Family member almost done w/Tx weight loss??

TeresaAngela
TeresaAngela Member Posts: 9
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Have a family member who just had their 3rd chemo, and by the end of the week will be the last of 35 rads for tonsil cancer.

They were adament about no PEG tube and have lost a great deal of weight. 25% (44#s) 

Would appreciate anyone willing to share how much they loss, especially % wise and what kind of treatments you had.

Thanks

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    now tell us something about you.

    TA,

    43lbs down (19.72%, wow!), had 2 PEG’s (no adamant), 10 glasses of water daily, drank at least one meal a day, 35 rads, 8 Erbitux, surgery on tongue and 1-lymph nodes, shot to my sense of security, destroyed my feelings of good health and good condition, learned to love smoothies (7 months’ worth), realized that many H&N members have it worse than I did and that some blatantly brag on their superior results (who wouldn’t), life is short, sometimes shorter for some, new normal I not a losers stance, but a statement of reality.  We did not just go to MacDonald’s for a burger and fries, we had rads and chemo with a side of surgery.

    You are welcome,

    Matt

  • Sprint Car Dude
    Sprint Car Dude Member Posts: 181
    edited April 2018 #3
    Yep

    I lost about 45lbs. The last 15 were pure muscle.  37 rads and 7 courses of Cisplastin.  I had no problem gaining it all back over about 1 1/2 yrs. I am in the gym everyday working on the muscle part now.

  • TeresaAngela
    TeresaAngela Member Posts: 9
    #4
    CivilMatt said:

    now tell us something about you.

    TA,

    43lbs down (19.72%, wow!), had 2 PEG’s (no adamant), 10 glasses of water daily, drank at least one meal a day, 35 rads, 8 Erbitux, surgery on tongue and 1-lymph nodes, shot to my sense of security, destroyed my feelings of good health and good condition, learned to love smoothies (7 months’ worth), realized that many H&N members have it worse than I did and that some blatantly brag on their superior results (who wouldn’t), life is short, sometimes shorter for some, new normal I not a losers stance, but a statement of reality.  We did not just go to MacDonald’s for a burger and fries, we had rads and chemo with a side of surgery.

    You are welcome,

    Matt

    Thanks, Matt!

    Thanks, Matt!

    About me? Im a family member who is trying to be supportive of a nephew who is very alpha male with a wife and son he loves, but really does not want PEG. It's been hard, as I am sure you can imagine.

    Im several years retires from a family business I loved. Enjoying retirement though as it gives me time to follow my passion of reading bios of early 20th century and WWI and WWII figures.

    For me life is good, though needing to find a new place of residence to go with my temperment more. !! 

     

  • TeresaAngela
    TeresaAngela Member Posts: 9
    #5
    Sprint Car Dude said:

    Yep

    I lost about 45lbs. The last 15 were pure muscle.  37 rads and 7 courses of Cisplastin.  I had no problem gaining it all back over about 1 1/2 yrs. I am in the gym everyday working on the muscle part now.

    Thanks, SCD.

    Thanks, SCD.

    Was 45#s a large percentage of your weight prior to treatment?

  • debbiel0
    debbiel0 Member Posts: 134 Member
    edited April 2018 #6
    .I have lost 60 lbs coming in

    .I have lost 60 lbs coming in at 32%.   I had 35 rads with 2 chemo. I do have a PEG wich was my only source of nutrition and hydration for several weeks. The first 40 lb loss was while only using the  tube, nothing by mouth. The other 20 lb loss has come with a combination of tube feeds and eating over the last 4 months.  I am hoping for some weight gain, but seem to take one step forward and two back. 

    Lots of people that post here have had lots of sucess without a tube, I am not one of them. However, I am grateful for and proud of what I have overcome.

     

  • TeresaAngela
    TeresaAngela Member Posts: 9
    #7
    debbiel0 said:

    .I have lost 60 lbs coming in

    .I have lost 60 lbs coming in at 32%.   I had 35 rads with 2 chemo. I do have a PEG wich was my only source of nutrition and hydration for several weeks. The first 40 lb loss was while only using the  tube, nothing by mouth. The other 20 lb loss has come with a combination of tube feeds and eating over the last 4 months.  I am hoping for some weight gain, but seem to take one step forward and two back. 

    Lots of people that post here have had lots of sucess without a tube, I am not one of them. However, I am grateful for and proud of what I have overcome.

     

    Thanks Debbie, for sharing.

    Thanks Debbie, for sharing. Hoping your recovery going forward has you feeling better and stronger. 

     

  • Sprint Car Dude
    Sprint Car Dude Member Posts: 181
    #8
    TeresaAngela said:

    Thanks, SCD.

    Thanks, SCD.

    Was 45#s a large percentage of your weight prior to treatment?

