has become more of a mass invasion of a small European country. I turned in to PAC man....if it wasn't nailed down I ate it, animals and small children weren't safe in my immediate vicinity I'd launch myself face first into the fridge with cries " get in ma belly! " as I chased the bacon.
Now I don't smoke, I don't drink very often I can happily go for months without a tipple, but I do love my food. At my heaviest during chemo I was 73 kilos, at my latest weigh in I was down to 71.3 kilos, so I had lost a wee bit of weight since finishing chemo but obviously I need to get to below what I weighed at the start of it and then some!
On getting home I rifled through the fridge and cupboards, I decided there was only one way to do this and to avoid temptation I chucked out all the crisps, biscuits, chocolate, bacon and sausages. I was damn sure that if I was going to be miserable so was every other person in my house!
I looked online for advice, processed meats such as bacon etc are bad, so too apparently is grapefruit something to do with hormones ( don't know if that is actually true though). Strawberries and raspberries are very good, so too is kale and spinach.
As the effects of chemo and my op wear off I have started to have more energy, and I have been able to get more excercise, I've started to walk the dog again and have been going on my wii fit. On weighing myself the other night I've lost the grand total of ... 0.6 kg which makes the depression I feel when I find myself watching Big Bang Theory whilst munching on a carrot so worthwhile! ,,,,,,,,in case you were in any doubt that was sarcasm!
25 Replies
- margiemooMember
its funny I am looking forward to my walks on the beach and even if when I get back to the gym in a few weeks I only cycle for 10 - 15 minutes it will be a good start and only go forward from there. Usually I participate in a fun run (but its walking for me) of 12kms (was on a couple of weeks ago) - no way cand I do that. had also said to another friend who turns 50 this year (as I did in january) that we would walk the city to surf - I would be lucky to walk a km. but we are now committed to next year. so lots of fitness to get back! so start small - end up at the city to surf in 2015. bring it on.
we will get there!
- Robyn_WMemberThe whole weight loss thing is hard,but it is important to our general health after chemo,and also giving our bodies the best chance to stay healthy and hopefully avoid cancer again.I did a short course on nutrition at RPA in Sydney,which is where I had chemo,after I finished treatment.What I took from it was this: lots of green veggies,lots of red berries,water,organic when possible,no preserved meats such as bacon,because what they use to preserve it with is a known carcinogen.Also remember,no soy products if you are on Tamoxifen!I walk a lot every day to keep my weight down,and also because I love it!Small steps in the right direction will give you the results you are hoping for.CheersxoxRobyn
- Robyn_WMemberThe whole weight loss thing is hard,but it is important to our general health after chemo,and also giving our bodies the best chance to stay healthy and hopefully avoid cancer again.I did a short course on nutrition at RPA in Sydney,which is where I had chemo,after I finished treatment.What I took from it was this: lots of green veggies,lots of red berries,water,organic when possible,no preserved meats such as bacon,because what they use to preserve it with is a known carcinogen.Also remember,no soy products if you are on Tamoxifen!I walk a lot every day to keep my weight down,and also because I love it!Small steps in the right direction will give you the results you are hoping for.CheersxoxRobyn
- Chris_PMemberHi Tim ! Honestly I'm struggling really I should have got it in hand when I was in chemo but I felt like I had enough to deal with atbthe time and the weight issue could be dealt with later!
- Chris_PMemberMarge I was the same, before the BC I was just getting back into exercising ( I have osteo arthritis and an auto immune disease too so had been feeling very fatigued over the last couple of years). On chemo I've found I had enough energy to work but not for much else. It's great now to finally have some oomph back and just do stuff like walk the dog or potter around in the garden.
- Chris_PMemberMarge I was the same, before the BC I was just getting back into exercising ( I have osteo arthritis and an auto immune disease too so had been feeling very fatigued over the last couple of years). On chemo I've found I had enough energy to work but not for much else. It's great now to finally have some oomph back and just do stuff like walk the dog or potter around in the garden.
- Chris_PMemberMarge I was the same, before the BC I was just getting back into exercising ( I have osteo arthritis and an auto immune disease too so had been feeling very fatigued over the last couple of years). On chemo I've found I had enough energy to work but not for much else. It's great now to finally have some oomph back and just do stuff like walk the dog or potter around in the garden.
- margiemooMember
I had read that your weight could affect BC. I have been too tired since chemo for the gym or even much walking as I am too tired after work. can' wait to start walking and gym again. my diet has been ok on chemo. we all will have to encourage each other.
good luck
Marg xx
- TimMember
Im glad I saw your comment about diet, you just encouraged me to take action on my weight:-( I think loosing weight is harder than chemo.
- TimMember
Im glad I saw your comment about diet, you just encouraged me to take action on my weight:-( I think loosing weight is harder than chemo.