will the size of my tummy reduce now that i have finished takijng tamoxifen, as my doctors say?
I would like to know the answer to this one, too.
Anybody done the full five years of tamoxifen with their belly reducing to normal?
Mcgle
Do you mean I have to put with this enormous sized belly for another 4 years?!! Have only been taking tamoxifen for a year and put on one and a half stones already! Am seeing GP next week - know there is no magic answer, but thought I’d have a heart-to-heart with him.
Jean x
i am another one suffering from a massive belly, so after reading alot of these comments regarding tamoxifen, I can now see the connection. I have been on it almost 2 years and have put on a stone in weight although i go to the gym and swim alternate days, my stomach looks as if i am 6 months pregnant all the time. getting rather depressed thinking that going to the gym etc is pointless although i know i need to really continue with it or who knows what size I would be !!!
Deleted
That must be so disheartening, Lorri and Jean.
I walk for two miles every day, which is keeping my weight stable, though the belly closely resembles jelly!
If going to the gym and swimming don’t help, what will?
Rationally, we should just accept this as a side effect of tamoxifen. It is, after all, keeping us alive!
Mcgle
I too have the big belly - always had a flat stomach until taking tamoxifen, I definately put in down to the medication. I’m having a DIEP reconstruction next month so my tamoxifen belly will be my new boob (hope it wont disapear when I stop the medication)!!! I exercise daily but just cant get rid of it, I know we should be grateful that the tamoxifen is doing what its suppose to but I hate my stomach.
Clare
Same here!! I know i shouldn’t complain really, as uop until last year i have had the kind of figure and ‘luck’ that makes my best friend tell me she hates me - I was 5’ 6", 8 stone 2, slim but curvy in the right places, wore a size 8-10 clothes. I could eat what i wanted (although I prefer healthy food and home cooking) and until i had to weigh my cat regularly (long story…!) never posessed my own scales. Now after 1 year on tamoxifen, my tummy (TUMMY!! never had one before!) is white, flabby and wobbles when i run, most of my old clothes have gone to charity as i go up the size range - and hence purse strings being strethched too! -, and I look really lardy round my thighs and upper arms. Still eating healthily (if not more so) and have been to the gym this year (never done that before) and generally more active than previously. Yet still the weight goes on - now 9st 3 and have decided to get rid of the scales again now cat does not need!.
Hi Tigerlily
Yes, I remember you from last year. I would love to be your CURRENT weight, though I realise it is not acceptable to you.
Tamoxifen tummy definitely exists; whether we can get rid of it is another matter altogether!
Mcgle
I would so like to be 9st 3lbs again! But know that if you’re not comfortable with it that’s what counts! Off to see GP tomorrow. Going to tell him everything! Have been trying to diet really strictly these last few days, but am so miserable! Nightmare. Thinking of you all.
Jean x
Its not that I’m not comfortable with the weight per se - its just a number. To be honest I’d lost some while ill with BC (and before - probably due to having BC and not knowing it), so praobably looked a bit gaunt. Its just that Tamoxifen seems to have changed my metabolism (and previous clothes don’t fit so is expensive!!). Am slightly concerned that I may gain a stone each year I’m on Tamoxifen… eek!
Those who havent put on much weight are so fortunate.
At the moment i am repulsed with my body and weight gain and with that and the mastectomy yuk yuk yuk!!!
Everyone says i need to exercise, so off to the gym i went and my knee and heel started playing up.
If i walk far I have mega flushes and the sweat pours off me.
I am glad you mentioned the ‘belly’ i resemble a 10 pint a night beer drinker.
I asked onc and surgeon when i will stop this awful weight gain and told them its depressing me but they just say eat less and exercise and smile sympathetically.
I dread going to functions as finding ‘fat nice’ clothes is near impossible.
What ever happened to the slim fit me??
