Depresion

rmkbrad
rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I went shopping today with the family, everyone getting some warm clothes for the fall. I was trying on some clothes and took a look at myself in the full length mirror and did not like what I saw. I was seriously overweight but I have always been as strong as a bull moose and now after loosing over a 100 pounds in a fast and agresive manner I am saggey skin and bones. I don't know where to start, I told myself if the test results come back no cancer that I will start a workout routine, but fighting some depression is not helping. What have others done after loosing so much body mass. Also is there any good food suplements that will help and not put me at risk for more cancer.

Brad

Comments

  • fsdman
    fsdman Member Posts: 51
    #2
    Brad,
    I went from 220 to
    Brad,
    I went from 220 to 155 during treatment. I was a bull also.Not so much anymore. I was recently even challanged by some punk who,1 year ago,would not have dared. We will not be bulls again-not in the cards. I have started weights and I will have a trim muscular body if I keep at it. I really feel better in most respects except the strength part. I will work on it. I started with high calorie drinks with malt 2x a day. I have only gained 5 lbs but I am mucxh stronger than at the end of treatment.I was depressed also and take lexapro. Went off it for a few months,but the family is happy I went back on them.Time is a great healer,but at some point we have hit the gym and work hard if we want strength back.With so little fat cover you would be surprised how fast you can see a muscle start to grow. Exercise also helps with depression.I am 62 and I intend to be 42 by next summer. I got alot I want to do yet !!Good luck-stay positive.I am not a bull but I can become a pit bull.
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #3
    fsdman said:

    Brad,
    I went from 220 to
    Brad,
    I went from 220 to 155 during treatment. I was a bull also.Not so much anymore. I was recently even challanged by some punk who,1 year ago,would not have dared. We will not be bulls again-not in the cards. I have started weights and I will have a trim muscular body if I keep at it. I really feel better in most respects except the strength part. I will work on it. I started with high calorie drinks with malt 2x a day. I have only gained 5 lbs but I am mucxh stronger than at the end of treatment.I was depressed also and take lexapro. Went off it for a few months,but the family is happy I went back on them.Time is a great healer,but at some point we have hit the gym and work hard if we want strength back.With so little fat cover you would be surprised how fast you can see a muscle start to grow. Exercise also helps with depression.I am 62 and I intend to be 42 by next summer. I got alot I want to do yet !!Good luck-stay positive.I am not a bull but I can become a pit bull.

    Not being able to eat.
    Not being able to eat is a lot of the problem. I had a biopsy this last Thursday and since I have lost another 8 pounds. I used to dread going to the doctor because of my weight, not I dread it because of my loss of weight. I will stay positive and plan on getting up tommorow and going for a walk in the morning just to start things. Thank you for you input.

    Brad
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #4
    I'm betting this is an issue with just about everyone.
    Hey Brad

    I went from 145 pounds to 120. Now, I'm wearing my daughter's size 2 pants and they are loose on me. I'm grateful that I have a closet I can raid, but not sure how much longer she's going to put up with it. I've been hesitant to start a strenuous exercise program, because it seems I am just barely maintaining my weight as it is. I do walk, and we have weights and equipment at home I should be using. For a while, I felt like a 70-year old woman. Hell, I looked like a 70-year old woman. I'm beginning to feel like a young 50-something again. Hang in there. It will get better.

    Deb
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #5
    New you
    Brad,

    Are you being treated for your Depression ?

    On the weight issue, I went from 206 to 154lbs. Now back to 173 and feeling great for it. I started doing 10 push ups and some sit ups in the morning then went to doing 20. Occasionally hit a Gym but I just don't do gyms so that didn't last but the push-ups did and I did some swimming. I then started to Bike a little seriously about 3 months ago and that's when the weight started to come back a little more and my overall fitness has been great. THere are only 3 ways to gain weight 1. Eat rubbish 2. Eat too much and 3. Work out. The first and second options will put you at risk.

    I still take L Glutamine Powder everyday which is good for muscle regeneration and I take a Vegetable based Shake every day occasionally with a protein powder. I am now pretty much vegan with an occasional stray for a small piece of fish and a an egg once in a while.

    You need to to get your depression under control as a priority otherwise that will hamper your recovery. You will regain shape but it will take a few more months to notice as you aren't that long out treatment so take it easy on yourself. Once I bought new fitting clothes I felt much better. As for the saggy bits, ....... well that's something about being overweight before and all of us getting older.

