weight loss

interestingly, a lot of
interestingly, a lot of uninformed friends and coworkers seem to think everyone loses tons of weight on chemo. from what i understand, that used to be the case, but with the major changes in medicine, things are different now. i have not gotten sick from chemo at all, just a bit queasy for the first few days after treatment. the book about breast cancer that i received from my surgeon addresses weight and the fact that some patients do gain weight. i lose approx. 15 lbs. the two weeks after chemo, then gain back about 5 when i can eat again. i decided not to worry about this, and try to let rude remarks just roll off my back. hang in there! you are a lovely person no matter what you look like!

Different Ballgame said:

Gained 10 lbs. In 2 Days
I gained 10 lbs. in 2 days while during 3rd week of radiation. I did over eat a little, but defiitely not 10 lbs. worth of food and drink. I lost 2 lbs. of the 10 lbs. about 2-3 weeks after I had gained the 10 lbs. Those remaining 8 lbs. stuck to body until I went on Weight Watchers and started walking. I am 5 ft. tall, which means a 5 lb. gain is like a 10 lb. gain to a taller person.

I'll let you know how I do with the weight loss while I am on Arimidex which I started on March 28.

Good luck and relax. You finished chemo, radiation, and now are on Femara. Take a rest and don't worry. However, a little exercise is good for the body in general - just don't worry about weight right now.

Hugs,
Janelle

I'm focusing on exercise
I agree with Heidi that so many people expect you to be emaciated from cancer treatment, and it can be so difficult to deal with their reactions and assumptions –- I’m not sure my co-workers really believed I was doing chemo!

I lost and gained weight here and there throughout treatment, but the end result was that my weight stayed about the same. I was overweight already, and had started an aggressive exercise program before I was diagnosed. I second Janelle’s point – every book I’ve read from every kind of medical professional stresses how much exercise helps physical and psychological recovery from cancer treatment, so I’m focusing on exercising as much as I can to help me feel better, and am hoping that some weight loss will be a natural result.

Traci