I am dealing with all of the side effects of chemo other than the weight gain.

putzie
putzie Member Posts: 66 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I was diagnosed 8 weeks ago with invaside ductal carcinoma with lymph node involvement. I chose to have chemotherapy before surgery and am happy to tell that it is working. You can no longer feel my tumors!! I am dealing with all aspects of side effects other than weight gain. I have always been fairly thin and have exercised regularly for all of my life. I would like to know if some of the weight will go away when treatment is over. I am having carbo/taxotere/herceptin, and nuelesta shots to boost my blood counts. I'm not eating much differently than before cancer, but I am working out a bit less. I am hoping this is short term as I am really struggling with this problem.
Anyone else in this situation??
Thank you and let's kick cancer butt!!!!

Comments

  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #2
    That is good news that you
    That is good news that you can't feel your tumors! It means the chemo is working. I didn't have chemo, so, I can't answer your question, but, I know others will. Good luck!

    KYLEZ ♥
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #3
    Each person's experience is
    Each person's experience is different, but I expect that you will lose the weight as soon as treatments are over and you feel like being more active again. I had very few side effects, so I continued to eat too much and excersize too little, so my weight changed very little; but my Sister gained and lost repeatedly, depending on what treatment she was on during her 6 years as a survivor.

    seof
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    #4
    seof said:

    Each person's experience is
    Each person's experience is different, but I expect that you will lose the weight as soon as treatments are over and you feel like being more active again. I had very few side effects, so I continued to eat too much and excersize too little, so my weight changed very little; but my Sister gained and lost repeatedly, depending on what treatment she was on during her 6 years as a survivor.

    seof

    Hi Putzie,
    Congrats on the tumors shrinking! I lost 30 lbs during my chemo. But I was too sick to eat. I was thrilled with the weight loss, it was the bright spot for me during that time. Once I started eating again I only gained 8 lbs back. Still a bright spot. But lots of the girls on this site gained weight. Did your onc think the weight gain was normal?

    Hope the rest of your treatments go well...

    Hugs, Judy :-)
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #5
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Putzie,
    Congrats on the tumors shrinking! I lost 30 lbs during my chemo. But I was too sick to eat. I was thrilled with the weight loss, it was the bright spot for me during that time. Once I started eating again I only gained 8 lbs back. Still a bright spot. But lots of the girls on this site gained weight. Did your onc think the weight gain was normal?

    Hope the rest of your treatments go well...

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    I also lost 70 pounds and
    I also lost 70 pounds and thanks for posting that because I feel quilty about being happy for that. I had fun shopping for clothes . Ihave not lost or gained . I fluctuate 1 or 2 pounds up or down. I too was pretty sick and did not eat. the weight gain could be fluid or the steroids. I have read that people lose after. They werent too happy with me for losing, but I didnt do it intentionally. They really want you to maintain. My first chemo 16 years ago CMF I gained 20 pounds so I thought I would gain this time too. great about the tumors the best news ever!!!
  • 24242
    24242 Member Posts: 1,398 Member
    #6
    Hang in there Putzie
    A certain percentage of population is very sensative to all being done to us and we do get through it all. I lost 40 pounds while waiting to be diagnosed then gained about 70 over the coarse of treatments. I was a well built athletic woman of 36 at time of diagnosis one reason didn't think I could have cancer. It wasn't till deathly ill when found out I was stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and now a 14 year IDC breast cancer survivor.
    After years of being ill it was finally nice to know what good health felt like so it is possible to return. I just resigned myself to all I had to do and did it all knowing I would limit the chances of getting it again.
    We have to try and not be so hard on ourselves because this is out of our control. Learning to treat ourselves as our own best friends is an important things.
    I got every last side effect there was and managed to get out the other side.
    It will happen for you too,
    Tara
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #7
    seof said:

    Each person's experience is
    Each person's experience is different, but I expect that you will lose the weight as soon as treatments are over and you feel like being more active again. I had very few side effects, so I continued to eat too much and excersize too little, so my weight changed very little; but my Sister gained and lost repeatedly, depending on what treatment she was on during her 6 years as a survivor.

    seof

    Yes, kick cancer's butt!
    Yes, kick cancer's butt! Concentrate on your treatment now. Don't worry so much about the weight. I am sure that once you are finished, you can start a weight loss plan. Just keep yourself strong!

