Weight Gain

Weight Gain
Hi,

I know it's rough for you right now dealing with what you lost, breasts, hair and etc. Weight gain can be part of the experience. Another insult, right? It isn't forever and at this time, find a few loose garment and when it's over, you can concentrate on your weight. Just try to get through your treatment without worrying to much about this side effect. There isn't much you can do about it.

The majority of women do go on to pick up their life again. I know it's hard to believe but it's true. Then you can deal with the weight gained.

If it's your co-workers, friends who are making comments, tell them "they ought to happy it's not them going through the breast cancer experience". That ought to make them think twice before speaking.

Wishing you the best,

Doris

Imadandy said:

Thank you Doris. I love
Thank you Doris. I love your suggestion as to a response to people making comments. I wouldn't have thought to say that. I just get hurt feelings and feel worse about it all. I will remember that!

I hope to go shopping tomorrow to find a few shirts that will fit. I don't want to buy too many because I hope not to stay in this bad of shape forever! However, I need to have something to wear to work. I have only 2 tops loose enough for me right now. I have been wearing my husband's flannel shirts around the house and when I'm out running errands.

I am grateful to be alive and I know that getting treatments to stay that way is the most important thing. I hope I don't sound shallow in my message. I don't mean to. For the most part, I have dealt pretty well with not mourning my breasts, hair, eyelashes, etc. But now I'm physically uncomfortable just trying to get dressed, wear shoes, bend my fingers, etc., and I think that's kind of been my breaking point, so to speak.

Thanks again Doris. I look forward to the day that my life returns somewhat back to normal, although I know it will never, ever really be the same again.

Tracie

I remember the remarks too!
Hi again Tracie,

I remember the remarks too. I have been in this game for 17 years. The first time around you are just stunned and I didn't answer either. Today, believe me, I answer back. I have had a lot of experience. You are not shallow and I do believe it is a common problem, weight gain along with everything else one deals with being diagnose with breast cancer or any cancer.

I copied this from some other site. I am not the author. I got such a kick out of it. You might enjoy it too. I am certain you can find a clever reply among it.

Humor does go along way in helping us cope with this awful disease.

Best,

Doris



Sick Humor: Answers to But you don't look sick!

Don't you wish that you had something witty to say when someone says the inevitable.. But you don't look sick?!

Well now you do!

*And you look Intelligent!
*And you don't look stupid!
*Maybe it's Maybelline.
*But I tried so hard!
*Oh? You don't look like the bearer of prejudices.

We all make mistakes *

Cheery Smile *
*Really? That's odd!

*Really? (Look down at yourself) I'm cured!!!

*Where did you get my medical degree from?

*For when people are are being rude- I don't look ( Insert age here) either, but it doesn't change the fact I am!

*Why thank you honey, that's so sweet of you to say that!
*I wasn't aware illnesses came mounted on a billboard!
*Huh? What does sick look like?
*There's a well person striving to escape this body !
*How sweet of you to say that. I've been so tired, I haven't bathed in three days. And I was sort of worried about going out in public looking like this. So thanks for the compliment. It's really made my day.

*And I guess your X-ray vision isn't working too well today either! You should see how corroded some of my parts are on the inside. Some of my organs are in their 90's, some in their 70's. It's hard to keep track!

*Yeah, isn't it great. I guess I'm the healthiest looking sick person you've ever seen, huh? Isn't it weird how looks can deceive.

*Yep well it's nothing to get excited about !

*Well I'm NOT sick, my body is!

*What do you think "Don't judge a book by it's cover" means?

*Just because I look ok, doesn't mean I'm fine.

*I work hard to look this good.

*Are you flirting with me?

*I have good and bad days, but I'll never be the way I was before I got sick.

*Darn! I told Q this was the wrong host body!! I should go back to the mother ship.

*This is my Alter-Ego!

*Should I get a refund?

*It's really good to know that the 4 hours it took me to get out of bed, and get ready this morning wasn't wasted!

*Really? That's not what my psychiatrist told me.

