Weight Gain

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Nanaone
Nanaone Member Posts: 8
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Has anyone experienced weight gain with the chemo. I thought you were to lose weight. Also, has anyone experience a rise and fall in your CA125 during chemo? Is this normal? or is there anything normal about cancer

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  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Most people's perception of someone going through chemo is the extreme loss weight. I found that it can go either way. My first experience in 2000 I gained weight. My second experience (this past year) I lost weight during the first two sessions because I definitely could not eat or drink ANYTHING. But when they switched me to a different chemo drug, I started to gain weight. It had nothing to do with eating, because even though I had a little more of an appetite I sure didn't stuff myself. It's just the nature of the drug. Also, I know it's an over-used phrase, but truly it is 'a lot of water weight'. Nonetheless, I did also gain some fat and have been working on losing it since August. It is harder to lose this 'chemo' weight.

    Your CA125 can fluctuate under any circumstances, but typically they like to see consistently declining numbers. How far into your treatments are you? Does it rise between treatments then go down immediately after? There are so many variables and reasons why this might happen. Hang in there. Let us know how you're doing.
    Here's prayers and hugs. . .
    Monika
  • jamilou
    jamilou Member Posts: 200
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    Like Monika, I gained weight on Taxol/Carbo. Thirty pounds to be exact but I did take most of it off. I think chemo must slow your metabolism and it takes a while to get your system back to normal. Once I started weight watchers the weight came right off. Usually a couple pounds a week until I was at what my doctor thought was a good weight for me. Good luck with the chemo!
    Jami
  • Nanaone
    Nanaone Member Posts: 8
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    mopar said:

    Most people's perception of someone going through chemo is the extreme loss weight. I found that it can go either way. My first experience in 2000 I gained weight. My second experience (this past year) I lost weight during the first two sessions because I definitely could not eat or drink ANYTHING. But when they switched me to a different chemo drug, I started to gain weight. It had nothing to do with eating, because even though I had a little more of an appetite I sure didn't stuff myself. It's just the nature of the drug. Also, I know it's an over-used phrase, but truly it is 'a lot of water weight'. Nonetheless, I did also gain some fat and have been working on losing it since August. It is harder to lose this 'chemo' weight.

    Your CA125 can fluctuate under any circumstances, but typically they like to see consistently declining numbers. How far into your treatments are you? Does it rise between treatments then go down immediately after? There are so many variables and reasons why this might happen. Hang in there. Let us know how you're doing.
    Here's prayers and hugs. . .
    Monika

    I was just switched to doxil today. the carbo and gemsar wasn't working. CA last month was 75.9 and this month its 75.1. So, he is changing my drugs. Little nervous about the heart damage.