The Biggest Loser?

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SusanUES
SusanUES Member Posts: 125
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

So sad reading about the newbies suffering with mouth sores, pain and weight loss...brings it all back.  I'm a year out now and life is very much improved.

How much weight did you lose in total during the first year/healing process?  I'm 5'4", started out around 140 (a weight I was comfortable with) and dropped to 105 at my lowest point.  Which was scary as hell for me and I looked awful.  Back up to a solid 120 now and probably won't gain more...stomach shrinks, smaller appetite, so many carbs are no longer doable.

Any Biggest Losers out there?

Comments

  • stevenpepe
    stevenpepe Member Posts: 234
    #2
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    I don't want to be a loser. I

    I don't want to be a loser. I gained 10 lbs prior to treatment and still maintaining. But the sores are getting serious and I'm worried about losing weight I really need. Keep ya posted.

  • swopoe
    swopoe Member Posts: 492
    edited June 2016 #3
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    My husband started at around

    My husband started at around 200 lbs (6' tall). He got down to 180. At 4 months out of treatment, he is holding steady at 180-185, which is the weight he wanted to be at anyway. Sad he had to lose weight via cancer though.

  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    edited June 2016 #4
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    I may be the winner

    I started at 290 about a year before diagnosis, then at diagnosis was 230, then down to 135 after treatment but before surgery.  I'm 6' 1" so even 230 was a bit heavy.  After years of eating after surgery, I went back to 230 where I was holding steady until last October when I started losing again and am currently hovering around 200.

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #5
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    Lost a lot... both times!

    The first go round in 2012 (SCC tonsil, HPV+), I started very overweight at 320. I lost 80 pounds by the time I finished treatment, but I had a rare side effect from the Fetanyl--it shut down my stomach so I couldn't keep any food down at all, even liquid food via PEG tube.

    I gained back about 30 pounds between 2012 and 2015, then had the second go round (SCC lung, HPV+). I lost about 40 pounds this time and am determined to keep it off. :-)

  • cardoza33
    cardoza33 Member Posts: 81
    #6
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    I am 4 months out of

    I am 4 months out of treatment.  I was 175, now I'm 145.  I have been hovering at 145 for the past month since I got my feeding tube out.  Eating is slowly, and I mean slowly, coming back to me.

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    edited June 2016 #7
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    I started out skinny...

    ...so they put a tube in before I started treatments.  My weight at the beginning was 97, and I got down to 77....I've never gotten past 90 since....and I eat what I want.  I think things will start turning around tho, as my taste buds made a huge jump for the better starting last October....and it continues.  YEAH!  I can taste a whole meal instead of just the first couple of bites.

    p

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    edited June 2016 #8
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    excess gone - now back

    I started around 175 - got down to just under 150. Three years later back to 175 and 20 over but I'd trade that anyday to have 100% taste and appetite back. 

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 727 Member
    #9
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    Similar Weight Loss/Gain

    Just like donfoo and cardoza33, my weight was just about the same.  180 Lbs then down to 145 or so.  Thing is, the fat came from all over my body and returned mostly to my belly which aged my face about 5 years.  I hate having a pot belly!  So now it's bike riding and remembering to eat healthy food.  And being very grateful that we live in this modern time where cancer doesn't always win.

     

    Tom

  • SusanUES
    SusanUES Member Posts: 125
    #10
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    Wow!

    Some of you guys really qualify!  Phrannie, you are such a little bird, that must have been scary for you. SASH, that's a huge amount of weight you dropped.  Yes, kids, the diet we never thought we'd sign up for, huh? 

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #11
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    SusanUES said:

    Wow!

    Some of you guys really qualify!  Phrannie, you are such a little bird, that must have been scary for you. SASH, that's a huge amount of weight you dropped.  Yes, kids, the diet we never thought we'd sign up for, huh? 

    Husband

    Jim went from 175 down to 119.  Weight loss started about two months post-treatment.

    Jim was consuming in excess of 5,000 calories a day.

    Back up to 175 but some is due to abdominal ascites.

  • kdot2003
    kdot2003 Member Posts: 143
    #12
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    l lost 50lb and everybody at

    l lost 50lb and everybody at work (when I came back) said I looked so good.  That was kind of weird.  I did like to lose weight because I was 5'4 and 170 to start out with.  I've gained back about 10# and I dont want to gain more.  Its weird because my taste is still way off.  My thrust doesnt help. Chocolate is the worst and most sweets taste bad but I seem determined to like them again.  I wish I could say I juice everything now and I'm such a healthy eater but nope...cant say that.  