*Oh gosh I didn't realize it was you who was blind. I mean people told me but I must have gotten muddled, its the drugs you know, but wow you're coping so well.……. *continue babbling till they back away*

*You should see the straight jacket they make me wear!

*Thanks! Funny, knowing that i don’t look sick, gives me a new appreciation and patience for the people i might meet who look healthy and may not be.

*Oh yeah? Check this out (show them something freaky)

*Really? Ok lets trade bodies for the day!

*What exactly does (insert illness) look like?

*Ignorance is bliss I guess!

*Would a bit of vomit help? Because I'm feeling quiet nauseous.

*I guess hard work pay off!

*Well of course not, I look like (insert name here) Duh!

*What is this "sick" you speak of?

*Thanks! I only needed one painkiller today instead of 5!

*oh good..... because "not sick" is just the look I was going for!

Imadandy said:

Humorous retorts
These are great!!! I actually found several that I believe I will use at some point! Thank you for sharing. You have cheered me up on a day that I was feeling pretty down.

I'm sorry to hear you have been dealing with this horrible disease for so many years though, Doris. I will remember you in my prayers.

I have gained 17 lbs on hips
I have gained 17 lbs on hips and belly fat because of the Tamoxifen and Gabapentin i'm on that is one of the side affects of the meds we take i have finally stopped gaining now but at my age it's probable not going to come off i am 69 maybe once i'm finished with the meds in 3 and a half years it may come off but i'm alive and thats what matters and your are too so hang in there.Hugs Frankie

Weight gain
I didn't gain from the chemo but have gained 15 lbs from the Femara. When I told the doctor how upset I was about it (as I was overweight to begin with), he smiled and said "when you go off Femara you will be skinny again." That made me laugh as I left my metabolism in the delivery room many, many years ago !!

Imadandy said:

Humorous retorts
These are great!!! I actually found several that I believe I will use at some point! Thank you for sharing. You have cheered me up on a day that I was feeling pretty down.

I'm sorry to hear you have been dealing with this horrible disease for so many years though, Doris. I will remember you in my prayers.

I use some of those too!
I think at some point you have to say something. I use "you should see how long it took" real often. I think I like the 4 hour one the best! Made me laugh too, the last few days have been rough ones!

Thanks

Hang in there.
I gained

Hang in there.

I gained 25 lbs while on AC and then TH. Most of it was while I was on the Taxol. Some of it was actual weight and some of it was water retention from Taxol. The steroids don't help either. If you are on decadron (dexamethasone) then it is likely your potassium levels are being depleted and this also causes imbalance and water retention.

I also had awful stomach bloating and other miserable side effects of chemo. I did get some clothes a size bigger to accomodate my new size and to feel comfortable. I always joked and said than goodness for plus sizes because if I keep putting on weight I am going to need them. I did my best to take care of myself and did do a little exercise each day sometimes just walking for half an hour.

Don't compare yourself to how you were before chemo, just focus on looking and feeling your best considering you have gained weight, have no hair and eyebrows and eyelashes AND most of all are on chemo. You have a great smile and cheek bones and am sure look quite beautiful even with a bald head. It is good to look at what you do have rather than what you don't have. Gratitude helped me a great deal during this process.

In the 15 months since chemo and 3 months since finishing Herceptin I have lost 45 lbs. Yes, the 25 I put on during chemo and another 20 I had put on in the preceding years. A month post chemo, I started counting calories, exercising every day and have been loosing ever since. And no, I don't deprive myself of anything, life is too short to give up a small piece of chocolate or a small portion of yummy desert.

Hang in there, one day at a time. It might feel like an eternity right now but make yourself as comfortable as possible in every way. Chemo in general is very brutal.

take care

SIROD said:

I remember the remarks too!
Hi again Tracie,

I remember the remarks too. I have been in this game for 17 years. The first time around you are just stunned and I didn't answer either. Today, believe me, I answer back. I have had a lot of experience. You are not shallow and I do believe it is a common problem, weight gain along with everything else one deals with being diagnose with breast cancer or any cancer.

I copied this from some other site. I am not the author. I got such a kick out of it. You might enjoy it too. I am certain you can find a clever reply among it.

