I have gained weight after my surgery & radiotherapy even though I am not taking oestrogen blockers or any medication. I have really tried to lose weight, cut down on my food, cut out all sweet things & crisps, but each week it creeps up another half to a pound. I’m exercising as well, but nothing is helping. I am not grossly overweight, probably a stone more than I like to be, but nothing is shifting this extra weight. Has anyone else had this problem?
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I had a double mastectomy in the summer and am now on 10 years of letrozole.
I have been losing weight steadily - 1 to 2lbs a week for the past nine weeks and down 1.5st.
I was really concerned about the possible weight gain so have been very careful to look at exactly what I eat and drink - making sure protein, lots of vegetables and lots of fibre- no alcohol. Some days I think it’s easier to think you’re eating less than you are and moving more than you are so I usually write it down and weigh most things. I also make sure I walk 15,000 steps every day (usually closer to 20,000 - we have dogs) even when I’m exhausted and my bones hurt.
I know it’s not for everyone but it has been working for me. Good luck xx
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Hi lynnc123, I definitely don’t do as much exercise as you, but I write down everything I eat and drink, I don’t drink alcohol anyway, I know I’m not over eating, but have read breast cancer & radiotherapy can slow the metabolism down. I obviously need to cut down even further & try to change the type of foods I am eating if I am not burning enough calories. I have never been overweight, so getting my head around not losing the weight I have put on recently is quite hard.
Dear Balchik,
So pleased you have posted on the forum, this will help others in the same situation.
Firstly well done for getting this far with your treatment, secondly pleased be kind to yourself, I think maybe get checked out by your GP to be sure why you are putting on the weight, cancer is not a walk in the park, take one day at a time at the moment,
Wishing you well, with lots of happiness ahead, please let us know how your getting on
Biggest hugs Tili 
Oh my goodness, have I ever struggled. I am prone to weight gain anyway and cancer has exacerbated it. I put on three stone during chemo and then letrozole. Am now slowly getting it off but SLOW is the operative word. It’s a bit like the last straw - a horrible disease that makes you put ON weight rather than look pale and interesting. Grrhh.
Hi, I find it so depressing, I’ve never been overweight, a few pounds maybe, but I’m a stone heavier now than I like to be & trying so hard & getting nowhere is upsetting me. How can I be putting weight on when I’m eating less? I’ll have to keep trying & hope eventually it will come off. 
Had anybody found that radiotherapy has caused scarring of the lungs? I had 15 sessions of RT last November (‘23)but I had a chest xray after a fall 3 months ago and the xray was reviewed by a radiologist and they noticed a 15mm nodule (on same side of radiotherapy)!! I was in a right panic but once I spoke to my breast specialist nurse, she reassured me that scarring is quite common.
I am also struggling to lose weight (struggled to keep my weight down most of my life) but now even if I’m really strict with my intake, all I can lose is 1/2 a pound a week!! It’s so frustrating!! It’s because the Letrozole pushes us into menopause and our bodies are affected by the falling hormone levels which encourages fat storing!! 
I was told I would have scarring, but it wasn’t made out to be very serious, more of a possible weakness. I only feel fatigue occasionally.
Not being able to lose weight is driving me mad, no matter what I cut out or how much I cut down I cannot lose any weight. I can’t believe it won’t come off no matter what I do. I didn’t take the hormone blockers so I can’t give a reason.
Hi, that’s so strange about the weight issues cos you’re not on hormone blockers. Maybe you’re just menopausal anyway and that’s why u can’t lose weight!! I’ve been on a million diets in my 56 yrs but this is the first time that I can’t lose any!! And it’s going on slowly instead!! I hate it!! I’m trying to stay positive with everything I’ve been through and feel I’m doing ok mentally but I know I’ll be really down in the dumps if I put more weight on!! I read a while ago that oestrogen is in fat cells so that’s why I’m so determined to lose weight! In my head, the more fat cells I have, the more chance of recurrence!! Think I’m going to drive myself insane over this!! Good luck though, hope u manage to lose some weight! X
I’m 76 & read that radiotherapy can slow down the metabolism, but I’m probably looking for reasons why the weight won’t come off. I’m about a stone heavier than I like to be, but fortunately I’m tall so it isn’t noticeable to other people, but it’s making me very discontent. Good luck.
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