I’m hoping my weight gain is due to retention of water rather than retention of food! I’m huge anyway, I daren’t even weigh myself at the moment, I can feel it in my clothes that are getting tighter.
I have decided once radiotherapy and chemo over that I must tackle my weight and get to a more sensible size. To be blunt I’m feeling that there’s no point surviving cancer to die of a heart attack at 40!
Thanks Ninja-will try it out!
El Katrano-I think bigger clothes should come on prescription. I know it’s not important in the scheme of things but I think we all try so hard to carry on regardless during chemo and we cope with hairloss and feeling **** plus all the emotional stuff, and to have to gain weight on top it just seems so unfair. I’ve never had to worry about my weight in my life and now I’m gaining it all the time. I know it shouldn’t bother me-but it does! Will join you on a diet when I finish.
Yes how UNFAIR is it that we GAIN weight not bloody loose it???
I think people think I’m lying when I say that it seems most BC ladies don’t loose weight but gain it.
I don’t quite understand why that is, is it the steroids? And if you don’t get sickness then you’re not going to lose it?
The steroids give me the munchies. Add that to the inactivity due to being too effin’ tired and achy to move - and Bazinga!
Re the dark nail polish - tax makes the nails sensitive to light so painting them a dark colour does make sense.
J x
I was told that light on the nail beds weakens them even more… I’m trying really hard to “munch” fruit and not biccys… but the weight is still creeping up… as someone said on another thread - lack of exercise doesn’t help, steroids don’t help, tax doesn’t help. Wine helps… oh! Is THAT where it’s coming from?? Probably! Wine on good weeks undoes all the weight loss on week one!
I don’t use nail polish at the best of times - let alone dark colours. I do have a clear anti-UV polish that I may give a whirl. But I may be too late as I’ve already had 2 tax… Haven’t seen any nail changes yet tho.
Dx
Isnt it crazy that generally people think you lose weight when you go thru chemo for cancer … everyone has an image of a thin, balding, pale and ill looking person… when you tell people that it is normal for weight gain, people seem genuinely surprised!
Re the aches and pains from Tax. I had my first on 14th June. On fri 17th I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Barely able to move, lay around moaning and groaning for 3 days. Monday felt a bit better but Tuesday and Wed wham again. I ended up in hosp Wed evening with a temp and diagnosed as neutropenic.Stayed till Monday, had my Herceptin in the chemo unit then allowed home.
Saw my oncologist on wed, she is reducing the Tax by 20% and giving me the injections this time.
I’m due my 2nd Tax tomorrow so I will be able to compare with and without the injections. I’ll keep you posted.
6 years ago I had CMF and Epirubicin, and it was nothing compared to Tax.I know we all react differently but I fully understand what you are going through.
My fingers have become very dry and flaky over the past few days any suggestions please?
LMA x
Popping in again to say this is the end of week 1 on TAX1 and next mon it will be TAX2! I have felt sooo much better this last week ( Not sure it be poss to feel worse) I still feel tired, not wiped out but def tired… I too have the fluid retention and the weight gain…like I need that!!! I will join whoever on a diet afer all this is over, We have to ask them for a new topic headline …Losing the weight after cancer treatment …advice and encouragement… What do you reckon?? I have not had the aches and pains this week though and generally felt better…can’t believe though that I will present myself at the hosp next Monday to do it all again WHY…?? X Love o all and I hope you are coping with any SE’s XXX Jeanettex
Sorry edited to say this the end of week 2 of TAX 1 not the end of week 1!!!
I’ve got my 2nd tax on Wednesday so we will all have to compare notes, not looking forward to the tax truck again though.
No No No Jo C … I am sure it is ‘The Tax Road Train’ not the TAx truck even if truck sounds better I’m not sure it describes it enough?oh and me neither… a least this time I can hope that I will be able to say to myself “this time next week be feeling better”? HOPE XXX Jeanette
Ouch - my last Tax leaked after I left, burnt an area under the skin. the FEC “fecced” every vein it touched, and my arm is slighly swollen - so, what with the phlebitis from FEC, the leak from TAX and the swelling stopping anything going through, it took EIGHT goes at getting a canula in - 3 nurses passing the buck! Finally managed near the elbow… bruised and sore, but glad to have it done. I sucked ice this time to see if it reduces the mouth problems (which were horrid)… we’ll wait and see if the body’s getting used to processing this poison or the truck hits again! At least I got given something to help me sleep, so I will “only” have fatigue and not fatigue and sleep deprivation! Good luck to all having treatment this week… as you say, we can swap notes! Jane
Thank you Jane …reminded me to tell my GP about the lack of sleep thing !!!
We’ll all be awake together then! Am now two days away from Tax bulldozer.
It feels like falling off my horse at a high speed gallop so yes tax road train! Got to start the steroids tomorrow oh how I love the red face, bald head look! Not to mention the sleeplessness ( is that a word?)
I’ve nicknamed it Taxidermy cos it totally stuffs you!
Re Nails - I am 4 weeks post 3 x docetaxel did all the following:
Painted finger and toe nails with dark polish
Massaged finger nails with Sally Hansen cuticle + nail oil every night
Took frozen peas and ice blocks in cool bags to TAXing and kept my toes and fingers on right hand on ice
OH did all washing up!
The results are that although all my fingers and toes are still sore, all my toes and the fingers on my right hand look OK. However, the nails on my left hand (which did not get iced) have white areas on them which I believe is where they are coming away from the nail bed and I think I might loose the nail on my little finger. I think it is when they get infected that people have real problems, I always wear gloves when washing up or in the garden and try not to do anything that puts any strain on them.
Hope this helps!
DaisyGirl xx
Doles anyone know why my legs and feet still really ache (particularly in bed) 4 weeks after my last TAX and seem to be getting worse? How long does it take for this to go away?
Thanks DaisyGirl xx
Hi there Daisygirl. I had this and was beginning to think I was stuck with it. I can honestly say after 12 weeks it has all but disappeared so hang on in there.