Hi , I had breats cancer last year and had 8 rounds of chemo - 4 epirubicen and 4 taxotere.... i had the steroids and alot of other stuff ... and found i put on a fair bit of weight... i finished chemo last year late july and went on to do radiotherapy for 6 weeks. so all therapy finished novermber 2010. I have been able to she about 3 or 4kgs but thats it... now im fluctuating 1 kilo up 1 kilo down etc.. and am finding its soooo difficult to shift any weight at all... i did a no carbs diet as per a naturopath for 3 weeks and didnt shed a single gram.. and also have started excersising more... i am thinking my metabolism has given up on me ... why cant i lose any weight.. is anyone else having the same problem, and has anyone been able to shed some weight easier... any good tips?? i am getting sooo upset :(

Know the feeling! I'm not so far advanced with my bc as you as I have my 4th round of chemo this afternoon, but have slowly gained weight since it all began. To start with, it was probably comfort food to help me deal with the emotional side of it all, but I've been eating healthier food for the last month & walking more, but the weight just stays put. I've been to a nutrionist & she has me on a plan where I eat carbs with every meal to slow down the sugars through my system, a bit like a Diabetics eating plan. Only started last Friday, so it's early days. Will let you know if it helps as she told me I should lose 10 kilos to be in my healthy range. And I thought one of the bonuses of chemo was that you lost weight! There goes that theory. Best of luck & when you find the secret formula don't forget to share. Wendy

ohh Wendy, you are good, walking and eating healthy.. all i wanted to eat was yukky fatty food as i was craving anything with heaps of flavour... gross now that i think of it. Good Luck with it all you are doing very well if you are able to walk and eat healthy too!! you go girl! It will be over before you know it!! And i know this sounds odd, but i remember being told by my oncologist i will be having chemo and i thought to myself "oh cool ill lose weight!!! " i even said that to her and she said.." oh well actually you will probably put weight on!!! " well if that didnt kick the tears in !! hahaha im glad i wasnt the ony person that thought that ! again best of luck and i will let you know if i find a secret formula... but im telling you ive tried alot of things lately even eating healthy and excersise.. i have a lsight feeling it just means its going to be a very long slow process! but we will get there!!! :)

I have also put on about 10 kgs since starting chemo. FEC x 3 and Doc x 3. I am about to have my 5th round on friday this week. I also thought I would loose weight with chemo and was told by oncologist that I will put on weight and may be hard to shift chemo is over. I have no tastebuds since chemo and lots of mouth ulcers with docetaxel chemo. Ice cream is my best friend (Peters 98% fat free) during chemo. I have no idea how i'm going to shift this weight mostly off my butt and tummy. I think i might start swimming if I can find a swim suit to fit. Good luck wendy with your chemo this arvo, another step closer. Chrisssy D :) xoxox {{HUGS}}

Hi pj, I did chemo last July and at first I lost 2kilos cos didn't have an appetite.I just had vegetable soup,bit of toast and lemonade iceblocks for a week or so..That was all I felt like. However,as time went on and I started Tamoxifen then about 4 kilos jumped on.I too am having trouble shifting it.I have heard that cutting the bad stuff out gradually helps.Like for example:stop all soft drink this week. Next week stop all cake and chocolate and so on.However,I can highly recommend a week on vegie soup!! Tonya

Hi girls Looks like it is all part of the deal. I too assumed and was told by others that I will lose weight whilst on chemo. I will find out next month when I commence. Not looking good from the above comments. I am presently carrying an extra 10+ kilos. I do blame the medication but what choice do I have? I think if we all try to eat healthy and do as much exercise as we can tolerate then at least we will stay healthy. Weight is just a number - isn't it????XLeonie

weight gain - how do i lose it!!!

12 Replies

virg62
Member
15 years ago
Hi,

I know it's not very exciting but I can highly recommend weightwatchers. I started Weightwatchers Online June 2010 and lost 25 kilos. In fact, I had just reached goal weight when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am currently undergoing chemotherapy (FEC+D). I will have the third part of FEC on Thursday. I've continued using Weightwatchers during treatment and, to be honest, any weightgain I've had is because I have eaten too much and not exercised at all. The exercise I admit is hard - half hour walks seem like marathons some days. And on other days only a peanut butter sandwhich will do. But, with Weightwatchers, I have been able to keep my weight pretty stable so far.

Check it out. And good luck!
virg62
Member
15 years ago
Hi,

I know it's not very exciting but I can highly recommend weightwatchers. I started Weightwatchers Online June 2010 and lost 25 kilos. In fact, I had just reached goal weight when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I am currently undergoing chemotherapy (FEC+D). I will have the third part of FEC on Thursday. I've continued using Weightwatchers during treatment and, to be honest, any weightgain I've had is because I have eaten too much and not exercised at all. The exercise I admit is hard - half hour walks seem like marathons some days. And on other days only a peanut butter sandwhich will do. But, with Weightwatchers, I have been able to keep my weight pretty stable so far.