Humor does go along way in helping us cope with this awful disease.

Best,

Doris



Sick Humor: Answers to But you don't look sick!

Don't you wish that you had something witty to say when someone says the inevitable.. But you don't look sick?!

Well now you do!

*And you look Intelligent!
*And you don't look stupid!
*Maybe it's Maybelline.
*But I tried so hard!
*Oh? You don't look like the bearer of prejudices.

We all make mistakes *

Cheery Smile *
*Really? That's odd!

*Really? (Look down at yourself) I'm cured!!!

*Where did you get my medical degree from?

*For when people are are being rude- I don't look ( Insert age here) either, but it doesn't change the fact I am!

*Why thank you honey, that's so sweet of you to say that!
*I wasn't aware illnesses came mounted on a billboard!
*Huh? What does sick look like?
*There's a well person striving to escape this body !
*How sweet of you to say that. I've been so tired, I haven't bathed in three days. And I was sort of worried about going out in public looking like this. So thanks for the compliment. It's really made my day.

*And I guess your X-ray vision isn't working too well today either! You should see how corroded some of my parts are on the inside. Some of my organs are in their 90's, some in their 70's. It's hard to keep track!

*Yeah, isn't it great. I guess I'm the healthiest looking sick person you've ever seen, huh? Isn't it weird how looks can deceive.

*Yep well it's nothing to get excited about !

*Well I'm NOT sick, my body is!

*What do you think "Don't judge a book by it's cover" means?

*Just because I look ok, doesn't mean I'm fine.

*I work hard to look this good.

*Are you flirting with me?

*I have good and bad days, but I'll never be the way I was before I got sick.

*Darn! I told Q this was the wrong host body!! I should go back to the mother ship.

*This is my Alter-Ego!

*Should I get a refund?

*It's really good to know that the 4 hours it took me to get out of bed, and get ready this morning wasn't wasted!

*Really? That's not what my psychiatrist told me.

*Oh gosh I didn't realize it was you who was blind. I mean people told me but I must have gotten muddled, its the drugs you know, but wow you're coping so well.……. *continue babbling till they back away*

*You should see the straight jacket they make me wear!

*Thanks! Funny, knowing that i don’t look sick, gives me a new appreciation and patience for the people i might meet who look healthy and may not be.

*Oh yeah? Check this out (show them something freaky)

*Really? Ok lets trade bodies for the day!

*What exactly does (insert illness) look like?

*Ignorance is bliss I guess!

*Would a bit of vomit help? Because I'm feeling quiet nauseous.

*I guess hard work pay off!

*Well of course not, I look like (insert name here) Duh!

*What is this "sick" you speak of?

*Thanks! I only needed one painkiller today instead of 5!

*oh good..... because "not sick" is just the look I was going for!

thank you thank you thank
thank you thank you thank you my significant other actually told someone i had wan't sick but had shaved my head to become a Charlie Manson follower. I never thougth i would get tired of hearing "but you look good" I'm bald gained 17 pounds and my hands tremble constatly not to mention the hot flashes.

mrs gadget said:

Many of us have been there!!
I started Chemo treatments at 175 lbs and finished at a wopping 200 lbs!! Once I started tamoxifen, I also started the Jennie Craig program. This has helped me immensely and I did it with my doctor's blessing!! I am now lighter than I was before diagnosis and have done 2 half marathons!! Don't worry, the new normal is just around the corner and you can do it!!

Hate the weight gain
I've gained about 40 lbs. I feel cheated, I didn't get to eat all the yummy foods most eat when they pack on the lbs. My goal in 2012 is to loose the weight. I got to before it leads to other health issues associated with being overweight.

weight gain
Hi Imadandy, I also had double mastectomy and have gained 30 lbs from Arimidex. I know exactly how you feel. My Ono prescribed Effexor XR and it has helped a little. I don't want to be around people. Being flat chested and fat is not my cup of tea. Unfortunately this is part of our treatment. I have lost interest in clothes, but do shop for pretty tops. Doesn't seem fair does it. Just keep telling yourself this is part of the good fight and this to shall pass. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.