Loosing weight

sylva

I finished with chemo on June 24. It put me on menopause. One month after, I've started taking the Tamoxifen for two years, then it will be changed to another one. When I got the diagnosis on March 13, my weight was 138 lbs. I lost 2 or 3 lbs during the chemo. Now my weight is 127 lbs. Last week I called the oncologist to ask if this loosing weight is normal, and the nurse took the call. She told me it is normal for all the trauma my body went through.
I changed my diet, lots of veggies and fruits, not too much carbohydrates, no beef, only chicken and fish once a week, and try to walk 2 miles per day. My next appt w/oncologist is in a month. I'm kind of worry, for what I've been reading, in general women gain weight with the Tamoxifen.
Thank you for your input. Hugs

tan39

tamoxifen and weight gain
Hi Sylva

i have actually read the opposite about tamoxifen, the so called "experts" say it is usual to loose weight while on this drug. They say weight gain is mainly down to steroids given during chemo , lack of excercise because of pain from chemo, and eating the wrong foods again, because of the chemo.... so sounds like you are doing the right thing with your diet and excercise.
Would still be interesting to know which is right, let me know after your appointment.
Take care. Love Tan x

cabbott

food diary
You might get a notebook and put down exactly what you ate and how big the servings were for about three days. That is usually long enough to get an idea of what you do on the average. Then get on the internet or get one of those calorie books on various foods and look up the calorie count on what you have eaten. This is easier than it sounds because we tend to eat a lot of the same things each day. If a slice of bread is 90 calories (the side of the package will tell you) it is the same every time you eat another slice so you only have to look it up once. Add the calories up for each day. Count every bite, even the broken cookies (I have a friend who swears broken cookies have no calories, so she hits the bag on the table several times before she reaches in. . .I digress) There are many tools on the internet to tell you how many calories a person your size needs to eat to maintain weight. Folks who want to lose weight have to eat less than that number of calories each day. Folks who want to gain weight have to eat more. If the math says you should be gaining, but you are still losing, you need to see the doctor. Your diary will tell the doctor a lot about your nutritional intake as well as your calorie count. Tamoxifen seems to affect different women different ways. Weight lifters do use it to cut their body fat (black market street drug when used that way and who knows how much they take!), though many women swear it makes them fat. I managed to lose weight by dieting while on tamoxifen. My doctor was worried till he found out that I was doing extra exercise and skipping desserts on purpose to lose 15 pounds. Losing when you aren't trying to lose though can be worrisome. Keep the diary and talk to your doctor. Maybe he or she can figure out what is going on. Good luck!

Joycelouise

Sweetheart, with that diet
Sweetheart, with that diet and exercise plan, I would imagine you would lose weight. Many women go on that plan with that sole purpose. I also started out thin and went to a similar diet as you and more exercise and lost about seven pounds on tamoxifin. I have since put back on three because I am learning how to cheat on health diet. Oh, well. Now I am just working towards the balance I want. In the meantime, I am enjoying healthier eating, like my jogging and love yoga. So, I say, don't worry - enjoy your health and even flaunt your cute figure a little! How anyone could test whether or not tamoxifin puts on weight without taking into account external factors that can change our diets and calorie intake(like going through a tramatic DX)(let alone chemo)(let alone rads)(let alone surgery)(let alone hairloss) is beyond me. love, Joyce

sylva

Joycelouise said:

Sweetheart, with that diet
Sweetheart, with that diet and exercise plan, I would imagine you would lose weight. Many women go on that plan with that sole purpose. I also started out thin and went to a similar diet as you and more exercise and lost about seven pounds on tamoxifin. I have since put back on three because I am learning how to cheat on health diet. Oh, well. Now I am just working towards the balance I want. In the meantime, I am enjoying healthier eating, like my jogging and love yoga. So, I say, don't worry - enjoy your health and even flaunt your cute figure a little! How anyone could test whether or not tamoxifin puts on weight without taking into account external factors that can change our diets and calorie intake(like going through a tramatic DX)(let alone chemo)(let alone rads)(let alone surgery)(let alone hairloss) is beyond me. love, Joyce

Thank you!!!
As we all feel and say... THIS PLACE IS TERRIFIC!!!!!!!!!!! It really helps a lot to know that we can sit in the computer and start venting, asking, conforting... Thank you for your responses, your caring and understanding. I really like this "new me", and all the clothes fit so much better, it's just this always "worring" at a new pain or change in the body. I expect time will help with the mind issue.
Hugs and enjoy this new day to the fullest!!

mgm42

Weight Loss w/Arimidex
I went through 4 rounds of chemo, 33 rad treatments, and have been on Arimidex for close to 3 months. (I am 66 years old) Somewhere along the way, I've lost 17 pounds. I'm back up to walking 2 miles a day and watch what eat, too. But, I still enjoy a classic Coca Cola, an ice cream cone, and a few pieces of candy. My appetite is good, but I find that I don't consume as much. A child sized portion at a restaurant is just about my size. My oncologists and surgeon all said my weight loss was a good thing - along with the exercise because weight gain is one of the complaints women have about Arimidex, and being overweight is not healthy because of cancer as well as heart disease. So, as long as your doctor thinks this a good thing for you, be happy. I am. Hugs, Marilynn