Weight gain??

I met women who lost a heap and women who put on a heap. Everyone's metabalism deals with chemo in a different way. I was slightly overweight when I started and stacked on 9kgs, the fluid retention was half of that and the rest is inactivaty from taxotere I struggled to walk out the front yard. I ate super healthy, drank plenty of fluids but it didnt matter. Its now almost 5 months since I finished chemo (and almost one month since all treatment finished, yae me!) and have lost the 9 kilos I put on. It wasnt easy.  I'm on Tamoxifen and was really worried about weight gain too but its proven to be a-ok. Eat healthy, excercise daily (when you can) thats all you can do. Things will return to normal (a different kind of normal) but they will. I wouldnt be too concerned about weight gain during chemo it is perfectly normal and is only temporary. After chemo, with a little effort and without the billion drugs you have to take during chemo your body will slowly return to its new normal and everything will improve. 

All the very best in your journey.

Big hugs :)

hiya,

I did not gain any extra weigh while taking the AC chemo, but taxotere (or doxitel its other name?)  caused fluid retention,  so 3 weeks after each treatment I would gain 3 kgs of water that stays for a couple of weeks. Plus very inactive with these rounds.  But it should reduce once i have energy to burn, cant wait for that! is been months of No energy.

cheers

One of my 1st "cancer jokes" was around the fact that I'd at least lose some weight from all of this! Im gaining though.

I just spent the last 12 months losing 30kilos through outdoor hard core training and eating well and here I am sedentary, too tired to work out in the same way i have been and craving comfort foods. at the time of diagnosis I turned to food (emotional eater in me came out in vengence).

I am working hard to make the week after chemo my week for low sugar and lots of water and rest and calorie controlled meals. Using sugar free sweets to stop the nausea when what i do crave is actually a cold can of coke! I work to a 70:30 ration of good to bad food choices in the hope I dont undo the whole of last year's efforts. All i want is cheese burgers! :-) 

One of my 1st "cancer jokes" was around the fact that I'd at least lose some weight from all of this! Im gaining though.

I just spent the last 12 months losing 30kilos through outdoor hard core training and eating well and here I am sedentary, too tired to work out in the same way i have been and craving comfort foods. at the time of diagnosis I turned to food (emotional eater in me came out in vengence).

I am working hard to make the week after chemo my week for low sugar and lots of water and rest and calorie controlled meals. Using sugar free sweets to stop the nausea when what i do crave is actually a cold can of coke! I work to a 70:30 ration of good to bad food choices in the hope I dont undo the whole of last year's efforts. All i want is cheese burgers! :-) 

You will hear mixed stories on this as everyone seems to respond differently.   Personally, I put on around 5kg.   Whilst I could blame the steroids, I think it was more likely due to my anything goes approach to food. There was one day that I ate 4 x golden gaytimes!   I used food to comfort me when I was feeling otherwise revolting, ice cream in particular was light relief.   I finished chemo 3 months ago, I'm still on herceptin for another 6 months and also taking tamoxifen.   I can officially report that I lost the 5kg gained during chemo easily once I put my mind to it.   I do lots of exercise and am eating sensibly again.   Good luck with everything, just do what feels right for you.

I lost 2kg during the first week of chemo cos I couldn't eat.But over the months that followed I put on weight.I am on Tamoxifen and that makes you put on weight too.I think I put on about 4kgs that I still can't shift 1 year later.I'm not too preoccupied with my weight -quite frankly,I'm glad I'm alive and finally have hair!

                                 Tonya xx

I lost 2kg during the first week of chemo cos I couldn't eat.But over the months that followed I put on weight.I am on Tamoxifen and that makes you put on weight too.I think I put on about 4kgs that I still can't shift 1 year later.I'm not too preoccupied with my weight -quite frankly,I'm glad I'm alive and finally have hair!

                                 Tonya xx

Hi Susan

Sorry to say that I gained about 10kgs during chemo. Mostly from the drugs and inactivity. Also I found when I could eat I just ate what I liked. On the positive side I have managed to lose 8kgs so far but am finding the last few (and the rest ) a bit of a struggle.

Just go with the flow and don't let weight gain (if you do ) bother you too much it's really the least of your worries.

Good luck

Sarah x

Hi Susan,

I've lost weight (only about 3 or 4kg), but I was pretty lean to begin with, and used to doing lots of exercise. I've been lucky in that I haven't had much nausea and have been able to keep up a pretty steady (moderate) exercise program. Plus, for the first month or so of treatment, I couldn't taste sugar, so sweet things tasted yuck. Then fatty things tasted like slime, so I chewed up a few more fat-stores just eating 'good' fresh food. Now my taste buds are kind of okay and I'm eating pretty much whatever, but trying to maintain frequent small portions rather than big stuffings. I've also noticed that the steroids you get with chemo make me hyperactive, so I just go with the flow and motor around while it lasts.

But (here she goes again) everyone is different. I think my chemo ride has been relatively smooth (touch wood, 2/8 to go) and I know lots who have not been so lucky, and just need to eat whatever they can, when they can, and who have to go without much in the way of exercise for the duration...

So: go with your own individual flow. If you gain weight you can always work at getting lean again when you're feeling okay; but if you're feeling okay, make the effort to move your body -- it eases fatigue (strange as that sounds) and helps you sleep and feel better. And in fact gentle/moderate exercise is positively correlated with bc survival. But don't beat yourself up: if you're up to it, you're up to it; if you're not, you're not.

I've totally NOT answered your question, but there you go!

hope your heart test goes well, and good luck on your chemo ride.

Go well,

Heather

Hi Susan,

I've lost weight (only about 3 or 4kg), but I was pretty lean to begin with, and used to doing lots of exercise. I've been lucky in that I haven't had much nausea and have been able to keep up a pretty steady (moderate) exercise program. Plus, for the first month or so of treatment, I couldn't taste sugar, so sweet things tasted yuck. Then fatty things tasted like slime, so I chewed up a few more fat-stores just eating 'good' fresh food. Now my taste buds are kind of okay and I'm eating pretty much whatever, but trying to maintain frequent small portions rather than big stuffings. I've also noticed that the steroids you get with chemo make me hyperactive, so I just go with the flow and motor around while it lasts.

But (here she goes again) everyone is different. I think my chemo ride has been relatively smooth (touch wood, 2/8 to go) and I know lots who have not been so lucky, and just need to eat whatever they can, when they can, and who have to go without much in the way of exercise for the duration...

So: go with your own individual flow. If you gain weight you can always work at getting lean again when you're feeling okay; but if you're feeling okay, make the effort to move your body -- it eases fatigue (strange as that sounds) and helps you sleep and feel better. And in fact gentle/moderate exercise is positively correlated with bc survival. But don't beat yourself up: if you're up to it, you're up to it; if you're not, you're not.

I've totally NOT answered your question, but there you go!

hope your heart test goes well, and good luck on your chemo ride.

Go well,

Heather