Rx
Hi girls, I was on Novaldex and Zoladex inj for two years, finished in August. Before Bc was a size 8 naturally and ate as much as i liked, after just two years of the drugs I ended up at 10st 11 and a size 14, i have never been over 9st before. It was one of the things that has really got me down. I am still experiencing some of the side effects of the drugs but slowly beginning to feel more in control, less hot sweats etc. 3 weeks ago I joined weight watchers and so far have lost half a stone, its not much but a good start and I cant recommend it enough as you are encouraged by everyone but eat heathily, I have found in the last 2 years that my hunger levels went up considerably, the food I eat on weight watchers does not leave me starving. I did try dieting and excercise during my treatment and nothing seemed to make a difference, just to let you all know MY TUMMY IS NOWHERE NEAR AS SWOLLEN, it is still quite wobbly and no way will I wear a bikini yet but it looks like things they are a changing. I hope this brings positive vibes to you all. Make sure you all eat heathily and excercise as much as you feel you can. We all have to enjoy life and not be so concious. XXX
MMM I’m not on tamoxifen (or any other drugs) I was always a size 8 and weighed 7st 10oz, could eat what i liked but preferred healthy food. chemo knocked the stuffing out of me and my weight plummeted to 6st 3oz. finished chemo last December, finished rads end of January - weight now 8st 9oz and size 12’s are getting tight! I eat even healthier than before and exercise more too. I don’t have the excuse of tamoxifen though and can’t see how on earth I am going to lose the weight. My tummy (which was always super flat even after 3 pregnancies) is huge - I look 9 months pregnant and its horrible flabby. So… is it tamoxifen or just a general side effect of treatment?
I am just learning to live with my new body, it looks different than before, it acts different from before but I’m still here and enjoying life so it can’t be all bad. 
I too have the huge belly and it is really getting me down, I was size 10 at dx, now size 14 and never weighed so much.
I’m not on Tamoxifen. I am on Femara but I seem to have the tamoxifen belly you are all describing. All my life I have tended to be a bit hippy and if I did put on a bit of weight that’s where it went but since the start of the year when I started the Femara my belly has become quite ridiculous. The thing that makes it a bit worse is when I don’t wear my breast forms (had bi mx) I have an uninterrupted view of it in all its glory.
I have been feeling a bit annoyed with myself for letting it get like this but if it is the medication that is causing it then I can at least absolve myself of all blame!
oh , I have one of those to, in fact, if I stick my belly out I cud pass for a 6 months pregnant women, which I did some time ago to shock my hubby, he nearly passed out, try to hold it in but just to much wibble wobble, hence the name truffle shuffle.
i can remember when having chemo and moaning about my weight gain the clinical staff , just said oh dont worry we will help you with that after chemo, well still waiting for the help 9 months on. I have lost about 1.5 stone but not from the belly area.
take care x
I am another one with Tamoxifen tummy.Doesn’t sound much but the last four pounds that I gained before treatment I just cannot shift despite swimming, walking and healthy eating. Small weight gain but tummy swollen so much I went to the GP who agreed and sent me for an abdominal and pelvic scan. Nothing was amiss although tummy has remained. Had reconstruction on 22nd of June and am eating healthily. Being quite careful because if I dont weight and tummy will go up.
I am on tamoxifen and am skinnier now than I was at dx. I think it must be variable and some SEs affect some people more than others. Some of those I was dx with have put more weight on during chemo with steroids and certain types of chemo boosting appetite but I didn’t have chemo and with surgery(ies) plus rads and tamoxifen I was an 8 on dx and am a 6 now x
Hi Hooper,
Glad I’m not the only one, I feel to that have put on about a stone and half, a lot of people said I needed to, but have never been like this, last year I decided to join a gym not that I’m a fitness fanatic just do the easy stuff! I mostly use it for the pool, jacuzzi ect! I found that also was getting a sore back, everything was going through head, but honestly I can say since I have a little swim it has went away, the stomach I don’t think will ever get flat again, I used to fit into size 8 clothes but now it’s 10 or 12, I will say though I do feel better for it, but don’t want to put anymore weight on, I have been watching what I eat now, but must admit do like chocolate now and again, we got to be happy, especially considering all that we’ve been through. x