    Oh my goodness Phrannie!

  • the_wife
    the_wife Member Posts: 184
    #13
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    Hubby lost 40 lbs

    My husband started out at 220 and is now holding steady at 180 at 8 months out. He likes being thinner. To me he looks skinny, but after reading everyone's posts here, I guess that is not unusual. Has anyone been through any kind of cancer rehab program with PT or strength training? Ssupport seems to be lacking for survivors in recovery.

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #14
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    Biggest Loser

    Started off right at 200 lbs and got down to right at 160 lbs at the low.   3 years out and now back up to 200 (ok maybe 203-205) but feeling good and still able to wear those new pants i had to buy and now I'm just trying to stay in them!   

  • hlrowe
    hlrowe Member Posts: 80
    #15
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    Went without a PEG. Started

    Went without a PEG. Started TX at 190 and dropped to 150 at end of TX. Now 5 years later I have gained it all back.

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    edited June 2016 #16
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    weight loss

    Loss 90 during treatment from cancer 1 in 2007 (I was close to 300 - so I didn't mind)

    Gained it back.  Lost 30, then started losing more as I lose my swallowing capability.  Was down 20 more by time second cancer was discovered.

    Lost 20 more - and have managed to gain much of it back - after not eating for almost 5 months - it is hard to stop.

    I need to try to lose weight the right way - instead of getting cancer.  I think everyone will be happier that way!

    Lorna 2007 & 2014

  • Drivingdaisy
    Drivingdaisy Member Posts: 263
    edited June 2016 #17
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    25-30 lbs

    Entering Week 5 Post-treatment.  Week 2in treatment, the horrendous mouth sores began and so did my weight loss. 5'6 140 lbs to start.  Weighted in at 111 today.  Still have the feeding tube.  Was beginning to eat by mouth again, but the burning, stinging pain came back and last weekend started getting those damn sores back in my mouth.  Saw my PT and Rad/Onocologist yesterday and we are questioning if the pain/discomfort is due to trying too fast to eat again, am I experiencing a reaction to too much Lidocaine daily, or is it my newer allergies to dairy/eggs which is mostly what I have been eating (soft foods I can swallow along with shakes).  Hope we can figure it out soon and find a solution so I can start back experimenting with different foods.  Want to check out that Oriental Buffet everyone talks about. So love egg rolls.

  • Craig_Griffin
    Craig_Griffin Member Posts: 52
    #18
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    I started at 195 and was down

    I started at 195 and was down to 152 at the end of radiation treatment. Other people in my cancer support group were happy to be "down to their high school weight". I was not able to get back to my normal weight until my porta-catheter were removed 2 years after treatment ended.

    -Craig

     

  • C6873
    C6873 Member Posts: 7
    #19
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    Laralyn said:

    Lost a lot... both times!

    The first go round in 2012 (SCC tonsil, HPV+), I started very overweight at 320. I lost 80 pounds by the time I finished treatment, but I had a rare side effect from the Fetanyl--it shut down my stomach so I couldn't keep any food down at all, even liquid food via PEG tube.

    I gained back about 30 pounds between 2012 and 2015, then had the second go round (SCC lung, HPV+). I lost about 40 pounds this time and am determined to keep it off. :-)

    Info

    i see you had head and neck cancer then lung cancer. My husband just finished chemo and radiation in March and restaging in pet scan now is showing neck devolved and now in both lungs, he is also hpv positive.

    still trying to understand as oncologist is telling us very rare for head and neck cancer spreads to lungs.

    any info you experienced would help, thank you

  • SusanUES
    SusanUES Member Posts: 125
    #20
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    I didn't do the Chinese buffet...

    I did the Indian buffets and the steam table buffets.  Tiny little bits of everything.  Anything with potato turned to glue in my mouth. Ditto pasta.  Veggies were tough in the beginning; fruits were easier.  Tiny shreds of meat were okay, nothing chewy though. Little bits of fish were okay too. I have to emphasize tiny bites because you don't want to waste $$$, so just take little bits of what you think might work.  I was 50/50...generally only half were doable...gets better in time.

    WOW, some of you really are big losers (saying that in a good way, of course!).

     

     

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