do you put on weight with chemo ?

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21

I lost 10 lbs in the three weeks between the first treatment and second treatment, which sent the medics into a bit of a spin. But I have regained 5lbs since finishing.

22

I’m glad to read I’m not the only one who put on weight with chemo. I put on about a stone and a half. Now I am on aromasin which can also causes weight gain so I have given up on losing it. Having said that, I do a lot of comfort eating and could probably improve my diet a lot.

23

I have gained about 10 lbs. I lost on FEC as I was very sick but have gained on TAX despite the fact that everyhting tastes bad. The steroids do affect appetite & I get a compulsion to eat. I am now trying to slow down the gain as I realise some was down to comfort eating as well & I have been craving things like cream & butter & cheese - YEs dairy!!!
I am now having things like salad with sun dried tomatoes & lots of fruit- tasty but low fat.
Most medics all agree that trying to diet during chemo is not good - just listen to your body & worry about all that after treatment is finished - we have enough to be dealing with right now without worrying about weight as well.

24

I lost weight, after my diagnosis, and whilst on FEC, but gained some during Tax ( you tend to have more steroids on Tax, so that doesn’t help). So, I am probably about the same as when I started, maybe a few pounds heavier, but not much. Considering how little exercise I have done over the six months, I am quite pleased. I know it sounds a bit shallow, but bald and mono- breasted, I can do without being overweight as well. I am very glad we have the potentially life-saving treatments out there, but they do attack almost every aspect of your femininity and self-esteem.

25

Hi,
When I was on chemo I lost a stone in weight. It happened during the Tax, food tasted so awful and my mouth and throat were sore so I just didn’t want to eat much.
Am now on tamoxifen and have only put on two pounds so am hoping that I will stay at my current weight!!
Gill

26

i aint even got there yet and i really dont want to put on weight i want to lose it have been trying to for the past yr (hasnt worked )

27

Hi. I started chemo in February and 2 weeks ago the hospital weighed me and I’ve put 5lbs on. I’m trying on my “good week” to eat well but I feel like I’m ballooning. I feel very bloated. I’m normally quite an active person but haven’t felt like doing much so as soon as my chemo finishes in May I’m on a mission to lose the weight! x

28

i know i have put weight on, i can tell with my clothes, i too finish chemo in may then it will be time to loose those extra pounds, i try to eat heathly but sometimes you have to have a little of what you fancy

take care all

Donna
xx

29

trouble is - i always have what i fancy tut tut

Maria x

30

me too, shhhhh i wont tell if you dont

xx

31

I don’t think the 6 fig rolls I had with a cuppa last night will have helped! No willpower! They were buy 2 packets for £1 in Morrisons… Just been reading the thread about wind - so funny. Are you suffering? I am!! x

32

Think I may have to eat my words!

I cannot stop eating. Doughnuts and a can of coke for breakfast!

I will not eat like a big fat pig today! (after breakfast)

33

Ha Lisa!! Wait until you eat 2 bars of Galaxy in 1 day…!! x

34

Oh my goodness! Need to stop being a pig and blaming the nausea. Scales didn’t lie this morning. Worried now as weight is going up all the time, at this rate I will have put on nearly a stone. And I have only just finished FEC. What will I be like when start Taxols in two weeks? Help! Adi x

35

Nigella, the fig rolls were a bargain, therefore they do not count and you can eat as many as you like!

36

Those fig rolls were obviously purely medicinal, seeing as constipation can be a side-effect, so you are being sensible in eating them, not greedy. (Apply similar halo polish liberally whenever you need to, I’m sure with a little creative thinking you’ll find a way of justifying pretty much anything!)

37

hi girls as you can see by my name i to suffer from weight troubles,i stayed the same weight throught chemo and rads but as soon as they finished i started to pile on the weight,think its because im not as active as i used to be.im now back at weight watchers following their new pro points system and at last im eating properly again,i lost 2lbs this week.so i would say allow yourselfs a treat now and then and try to keep moving when you can,and eat lots of fruit and veg.best wishes Lynne

38

I was diagnosed in January 2009. I was told by my surgeon and Onc that I would definitely put on weight which was a bit of a bummer as I have always struggled with my weight.

I had E-CMF regime, I put on a few pounds with the Epi but felt so sick on the CMF part that I lost it again. I tried not to worry about it too much over the year as I felt I had enough to be dealing with without stressing about food. When I weighed myself in January 2010 I weighed exactly the same as Jan 2009! I did work through my treatment though and also had a small baby to deal with so didn’t get much time to sofa surf unfortunately.

Last year I managed to lose 19lbs following ww (loosely)whilst being on tamoxifen. I have put on half a stone over the winter but am just starting to address that.

Everyone is different, you just have to get through it the best you can

xxx