    Once you tone up and rebuild some of the underlying muscle, you will look and feel much better. Take it slow and build up step by step and you will feel the power come back into your limbs. Biking has been great for me and I go with a group every weekend and love it. I went from the back or the pack to the now riding near the front and I was never a big performer, so the new lease on life is a great motivator.

    Stay with it Brad, you will get there.

    Regds
    Scam
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #6
    Scambuster said:

    New you
    Brad,

    Are you being treated for your Depression ?

    On the weight issue, I went from 206 to 154lbs. Now back to 173 and feeling great for it. I started doing 10 push ups and some sit ups in the morning then went to doing 20. Occasionally hit a Gym but I just don't do gyms so that didn't last but the push-ups did and I did some swimming. I then started to Bike a little seriously about 3 months ago and that's when the weight started to come back a little more and my overall fitness has been great. THere are only 3 ways to gain weight 1. Eat rubbish 2. Eat too much and 3. Work out. The first and second options will put you at risk.

    I still take L Glutamine Powder everyday which is good for muscle regeneration and I take a Vegetable based Shake every day occasionally with a protein powder. I am now pretty much vegan with an occasional stray for a small piece of fish and a an egg once in a while.

    You need to to get your depression under control as a priority otherwise that will hamper your recovery. You will regain shape but it will take a few more months to notice as you aren't that long out treatment so take it easy on yourself. Once I bought new fitting clothes I felt much better. As for the saggy bits, ....... well that's something about being overweight before and all of us getting older.

    Once you tone up and rebuild some of the underlying muscle, you will look and feel much better. Take it slow and build up step by step and you will feel the power come back into your limbs. Biking has been great for me and I go with a group every weekend and love it. I went from the back or the pack to the now riding near the front and I was never a big performer, so the new lease on life is a great motivator.

    Stay with it Brad, you will get there.

    Regds
    Scam

    Hey, Brad
    I can't help you on the depression, because that was not a factor for me.
    However, I can tell you that I too lost some serious muscle mass. While I didn't lose anywhere near as much weight as you -- from close to 200 pounds down to 155 or 160 -- I was stunned at how weak I'd gotten.
    I'm a deer hunter, and I put out corn in the woods to keep the deer coming by my trail camera so I can keep tabs on the deer population. I used to easily hoist a 50-pound sack of corn onto my shoulders and carry it deep into the woods. The first time I tried it after treatment, I couldn't even lift the sack.
    So, I started lifting weights: just 8-pound barbells, once in the morning and once in the evening. Now, about 15 months later, I'm actually pretty buff. I really remember the day I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and saw something out of the corner of my eye. At first I didn't know what it was, and then I realized: It was a bicep!

    --Jim in Delaware
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #7
    delnative said:

    Hey, Brad
    I can't help you on the depression, because that was not a factor for me.
    However, I can tell you that I too lost some serious muscle mass. While I didn't lose anywhere near as much weight as you -- from close to 200 pounds down to 155 or 160 -- I was stunned at how weak I'd gotten.
    I'm a deer hunter, and I put out corn in the woods to keep the deer coming by my trail camera so I can keep tabs on the deer population. I used to easily hoist a 50-pound sack of corn onto my shoulders and carry it deep into the woods. The first time I tried it after treatment, I couldn't even lift the sack.
    So, I started lifting weights: just 8-pound barbells, once in the morning and once in the evening. Now, about 15 months later, I'm actually pretty buff. I really remember the day I was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and saw something out of the corner of my eye. At first I didn't know what it was, and then I realized: It was a bicep!

    --Jim in Delaware

    Working Out
    Folks, I'm 15 months out of that hellacious treatment where I started at 216......went down to 162.....and have built up and stayed for the last 5 months at 188. And except for the standard side-effects, I feel really good physically and especially mentally. I sure wish this site would accompany hyperlinks, but doesn't. The excercise program I've been on for the last year (about 2 hours every other day) is the TRX Suspension Program..........http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/...........It starts out as a real simple excercise protocol, and you can advance as much as you want. I initially hated the dang thing, until I finally saw what it was doing for my core, arms,legs, stamina, etc..I'ts alot of fun now and part of my weekly routine. Check it out.

Discussion Boards