Check it out. And good luck!
pj007
Member
15 years ago
samantha, your story was truely touching. I loved how you became a personal trainer... wow! I too have struggled with my weight and was at my optimum weight but then just before i was diagnosed i had put on about 10kgs and then on top of that i have put on about 8kg during chemo!!! its horrible.. so now im aiming to lose about 15kgs! but obviously at the moment i would be happy with losing even 5!!! agghhh so frustrating...

well done in getting through all your treatment... and well done on doing all your excercise... i think its fantastic you are definately an inspiration! i hear you about the choccie cravings i have such a sweet tooth and i love my bread i love it! and my morning latte! oh g od will i ever lose this weight!!! hahahaha

take care :)
pj007
Member
15 years ago
ohhh ladies.... much love to all of you xoxoxo

Leonie, youre about to start... and yes weight is just a number... everyone that has been through this and is going through it knows that whilst undergoing treatment concentrate on yourself, rest , if you cna muster up energy to walk then do so its a great way to get fresh air and get out and about instead of being couped up inside on the couch or in bed... even if its only for a little while, whatever you can manage its great for your mind and yourself... i know everyone kept saying to me "drink plenty of water"... but i know that water used to make me gag! lemonade icy pole were awesome i loved them...and also for when i was dehydrated i had those hydrolyte ice blocks.... as fare as what everyone has said .. YES try as much as possible to eat healthy but obviously whilst undergoing treatment its not as easy because of the yukkiness you feel. I know i never drink coke but during treatment i loved it!!! weird!!!

oh well im off to boxing bootcamp tonight - GOD help me!!!!! hahahaha if cancer didnt kill me.. im sure this will!! hahahaha

much love ladies and thanks for all your replies.... its touchinng and inspirational to know how many of us are out there and are in or have been in the same boat and we continue to soldier on ! :)

WE WILL GET THERE... keep smiling :)
pj007
Member
15 years ago
ohhh ladies.... much love to all of you xoxoxo

Leonie, youre about to start... and yes weight is just a number... everyone that has been through this and is going through it knows that whilst undergoing treatment concentrate on yourself, rest , if you cna muster up energy to walk then do so its a great way to get fresh air and get out and about instead of being couped up inside on the couch or in bed... even if its only for a little while, whatever you can manage its great for your mind and yourself... i know everyone kept saying to me "drink plenty of water"... but i know that water used to make me gag! lemonade icy pole were awesome i loved them...and also for when i was dehydrated i had those hydrolyte ice blocks.... as fare as what everyone has said .. YES try as much as possible to eat healthy but obviously whilst undergoing treatment its not as easy because of the yukkiness you feel. I know i never drink coke but during treatment i loved it!!! weird!!!

oh well im off to boxing bootcamp tonight - GOD help me!!!!! hahahaha if cancer didnt kill me.. im sure this will!! hahahaha

much love ladies and thanks for all your replies.... its touchinng and inspirational to know how many of us are out there and are in or have been in the same boat and we continue to soldier on ! :)

WE WILL GET THERE... keep smiling :)
pj007
Member
15 years ago
ohhh ladies.... much love to all of you xoxoxo

Leonie, youre about to start... and yes weight is just a number... everyone that has been through this and is going through it knows that whilst undergoing treatment concentrate on yourself, rest , if you cna muster up energy to walk then do so its a great way to get fresh air and get out and about instead of being couped up inside on the couch or in bed... even if its only for a little while, whatever you can manage its great for your mind and yourself... i know everyone kept saying to me "drink plenty of water"... but i know that water used to make me gag! lemonade icy pole were awesome i loved them...and also for when i was dehydrated i had those hydrolyte ice blocks.... as fare as what everyone has said .. YES try as much as possible to eat healthy but obviously whilst undergoing treatment its not as easy because of the yukkiness you feel. I know i never drink coke but during treatment i loved it!!! weird!!!

oh well im off to boxing bootcamp tonight - GOD help me!!!!! hahahaha if cancer didnt kill me.. im sure this will!! hahahaha

much love ladies and thanks for all your replies.... its touchinng and inspirational to know how many of us are out there and are in or have been in the same boat and we continue to soldier on ! :)

WE WILL GET THERE... keep smiling :)
Wendy_Stip
Member
15 years ago
Hi Chrissy, had my 4th round yesterday afternoon, slept much better than I usually do the night of chemo & feeling good this morning (no side affects). It's a beautiful day here with blue skies & a pleasant breeze. I think I'll have to get out there & enjoy the day.

Good luck with your next round on Friday. 2nd last!!! Hopefully you'll be feeling much better this time around. Get into that mouth wash & gargle straight away this time & keep it up. 4 times a day, after eating & before bed. Hopefully it'll keep those ulcers away this time. They can just really make you feel so miserable.

Wendy, big hugs to you too x0x0
Leonie_Moore
Member
15 years ago
Hi girls

Looks like it is all part of the deal. I too assumed and was told by others that I will lose weight whilst on chemo. I will find out next month when I commence. Not looking good from the above comments. I am presently carrying an extra 10+ kilos. I do blame the medication but what choice do I have? I think if we all try to eat healthy and do as much exercise as we can tolerate then at least we will stay healthy. Weight is just a number - isn't it????XLeonie
TonyaM
Member
15 years ago
Hi pj,

I did chemo last July and at first I lost 2kilos cos didn't have an appetite.I just had vegetable soup,bit of toast and lemonade iceblocks for a week or so..That was all I felt like. However,as time went on and I started Tamoxifen then about 4 kilos jumped on.I too am having trouble shifting it.I have heard that cutting the bad stuff out gradually helps.Like for example:stop all soft drink this week. Next week stop all cake and chocolate and so on.However,I can highly recommend a week on vegie soup!!

Tonya
Christine_Denni
Member
15 years ago
I have also put on about 10 kgs since starting chemo. FEC x 3 and Doc x 3. I am about to have my 5th round on friday this week.

I also thought I would loose weight with chemo and was told by oncologist that I will put on weight and may be hard to shift chemo is over. I have no tastebuds since chemo and lots of mouth ulcers with docetaxel chemo. Ice cream is my best friend (Peters 98% fat free) during chemo. I have no idea how i'm going to shift this weight mostly off my butt and tummy. I think i might start swimming if I can find a swim suit to fit.

Good luck wendy with your chemo this arvo, another step closer.

Chrisssy D :) xoxox {{HUGS}}