    Hugs, Debby
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #8
    We're all different! I lost
    We're all different! I lost weight - Drs weren't happy with me. I'm still loosing weight but the lose has slowed down. i lost appetite and still don't have it back.
  • MyTurnNow
    MyTurnNow Member Posts: 2,686 Member
    #9
    Putzie, welcome to this site
    Putzie, welcome to this site full of amazing and knowledgeable individuals. I gained a couple of pounds while on chemo but continued to exercise throughout treatment. I have been finished with chemo and rads since Christmas Eve 2009. I am now back to eating like I had prior to being diagnosed and am also back to my normal weight. Don't worry too much about the weight gain at this time and just focus on kicking the cancer OUT. Good luck!!
  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #10
    Skeezie said:

    Hi Putzie,
    Congrats on the tumors shrinking! I lost 30 lbs during my chemo. But I was too sick to eat. I was thrilled with the weight loss, it was the bright spot for me during that time. Once I started eating again I only gained 8 lbs back. Still a bright spot. But lots of the girls on this site gained weight. Did your onc think the weight gain was normal?

    Hope the rest of your treatments go well...

    Hugs, Judy :-)

    Big congrats on the tumors
    Big congrats on the tumors shrinking! Good luck with the rest of your treatment!

    ♥ Noel
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #11
    I can relate
    except for the part about being in great physical shape to begin with ;-).

    Prior to my diagnosis, I had lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers, and was very proud that I'd kept it off for a year at the time I was diagnosed. I've now gained about 15 pounds since the start of my treatments. I didn't have any nausea during chemo, and frankly I have used food as a comfort - i.e. if I feel like eating a cookie, I'll eat the cookie, dang it - I have cancer!!!! The steriods they gave me with each chemo didn't help much either! Plus, my energy level has been pretty low at times and I have not been excercising regularly. Although I haven't been happy about the weight gain, I refused to worry about it during my treatment. I just wanted to concentrate on getting through it.

    I really need to change my mindset on that and get back to the healthier habits I learned during WW. I just finished treatments a couple of weeks ago, and I did manage to finish a 5k this past weekend at the Revlon Run/Walk, so I think it's about time for me to get back into the shape I was before BC.

    A Different Ballgame has been posting about joining WW again and has been very successful at workiing toward her weight loss goal. I wouldn't worry too much about the gain for the time being. If you are able to continue excercising, I would encourage you to do that also. Then once the treatments are behind you, you can refocus and work on losing any unwanted pounds.

    Take care,
    Cindy
  • missrenee
    missrenee Member Posts: 2,136 Member
    #12
    24242 said:

    Hang in there Putzie
    A certain percentage of population is very sensative to all being done to us and we do get through it all. I lost 40 pounds while waiting to be diagnosed then gained about 70 over the coarse of treatments. I was a well built athletic woman of 36 at time of diagnosis one reason didn't think I could have cancer. It wasn't till deathly ill when found out I was stage 3 with 11 out of 21 positive nodes and now a 14 year IDC breast cancer survivor.
    After years of being ill it was finally nice to know what good health felt like so it is possible to return. I just resigned myself to all I had to do and did it all knowing I would limit the chances of getting it again.
    We have to try and not be so hard on ourselves because this is out of our control. Learning to treat ourselves as our own best friends is an important things.
    I got every last side effect there was and managed to get out the other side.
    It will happen for you too,
    Tara

    You're giving me hope!
    In Nov, 2009, I was diagnosed with Stage III, Grade 3, Invasive ductal carcinoma with 10 out of 23 positive nodes. This came out of the blue--didn't even feel a lump--there were microcalcifications up against the chest wall found very accidentally (I believe God had everything to do with finding it). I had a lumpectomy Dec. 18th and then a re-excision for unclear margins and a portacath installed on Dec. 29th. I started 6 rounds of TAC chemo on Jan. 22. I have never been so afraid in my life. My friends and family say I'm "amazing" and that they can't believe how unbelievably I'm doing--I try to be upbeat and positive, but I have many private moments of terror. I have done pretty well through the chemo, but just had the final one last Thursday and it's been rough. I meet with the radiation onc. in 2 weeks to start radiation therapy. Reading your post has been the best thing. I'm so encouraged to hear you are a 14 year survivor. This gives me so much hope. I am 57, my only son just married a wonderful girl a year ago and I want to hold, play with and love my grandchildren to be. I am so happy that you continue to be healthy. When I start to get down, I will think of you.

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