I’m just aout to get round two of my chemo EC and Paclitaxel. I seem to be gaining a horrendous amount of weight and it’s really making me upset. Prior to being diagnosed, I’d spent two years shifting 4 stone, felt fantastic and looked good (even though I say so myself). I went to put some trousers on last night and i couldn’t get them past my knees. I’m so upset about this and don’t know what to do next. Needless to say, I spent half an hour crying prior to going out and it ruined my evening because I felt fat and very uncomfortable.
I’m not eating cake every day! I eat sensibly. Any ideas where I go from here? Are we allowed to follow a sensible diet, such as Slimming world or something, whilst on chemotheraphy? getting fat and being over weight will do nothing for my self esteem and make me feel worse and more depressed. I thought about getting an exercise bike but going by what I’ve read, it actually won’t help much as an exercise bike mainly exercises the heart!
If anyone has any advice or ideas I would really welcome them. This really is making me very upset - daft thing to be upset about when we are dealing with BC as well, but if your getting fat at the same time…!!!
I put on 6-7 pounds everytime i have chemo! almost over night. It drops a bit prior to next cycle but still fatter than usual. I did slimminmg world prior to diagnosis so know how you feel…bad enough being bald without being bloated too… I think a lot of it is water from steroids to begin with and that 2 pounds does go. My clothes not fitting terribly well either. Its not forever tho and i feel i will deal with it after chemo finished.
Try not to stress- in the scheme of things its not that bad and it can at least be tackled later on when we are getting well again!!!
Don’t know if it helps but my onc warned me that it is not real weight - a lot of it is water balance and will settle several months after you finish chemo. Obv if you go mad on things that make you fat it may not all be water! But, all of the women i was on chemo with have had major flucuation at some point in the treatment - for me I have gained 7lb since starting Tamox - it does not shift but it does not increas.
I seemed to have gained 9 lbs in the space of two weeks! It’s just so very upsetting after having worked so hard to lose the weight. I’m eating all the right foods - so I can’t really find any areas to change my diet. Prior to all this I used to run 3 miles every day! I’m going to start walking for just 20 minutes every morning and see if that helps. I was warned only to do “gentle” exercise by my oncologyst - that said, I couldn’t run even if I wanted to now!
All my food is low fat, I eat plenty of fruit with fat free yoghurt, lots of vegetables and salad too.
To top it all, my hair has started to come out now. I don’t know whether it’s just thinning out or it’s actually going to fall out completely. if I run my hands through it, it sticks to my hands. I’ve only had one chemo session so far and I used the cold cap with that - my next chemo is on Thursday this week. I was under the impression that by now most people have lost their hair by this stage. So i’m still unsure if i’m going to lose it completely or it’s just going to get really thin.
Sorry to winge on - just really not a good day for me today. Cried this morning! xxx
We have all been there and it is horrible - but as someone who is now 4 full months past last chemo I know that my body continues to surprise me. I have hair again - super curly babysoft hair about 1.5 inches long and my body shape still seems to be changing. Obv there that extra 7lbs which has settled mostly round my middle and I am not thrilled at how I look at all - prematurely middle aged but, but but it is early days. For you, who are still in the thick of it, I think it is a bit like a tunnel where there is no light and you are sure to feel like it is a very long time to feel normal again. It is all horrible and it does knock you for six but, listyening to the women who are further on tha me it does seem like at some point you will resemble the old you again!
Try not to worry and go with the flow as much as you can, I found that was the best way to cope at your stage.
Don’t want to depress you but I actually lost weight during chemo (finished Xmas) but am now on Femara and have put on… about a stone! Couldn’t eat whilst on chemo and lost loads of weight (the one good thing to come out of it) but Femara… I’m not eating any differently but am piling the pounds on.
My hair has come thro’ very very curly. Now about 5 inches long. Had it cut last week and my son told me I look like Susan Boyle!!! I hate it (but it’s slightly better than no hair). So I’ll keep my picture taken in January with my wig!
Having said that, am so much better. Feeling more positive and looking forward to the future. (Just hate my reflection)
Loopy, the weight gain is horrible, but it does just seem to happen, as Evie says it goes up and then down a bit before next treatment but still up a bit more! i spoke to my onc and she said not to worry and sort it out later! but iam always saying bald and fat is not a good look!
I too tried the cold cap and my hair started coming out about day 15 after first, i was left with wispy bits, didn’t use it on 2nd as so much had come out. Finally after 3rd i got the scissors and cut it all off, wasn’t as brave as others who shaved! but now when it does grow it will be the same length!
Take care and hope all goes well for you, love debs xxx
I just get so drepressed about the weight - after spending two years at slimming world battling to shed the four or so stone. as for exercise, well I only managed a twenty minute walk yesterday - which is a bit different to my 3 mile run that i used to do every morning before I got this horrid BC. This morning though… wait for it… I now have a very swollen and painful foot - somehow I managed to fall out of the back door into the garden and ended up at A & E last night! I have no idea how I did it! My only defence is it must be all the crap they have been putting in my body recently. So this morning i have a foot that i can’t fully put the weight down on - so I can’t even go for a flippin walk!
My Food intake is good. Usually cereal in morning, then sandwich at lunch time then the evening I have fish and veg or salad followed by very low fat rice pudding and I normally add some fresh rasberries to that or some prunes!! Not exactly over doing it is it!
I have a massive head of head - but it still comes out in handfuls when i run my hands through it. So even though i’ve lost a load you still can’t tell - yet! My dilema is whether to use the cold cap again when I go for my second treatment on Thursday. It only seems to be certain parts of my head that are shedding the hair - most odd. The strange thing is that there wasn’t one hair on my pillow this morning but as soon as i get up and touch it some comes out. Still unsure whether it’s just going to thin out or fall out completely! I’m ready for it to fall out in that I have a wig already and a couple of bandanas with hair attached!
I’ve had a pants week to be honest - had yet another infection in my lymph scar, had to have a general aneasthetic to have a portacath put in, hair started to come out, getting fat and now my flippin foot! Sorry ladies, i’m winging! Just sick of it all and to add insult to injury I go to hospital on thursday for my second chemo.
so sorry to hear you’re having a bad time, particularly with the chemo. I start chemo this week and also dread putting on weight. I did slimming world for a while although not with as much success as you and it so frustrating to have succeeded in your goal and them something beyond your control ruins all that hard effort. Let’s hope that once chemo finishes you can get back on track to where you were. I’m getting married in Antigua next year and was really hoping to have a svelte body and long flowing locks for the photos. Some hope now!
Anyway, all the best and hope things work out for you,
I’ve been dieting for the last 4 weeks and lost 8lb and am really pleased with this. I had my first dose of TC chemo yesterday and was horrified to wake up to a 3lb increase in weight.
I’d like to know why this happens when my diet is extremely sensible. I know that this more than anything else is going to upset and depress me if it continues like some of you are saying.
Oh I really feel your pain, I lost 3 stone with ww and have put over 1/2 of that during chemo which I finished last week, well brassed off. I had fec t and it seemed to be the T part for me that did it especially when I had go change your weekly Paclitaxol as I put on over 5lb in which week! That never happened on holiday in the all you can though and drink all inclusive,!,