    Yes

    I was a weight lifter, a solid 240 lbs was about my normal.  I dipped almost to 190 lbs. Lost lots of muscle which I am in the process of replacing. Lots of protein and gym time in last 6 months.

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 446 Member
    edited April 2018 #9
    Dont judge...

    I was overweight, so for me, it was , of all things to happen with cancer, the best one!

    Soo.. numbers.. 120 pounds down, almost 45% ? (started at 260, at 155 now - dropped another 6 in last few weeks)

  • OKCnative
    OKCnative Member Posts: 326 Member
    #10
    I lost 40+ pounds during

    I lost 40+ pounds during treatment. I had no PEG tube. I had 35 rads and 3 mega doses of chemo.

    I'm 6 months out and gained all my weight back and I'm 100% back to normal (beyond a little loss of saliva).

    I'm very glad I rejected the PEG tube as I credit it for my quick recovery and no throat swallowing issues.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #11
    no PEG

    My weight went from 175 to 145, loss of 30 pounds. It was rough but my oncology team all advised going without PEG if possible. 

  • OKCnative
    OKCnative Member Posts: 326 Member
    #12
    donfoo said:

    no PEG

    My weight went from 175 to 145, loss of 30 pounds. It was rough but my oncology team all advised going without PEG if possible. 

    Wish the holding off of a PEG

    Wish the holding off of a PEG tube was standard practice, unless or until it is medically necessary. I'm thankful every day that I didn't do it.

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 446 Member
    #13
    I refused

    Repeatedly, I was asked numerous times, wouldn't do it.

    I read the swallowing posts, .. everything here

     

    Then I read how its inserted.. no way Jose!

  • nancytc
    nancytc Member Posts: 70 Member
    edited April 2018 #14
    I started at 109 and ended at

    I started at 109 and ended at 89 lbs. I got a Peg by end of week 2. My docs knew that I didnt have any excess weight for a cushion, so it was a big concern. And I was in a constant state of nauseau even after the Chemo vomiting abated. I could vomit just thinking about a smell or a certain food.  So I am guessing this as about an 18% weight loss. I have gained back to 103 ish which is in my normal range so I am feeling very accomplished! I also lost a ton of muscle, so I am at the gym several times a week building back the muscle mass.

    Nancy

  • Royemken
    Royemken Member Posts: 2
    #15
    TeresaAngela said:

    Thanks, Matt!

    Thanks, Matt!

    About me? Im a family member who is trying to be supportive of a nephew who is very alpha male with a wife and son he loves, but really does not want PEG. It's been hard, as I am sure you can imagine.

    Im several years retires from a family business I loved. Enjoying retirement though as it gives me time to follow my passion of reading bios of early 20th century and WWI and WWII figures.

    For me life is good, though needing to find a new place of residence to go with my temperment more. !! 

     

    TeresaAngela

    Hi TeresaAngela,

    I was diagnosed with Esophogeal cancer (Stage 3/4 so no lymph nodes) on the Friday before Christmas 2017.  I finished 33 rads along with 6 weeks of chemotherapy on March 15, 2018.  I was so adamant against getting a tube in the beginning it was no joke.  I was in some serious pain when I tried to swallow things and it was nearly impossible to even swallow pills.  I knew that a tube would take away from my independence and make me look weak, something all of us alpha males can’t tolerate.  But once I dropped 30 lbs, it was obvious that I needed the tube and was begged by my entire family and friends (other alpha males included) to get one.  Let me be clear:  Without it, I would die.  I want to see my kids and my family, I want my independence, I want to be strong, I want to beat the projections:  but I want to be alive more.  Yea its a pain in the **** sometimes having to just sit there and take my feeding but it isn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  If I wanted to I could hook up a bag to the oh **** bar in my car and do a feeding on the road (but I won’t).  My point is that I’m mobile.  I’m 47 years old and I was a pretty good athlete so I came into this like a competition.  They say most people do this in 6 weeks, I want to do it in 3-4.  They say most people won’t get their taste back for 8 weeks, I want to do it in 6.  But the real challenge is accepting that there is only so much you can do.  Your nephew, if he was in sports, could always win the game through out working, out hustling, and being smarter than your competition.  Cancer is one hell of a competitor and I can tell you 100% that it has been the most challenging thing I have ever faced, and I once had to learn how to walk again.  This tests your internal fortitude like no other so to your Alpha Male nephew all I can say is:  Did you ever back down when you faced a tough competitor?  Or did you step up and know in the long run you would win.  How awesome will it be once he (and we all) beat this Cancer and have a new outlook on life.  Cancer tries to win every day and night and it gets close sometimes messing with my brain (expectations), but in the end my Alpha male comes out and says:  F*** off.  Not me dude.  Wish you well.

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