Has anyone managed to diet successfully while taking Tamoxifen?
I have been a size 12 for most of my adult life but have had to admit defeat and go up to a 14. I’m not too concerned about this although I am happier at size 12 and feel better about myself but I don’t want to get any bigger. I eat healthily most of the time and I exercise although I am no saint.
I am now wondering if going to Weight Watchers or something similar will help me or will I be wasting my time and throwing money down the drain.
I have been on tamoxifen since November 2007.
Snap! I was a 12 too for nearly all my adult life and have probably put on nearly a stone in the last two and a half years since Zoladex, Tamoxifen, ovaries out etc. I would love to loose my spare tyres and get back into a size 12 jeans again!
I too would love to hear from anybody who has lost weight on tamoxifen. Or is it just a matter of cutting the calories and exercising.
Grace
I had doubts about being able to lose weight on Tamoxifen. I finally decided to give it a try…I have joined weight watchers and I am on the core plan. I have lost 10.5 pounds in 5 weeks. YES you can lose weight on tamoxifen…I am!
Forgot to say…feel free to contact me if you need any more details. Lost 4 Ibs in my first week, then been losing 2 IBs a week on average. Not doing much exercice except walking and being on my feet all day.
Thanks Flowerfairy, I am seriously considering it but didn’t want to be wasting money if it was a lost cause. I know someone who goes to WW but isn’t very good at keeping to it, every week she loses 5 pounds but it £’s not lb’s LOL!!
Hi AJ
I also have been on Tamoxifen since November 2007 and was told ‘not to bother’ trying to lose weight while on it. Well, I wanted to prove them wrong! I have been following a low GI diet and have managed to lose 10lbs in 5 weeks. So, yes it can be done.
Best wishes.
Carol
can’t comment about losing weight on tamoxifen cos I’ve not actually gained any … I did gain a little a couple of years back and wanted to lose about a stone - went to Slimming World and the diet was so easy … no limits on quantity - it’s not how much you eat but what you eat with what … lost a stone and was delighted.
Hvae known others who’ve been to weight watchers and lost weight but as soon as they stop the limited portions they gain it all back again.
Hi all,
yes …it is possible.
By carefully weighing and measuring portions, maximising on healthy foods etc I have lost 2 stone in 7 months. It hasn’t been easy especially with steroid hunger etc but the knowledge that in my personal circumstances the first 2 years since diagnosis are the most risky with regard to a recurrence I couldn’t just sit back and chomp my way through the problem. I also joined a free diet site in the US where you enter all your foods etc - it kept my fingers out of the biccie tin!!!
Also a small bit of walking or 30 mins fresh air every day helps even when you don’t particularly feel like it. (I don’t mean when very bad days),
love
Kay x
Hi,i am following the slimming world eating plan.I started tamoxifen and zoladex in february and in march joined slimming world and have lost a stone.So it is definately worth giving it a go. gill x
Thanks ladies and congrats to all of you for achieving your goals. I am definately going to look into a more controlled diet and try and up the exercise, hopefully it will help with the creaking joints and I’ll get back into my size 12’s.
AJxxx
I’ve gained a stone since Christmas and still rising!. I am going to a healthy eating talk this week arranged by Breast Cancer Care, and will let you know if I get any good tips , either from the speaker or other people attending.
Ruffypx
Weightwatchers is great, I know this from the past, but I just can’t get motivated to go this time. And oh to be a size 14! I’m an 18/20, was a 16 before Tamoxifen. Had lost a stone before diag at WW but piled on weight during chemo (no exercise, steroids and eating rubbish, I loved fried food while on chemo!)
If anyone has any tips to loose weight, put them on here pleeeessseee!
Irene
I’m gaining weight on FEC due to steroid induced hunger… call me the cookie monster basically.
I’m now trying to stop snacking and eat slower release energy foods such as things made with oats, lentils etc. And I’m also going to eat more soups as they have the water in them and fill me up.
My Mum’s on the WW diet, and did the whole 1 week crash course thing, she said she’d rather I got fat that tried pulling stunts like that while doing the chemo. we can fix the waist later she said.
That said I’ve been looking at better exercises to do and have found some, going to post separately about that.
Hi, I started Tamoxifen in Oct 07 after WLE & rads, I didn’t have chemo or gain any weight when dx. I’ve been about 4-5stone overweight for many years, tried many diets but I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind at the time and ended up putting anything I lost back on plus more. I joined WW at the beginning of April, friends of mine had been going since Feb and were doing well so I thought I’d give it a go. I chose WW’s core diet because you don’t have to count points or think about food all day. The 4 of us take it in turns to prepare a main meal or dessert for after class each week, we all enjoy the evening and have said it has helped to make a difference this time. I’ve lost 2 stone and hope to lose another 1 maybe 2 stone, I’m conscious that at 52 the elasticity in the skin is not what is was.
Good luck to all of you trying to lose and to those who cannot at the moment give it time and it will happen.
Best wishes
Caz x
Hi
I’ve lost weight on Tamoxifen. It has been a bit harder than before but for me it hasn’t been impossible. Then again, I’ve suffered very few side effects at all so maybe it just means that the drug is not really having any impact on me!
Best
Jo
x
Hi all
Ive gained alot of weight roughly about 2 stone but then again i was on zoladex aswell when i spoke to my onc about it he said that i shouldnt diet just watch what i eat, i did get very fed up with my weight gain but now i am trying to watch what i eat i know that for a little while i didnt like myself i felt that my body had let me down but now im being very good, Jo what diet did you do perhaps i could try it x
Hi everyone
You might be interested in ordering a DVD from BCC It is called ‘Eating well being active’.
breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=5259
will give you all the details
Best
Ann
Hi All
I have started a running programme as historically I have found that the only thing that keeps my weight under control is exercise. There is a walk/running programme on the race for life website and also a begineers programme called Getting Started on the Runners World wesbite. I would recomend the RW one as it’s easier. I feel much better for it and it’s a great sense of achievement.
I also have to watch what I eat and change the way I view some foods from every-day to treat-only-eat-when-out foods. Boring I know but it works.
love Pauline
Jo I’m a bit like you suffering no side effects from the Tamoxifen and being able to lose some weight. You do start to question is this drug actually doing anything for me. I asked my Gp if I could have a blood test to check if maybe I had gone through the menopause already but I was told they don’t do them for over 45’s (I’m 52) because there to inaccurate.
I had an appointment at the hospital recently and the Dr said I had done well losing weight because a lot of women find it hard to lose weight whilst on Tamoxifen.
Caz x
Hi
I didn’t really follow any specific diet but I do try to eat low fat and healthily. I also cut out sugar - for a chocoholic this was not easy! I do now allow myself the odd piece of dark chocolate and a dessert once in a while but mainly I’ve stuck to this. I’ve also been exercising. Mainly just brisk walking or the equivalent at the gym. I try and do at least 30 mins six days out of seven.
I have had blood tests to check my menopause status - I am 47 Caz so clearly your hospital and mine differ about this! My estrogen levels are now low and getting to post-menopausal levels but the plan is to keep checking once every six months for two years and then on to arimidex if levels stay low.
I have very seriously considered having ovaries removed (there is a lot on this on other threads) but have decided for now not to go this route.
Best
Jo
x