I have secondary breast cancer with mets in my bones (pelvis)
I am 4 stone over weight since chemo etc and my weight just keeps creeping up!
No matter what I do I can’t shift it.
I’m on Herceptin and a lot if drugs (no steroids)
I’m totally fed up with it and just want to go back to being the “old me”
Anyone else combatted fat in the same situation??
Hello Devon. I have not combatted it but I know what you are going through, and how you feel…
I am on Letrozole and have been for over 2 years. I have not had chemo or steroids. On the prescription notes it does state -“weight gain round the abdomen”- which is where mine mainly is.
Like you i have tried all sorts. But I confess to being a comfort eater so i do succumb.
I am trying the fast diet at the moment…but only started this week…have a holiday booked commencing 1 March…,only just over 6 weeks to go and most of my clothes are very uncomfortable if not just plain unwearable!
BUT the letrozole is working so far…
Good morning Devon and Lynn
My situation is a bit different to yours but I’ve struggled to lose weight since my previous chemo 3 years ago. I’m having more success controlling it with my current chemo. I just wanted to mention some things which have helped me.
One was to have scrambled egg for breakfast, just on its own, not with bread. I read an article that said eating wheat gives you more of an appetite, and that certainly seems to have been the case for me. When I stopped eating it I began to lose some weight and the egg for breakfast stopped the usual cravings for other food and it’s protein, rather than carbs. You just need to make sure you still get enough carbs for a balanced diet.
Also, I’m a grazer but when I feel I want to eat something I try to snack on fruit, veg and nuts. I now keep a pack of frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in the freezer so I can make a quick and healthy snack - and broccoli, cauliflower and nuts, such as almonds, are supposed to be good anti-cancer foods, so you get double the benefit.
It’s worth a try because it’s all healthy eating.
I do empathise as I hated the weight gain. I still want to lose about another stone so it’s a work in progress.
Best of luck.
X
Morning ladies I am yet another one struggling with weight! Before I was diagnosed I managed to lose 5 stone. I have been dieting since I was 11 years old on and off, if I had kept off all the weight I have lost (but unfortuneatly always put back on) I would have disappeared by now. I have tried just about every diet going but my last effort was the most successfull. I based it loosely on Slimming World although I didn’t go to the meetings this time just used the books and magazines. When I started chemo last July I stopped eating and virtually ate nothing for 6 weeks. I lost 3 stone in 2 months not the best way to lose weight! I had to be taken off chemo as I had become so weak and gradually started to eat and drink again. I instantly put back on 1/2 stone (I was severely dehydrated) and over the past weeks have put back another 1/2 stone. Last week I went back to my healthy eating regime. I swear by porridge for breakfast (with fruit) as it keeps you full up all morning. It was my bowl of porridge that forced me to go to the doctor and have my cancer diagnosed. Every morning I was having porridge and would rest the bowl on my boobs while I ate it. I developed a red mark which I thought was a burn but when it didn’t go I went to the doctor and cancer was diagnosed. I don’t know what would have happened if it hadn’t been for my porridge! I don’t eat bread now as it is my absolute downfall as I cann’t eat it without a mountain of butter. My taste has changed alot since chemo some things I still cann’t face like apples and pears and having always been a sweet toothed person I really like nuts and pickled things now. I loved chocolate but now like the really dark stuff which is good as you can only eat a little at a time! I am basing my diet now on alot of fruit and veg and am making drinks out of mixed berries which are supposed to be good for you. My other weapon in the battle of the bulge is a Vibrapower power disc. They sell them on Ideal World shopping channel. My first one I got when I lost the 5 stone. Unfortuneatly it went wrong so I had to send it back for repair but they lost it! I have just bought another one though a slightly smaller one that has a handle on a stand for me to hold on to as my balance is a bit iffy. I swear by it they are brilliant for anyone like me who only likes walking as exercise as you don’t have to do alot it does it all for you! It is so depressing when everything you like to eat makes you put on weight yet some people can eat anything and never put weight on.Best of luck with the weight lose.
Hi devon01,
I too have put on loads of weight over the last couple of months and also on IV herceptin and pertuzumab and exemestane tablets!! I know that some of the weight gain is due to me munching away, but I have decided to try and get fitter so signed up to a ladies only gym and my induction is this afternoon!!! I look in the mirror and all I see is a fat, spotty, bald person who I don’t know !!! Never been like this before and it is depressing !!! So first thing is to get fitter and hopefully eat healthier (Xmas chocs now all eaten)!!! Good luck and I know it is difficult with everything else going on !!!
Xx
Thanks everyone for your comments, it’s good to know that the cancer/drugs is to blame as I was starting to feel like it was just excuses.
My problem is I binge at night. I can’t just eat a biter chocolate, it has to be 2 bars and some crisps!
I’ve signed up today for weight loss hypnosis, it’s probably a total load of mummbo jumbo but any things worth a go, I’ve also emailed a personal trainer.
Good luck to you all 
Letrozole is known to cause weight gain… so… don’t feel guilty!
However… it is possible to lose weight when on letrozole. This was my first treatment, worked to control my bone mets for almost 3 years. I was more then 2 stone overweight at dx (I had the “double whammy”) and I had not realised that this had increased my bc risk. I lost 2 stone during my first year on letrozole.
I realise this might not be very helpful to those who read this… I have also had liver mets dx 2009, surprisingly I still have a good appetite! and on my current treatment (capecitabine chemo) I have slightly changed taste preferences, not helpful for the healthy diet I try to follow (including plenty of vegetables, we grow some of our own, well, hubby does!) I weigh myself every week, because I’m not as mobile as I used to be - but this can be so discouraging if the scales usually show an increase…
Sadly there are no easy answers, I hope those of you who are struggling will be able to find your own helpful way of weight management.
It’s nearly lunchtime and all this talk of food is making me dribble (though I can sometimes do that without the talk of food. An age thing!!) On the scales today and have lost 1lb which is not bad concidering the kebab the other day and the fish and chips at the weekend. The slimming world leek and macaroni was pretty good. I have to keep on with the eating plan now as the other day I finally got round to sorting out my wardrobe and have bagged up all my fatter clothes to go to the local cancer charity shop so if I put weight back on I will be walking around naked which is not pretty. A downside of losing weight is the saggy skin which was made worse when I lost alot so quickly on chemo. Just need lots of harvest festival kickers where everything is safely gathered in! Ellie I love your reactions to the starers people can be so thoughtless. Good luck with the healthy eating everyonexx
Ellie I bet it feels good getting rid of the pic line I was so pleased when mine went . I couldn’t face swimming now its just so cold . My hands and feet are permanently cold, we went for a lovely walk on the beach again today but I was wearing a long sleeved t shirt a shirt jumper two coats two pairs of socks jeans hat and gloves and was still cold!! If I get my other boob off soon then I,ll be able to sort out a new cossie with and a matching pair of swimming boobs! But the weather needs to warm up alot first. Enjoy your swimming xxxx